Sports

Alaska fighter Lauren Murphy pulls out a split decision in UFC 247

Her face bloodied and her eyes puffy, Lauren Murphy of Eagle River jumped for joy Saturday night after winning a split decision on the undercard of UFC 247 in Houston, Texas.

Murphy, the seventh-ranked women’s flyweight in the world, improved to 12-4 with her second straight victory. She defeated eighth-ranked Andrea Lee 29-28, 28-29, 30-27 in a fight that delivered lots of action.

“A tough, bloody, competitive fight from two tough chicks,” Murphy said after the fight.

It was a three-round slugfest. Lee, whose record slipped to 11-4, lost her mouthpiece twice in the first round, and both fighters got in multiple punches and kicks in the fast-paced battle. Both fighters landed 107 total strikes.

Murphy got her start with the Alaska Fighting Championships. She’s a former Invicta world champion who trains in Arizona.

Beth Bragg

Beth Bragg wrote about sports and other topics for the ADN for more than 35 years, much of it as sports editor. She retired in October 2021. She's contributing coverage of Alaskans involved in the 2022 Winter Olympics.

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