UFC women’s flyweight’s Lauren Murphy and Liliya Shakirova will meet in the middle on the main card for UFC 254. Top contender Cynthia Calvillo was part of the original booking, but she was forced to step away from the fight. The 125-pound fighters will be looking to make a big splash on their main card feature with major implications.

The divisional champion in Valentina Shevchenko has put the weight class in a vice with her dominance. Moreover, the UFC is constantly on the lookout for contenders who can step in and give ‘The Bullet’ a run for her money.

UFC women’s flyweight’s: Lauren Murphy vs Liliya Shakirova

‘Lucky’ Lauren Murphy is very much within the title landscape at 125-pounds and would virtually guarantee her slot with a win. She is coming off two straight decision wins over Andrea Lee and Roxanne Modafferi, that placed her in a prime position. She comes into the fight as a considerable favorite and certainly has the tools to win the day.

Shakirova steps in on short notice in place of the number three ranked top contender in Cynthia Calvillo. Chiefly, Calvillo was forced out of the fight after she tested positive for COVID-19 and will have to be sidelined. The aforementioned main card fight appearance spells her UFC debut and is the first time she competes in 2020.

Although she won’t be directly catapulted into a title fight in her first promotional appearance, a statement win will go a long way.

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Lauren Murphy comes in with a calculated approach and will have a well laid out plan despite the opponent being a short-notice draw. She is patient when it comes to letting go of her hands, but is extremely precise. Not to mention, she’s incredibly durable, having never been stopped in her entire career.

Liliya Shakirova [8-1] is an aggressive fighter who prefers to trade in a tight range. However, getting close to Lauren Murphy will be easier said than done. Shakirova comes in with a height and reach disadvantage. Chiefly, closing the distance on a range based fighter in Lauren will probably prove to be too tough a task.

Prediction: Lauren Murphy to claim a unanimous decision victory.