Former UFC bantamweight champion Miesha Tate is targeting a flyweight debut on May 14 against former title challenger Lauren Murphy.
A former UFC bantamweight champion will be making the move down in weight.
MMAFighting reports that verbal agreements are in place for Miesha Tate to face Lauren Murphy on May 14 at what is expected to be UFC 273. Originally, the bout was reported for April 09 before a follow up report the same day said the bout was expected to be pushed back a month.
Tate (19-8) is hoping that a change in scenery could expedite her title aspirations following mixed results since her return last year. Following a roughly five year layoff, “Cupcake” split a pair of fights in stopping Marion Reneau and being routed by Ketlen Vieira in 2021.
After her friend and teammate on The Ultimate Fighter Julianna Peña claimed the title in December, Tate had discussed the possibility of moving down in weight.
Murphy (15-5) is looking to bounce back from a loss in her long-awaited shot at a UFC title.
After seven years in the UFC, “Lucky” challenged for a world title for the first time last September where she was defeated by Valentina Shevchenko. The loss snapped a five fight win-streak that saw her best perennial contenders such as Andrea Lee and Joanne Wood.
No headliner for the card has been announced. Though still unconfirmed and subject to change, the event has been reported to take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
