Former UFC title challenger Lauren Murphy returns from two-year layoff vs. Eduarda Moura

Lauren Murphy is set for her next UFC assignment – two-and-a-half years after her previous one.

At a UFC Fight Night event July 12, expected for Nashville, Tenn., Murphy (16-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) returns to battle rising Brazilian fighter Eduarda Moura (11-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) in a flyweight bout.

Two people with knowledge of the booking recently informed MMA Junkie of the matchup but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Murphy, 41, fought Valentina Shevchenko for title gold in September 2021. She lost by fourth-round TKO, a defeat that snapped a five-fight winning streak. Following the title bid, Murphy returned for a one-sided win over Miesha Tate. Her most recent outing was the following fight, a unanimous decision loss to Jessica Andrade in January 2023.

Moura, 31, made her UFC flyweight debut in November when she defeated Veronica Hardy by unanimous decision. The victory came after a 1-1 stint at strawweight during which she defeated Montserrat Ruiz and lost to Denise Gomes. She missed weight both times, causing the bump up in weight class.

With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for July 12 includes:

Lauren Murphy vs. Eduarda Moura