MMA Fighting - Lauren Murphy Reacts To Valentina Shevchenko Loss, Daniel Cormier's Corner Criticism

Episode Date: September 30, 2021

Lauren Murphy gives her first interview following her fourth-round TKO loss to Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 266 this past Saturday. Murphy discusses the greatness of Shevchenko, when she felt the champion was on another level than the rest of the division, losing her head coach at the beginning of fight week and why she decided to fight, what she and her team tried to do to get her head coach involved in the fight, Daniel Cormier's criticism of her corner between rounds, and who she wants to face in her return in 2022 with MMA Fighting's Mike Heck. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Subscribe: http://goo.gl/dYpsgH Check out our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/u8VvLi Visit our playlists: http://goo.gl/eFhsvM Like MMAF on Facebook: http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z Follow on Twitter: http://goo.gl/nOATUI Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Like leftovers at midnight, our Black Friday offers won't last. Shop now at IKEA.ca.ca. Black Friday. IKEA, bring home to life. You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network. All right. So let us say hello to Lauren Murphy, who competed this past Saturday night in the co-main event of UFC 266.

It did not go her way. in her first bid to become a UFC world champion against Valentina Shepchenko. But she is kind enough to join us a few days later to talk all about it, which I greatly appreciate. And the dogs are here too, which is no surprise to me or anybody else. Lauren, thank you for doing this. How are you? I'm pretty good, man.

All things considered, I'm doing all right. There you go. Well, first off, let's just say the odds of being a mixed martial artist and getting to the UFC not very high. earning a world title opportunity in the UFC, super rare thing in this sport, but you earned your shot, you did it the hard way,

you got in there with the fighter that many believe is the pound for pound best on planet Earth right now. How would you describe how it all feels four days later, the fight, the fourth round, the overall feeling of your first title fight in the UFC? It's okay. It's like a lot of mixed emotions,

you know, especially after a hard loss like that. like um valentine is definitely a different level you know like i've never competed with anybody like that before like um her her pressure on top like the way i couldn't move on the ground like like that's never really happened to me before and um yeah just like the level of her striking and even just the way she competes like um just she's very present and aware the whole time oh We got the whole, we got the whole plan now. But anyway, she's, she's incredible. It was pretty, it was pretty crazy to be in there with somebody at that level, you know,

because I truly never really competed with anybody that level before. And I don't remember the fourth round, really. So I guess that's pretty good. And, yeah, I mean, it's a bummer to lose. It's always a bummer to lose. And that's the first time I've ever been finished. I think it was a good stoppage. I was pretty out.

of it by the time the rest pulled her off of me. So, yeah, it's definitely, like, not the outcome we wanted, but to be honest to be it was pretty cool being in there with a martial artist a per caliber. Like, that's a pretty cool experience. That must be what it's like, like, when people play one-on-one with Michael Jordan or, like, I don't know, maybe that's how people, maybe that's how guys felt when they were fighting Kibib or something, because, like, it really was, it was like, holy shit. Like, this girl's on another level, you know? Yeah, I mean, so, so much to unpack with what you just said there. I mean, just first off, like, fighting for a title, it's, it's different. There's a lot more media, a lot more obligations, a lot more spotlight. It's just

a different feeling in this division in particular, because I'm sure, because, like, it doesn't headline a lot of cards. Like, Women's 125 doesn't headline a lot of cards. Oftentimes, like, even bouts featuring top 10 fighters on each side don't even get on a main card. So it's like going from one thing to a whole other extreme, it would seem, especially in this division. But before we get into the fight more specifically, like, how did you enjoy the build, the fight week in general last week? You know, it was awesome. I actually always really like fight week. Like, it's like, okay, all the hard work is done. Now it gets to go have some fun. You get a bunch of attention. Like, it's like you can almost breathe that side of relief and like all the rewards that you've

been putting off for the whole fight camp. They're like right around the corner, you know. So that was good. The one thing about Fight Week, I wish I could change, really, was we got to Fight Week and the first day we were there on Tuesday. My head coach tested positive for COVID. So Alex Seesney, he couldn't be with us all a Fight Week. He couldn't corner me on Fight Night. And that was a big deal for us, really. Man, that sucked. Because, you know, I'd worked with him so closely throughout the camp and he's the guy that does all the game planning like i'm i mean i'm nine and nine and one i guess kind of with alice but i was nine and oh going into this fight with alex in my corner and um anyway i guess that's the one thing that i was really like ah fuck

so when we found that out on tuesday when he tested positive for covid the ufc quarantined him and made him leave the fighter hotel and said he couldn't corner me on saturday and so at first we were like thinking maybe we would pull out of the fight, you know, like, I was like, I need to have my coach there. Like, I need to have my coach there, you know? And I don't know, I was, I just, we just ended up deciding not to, like, I was healthy. I wasn't, I didn't have any injuries. I wasn't, you know, sick. There was, like, the odds of me showing up to a title fight again at some point, being in that good of health, I think, probably weren't very good, you know. And, I didn't know.

I didn't know if we pulled out of the fight. Like I was like, well, let's play it out. Sorry, the dog was freaked out. If I pull out of the fight, like, what would happen? Like, probably they'd put Cynthia in because I'm sure Valentina would still want to fight, you know. They'd probably put Cynthia in and then I'd have to fight another number one contender fight just to get back to the title again. And like, it just seemed like too much, like we'd been through too much, you know, to call it at that point.

but I was pretty bummed that Alex couldn't be there to corner. So, like, we had gotten it clear through the commission that he could actually be, like, in an earpiece in Paris's year. Paris is the fourth corner guy, and he was just basically coming to warm me up. And so we were like, well, he could watch the fight, like, I guess on mute, you know, like with the commission sitting there that way. Like, anyway, they didn't want any, like, cheating or anything,

but it was like either let me have my coach or, you know, this can be a big problem. So anyway, he watched the fight on mute, like with the commission sitting there with him and would talk into Paris as your piece, but he was on like a full minute delay. So we would be in the corner. Yeah. That's crazy. Yeah. And like he would have something to say, but already the next round would start. You know what I mean?

So it was kind of a shit show. Not really the way I like envisioned that happening. Go on YouTube. get out of here. They're like rough-mousing. Go on. But anyway, that's like the one thing that I really wish could have, I guess, gone differently because he was important in the corner.

And then Joe kind of had to do two jobs. And Alex is a really good striker. He's a good striking coach. And so anything that was happening on the feet between Valentina and I, Joe felt a little lost. Like Joe felt like he didn't have the experience to like guide me through that. you know and bob Perez was still there but Bob's just giving me the basics like you know keep your foot on the outside circle to the left keep your hands up you know so anyway everything else was

good though the media was fun um it was a cool buildup like valentine is a cool chick she wasn't shitty at all during the week or even after the fight like she was really cool after the fight so yeah everything else i would give i would give the weekend probably like a six out of ten like didn't enjoy getting finished very much and i really wish my coach could have been there But other than that, everything was pretty good. That's wild. Like how close were you guys from just saying, nah, like we'll just wait.

Like was it close? Would you say like on a scale one to 10? Did you get to like a six or that other side? Oh, for sure. Yeah. Like the first day happened. So Tuesday we got there. And that's when we found out of 10 COVID.

And so my manager was staying in the hotel with us, Lou DeBono. And so we all sat down and talked. as a team like do we want to go forward with our you know that's my head coach like derrick lewis wouldn't fight without bob prez in his corner i was like dude would valentina fight if like pavel fucking tested for covid you know like i don't know it was a it was a hard choice to make but um yeah we were close to just calling the fight really pretty close and i slept on it i was like let me sleep on it for a day and see where we're at like wednesday morning and I just felt like

I felt like I had to do it like I didn't know what the reaction would be if I pulled out of the fight the week of the fight I was sure Valentina still wanted to fight I didn't know if I was going to get another title shot I didn't know if I was still ever be like I didn't know the UFC might pull me and they'd be like well that's fine we'll pull you

you don't have to fight but in order to fight Valentina you're going to have to win another contendership fight and I was kind of like okay well then we don't know we might not be back here for another year. So, and then, of course, in hindsight, I'm like, yeah, we should have done that. But in the moment, you just don't know. And I was like, you know, I, I just think this is the right choice to make. You know, I just, you know, in the moment, you just don't know. But yeah, we were pretty close to just won the fight all together. Yeah, I mean, the, the psychology around

the whole build of it all. Like, I'm, I'm kind of curious about that because, you know, anybody about to fight Valentina, you're trying to get focused, you're trying to put yourself in a head space to pull something off that not a lot of people are giving you a chance to do. And then it's press conference and interviews. It's just constant. You're this big of an underdog. Like, how can you possibly win this fight? All of it. Like, what was that part? Like you seem to like be sort of thriving in it. Like you were ready for all that stuff. But like, was it a little taxing after a while? Like, I mean, listen, I know I'm an underdog. Like I know a lot of people aren't giving me a chance. But like, I know this already. Leave me alone. kind of on one hand like on one hand yeah it was like change the channel you guys but on the other hand like on the other hand like what what else would anybody be asking me about when people ask me like what do you bring to this fight that's different i was like uh i'm tough you know but i don't have like an elite world kickboxing background you know like i have a i have a pretty elite jiu jitzy background but it's not like mackinsey durn or something you know what i mean so like yeah, I was like, honestly, I just didn't really know what to tell people because it was like, I don't know, I'm tough. I think I'm tougher than any of these girls she's fought. I think I have a better team. I think I have a better game plan. And then it was like, the head coach like couldn't be there anyway. And then honestly, we got into the fight in the first round, one of the first exchanges. Valentina cracked me with a right hook, I think. And I remember thinking like, I'm not going to be tough through that. Like, that's going to hurt me, you know? I remember thinking like, nope.

Being tough was a bad idea. It was a bad game plan. That's a lot. So you knew right away after that first right hand, you're like, oh, boy, this could get rough. Yeah, yeah, because I could, like, first of all, I couldn't see it. Like, I couldn't see it coming at me.

And that's a big problem, you know? It's like if you get hit by strike, you see that's one thing. But for it to come out of nowhere, that was something else really. I felt like I was really well prepared for like all her spinning attacks. I felt like I was well prepared for her left kick. Yeah, like her big left kick that she likes. I felt like we had prepared really well for that. And so that kind of stuff wasn't hurting me.

But yeah, that right hook hurt me and it hurt me early. And so I got pretty timid. I didn't really want to like, you know, get in there and mix it up. I remember at one point I went to go do something with my jab and I kind of extended it. And Valentina, it was in like the second or third round, Valentina kind of moved her head and ducked. And she was like looking right at me. And she had this look on her face.

Like she just couldn't wait for me to fucking throw it because like she had a really good counter plan, you know. And so the look on her face was like, yeah, do it. And man, I said, nope, I put that hand right back. I said, never mind. I mean, you are handling this like a champ, Lord. I got to tell you. It was wild and I think I did a good job staying calm and like, you know, I did things to the best of my ability.

But I'd be lying if I said it didn't get my head a little bit that Alex wasn't there. You know, it was kind of a shit show trying to include him via fucking phone or FaceTime or whatever. Like we got it, we got cleared through the commission. Like, can my coach be on a fucking earbud? You know, we'll do the best we can. And the commission was like, yeah, that's fine. And then we got to the arena and the UFC came back to the locker room. They said, no, that's not fine.

You can't do that. Like, you can't have your coach on a fucking earpiece while, you know, you guys are in the corner. But then we're at the arena. Like, I was warming up. And so Joe was, like, freaking out. He's like, hey, man, we agreed to do this fight because you guys said that, you know, her coach could electronically be in the corner. You know what I mean? Like, this is a big fight.

And so he kind of talked him into it. And that's how Alex ended up watching the fight on mute with the commission, like watching him. but just like he got expelled from fucking fight week due to COVID, but it's okay for him to be around all the commissioners, I guess, to watch the fight electronically. Anyway, then he was on this like at least a 40 to 60 second delay. So there was one point in the corner where Joe would say something to me and then he would look at Paris and Paris was supposed to just repeat whatever Alex had said,

you know, telephonically and Alex was on such a delay. He didn't even know we were sitting in the corner. He didn't even know that we were all together. and so he didn't have anything to really relate to Paris. And Paris was like, I got nothing. So Joe just kind of skipped him and went to Bob, you know? Yeah, it was just, it just ended up being kind of a shit show. I guess, you know, looking back, it's so easy to say,

oh, we should have just pulled out of the fight or we should have said, you know what I wish? I didn't know that Aljo was going to pull out of his fight in October. And if I had known that, if I had known that Aljo was going to do that, then I would have asked the UFC to move us to Abu Dhabi in October. Like I would have, you know, because I would have been like, it's at least worth a shot. And maybe they would have said no because they really want to set up that interim

fight. And like now it's cool. Like they got San Hagan and Yon fighting for an interim or whatever. But I would have at least shot my shot. And then like, hey, my coach can't be here? Like, whatever he's got COVID. Can we move the fucking fight a month? You know, I don't know if Valentina would have gone for it.

I think it would have been up to her really, but maybe. Yeah, that was that was the first part of my Saturday trying to work all that out the whole Aljo situation. I was like it was spin, like my head was spinning. It was like being in there like you probably felt like being in there at Valentina. I was just like, how do I handle all of this? So much information. This is so crazy. It's interesting to hear the whole coaches aspect.

So clearly this wasn't tested ahead of time, the whole earpiece thing because it would have been how could you? Like how do you know like when the broadcast and stuff like that? because like I was watching in my office on ESPN Plus, but like some people were watching it and were ahead of me. And I was literally on the same site as everybody else with some people. So it's crazy. So clearly this was not tested ahead of time. No. And we kind of expected like a seven second delay.

Like I've heard there is that so they can bleep out like square words and stuff. And so we're like, okay, there might be like a 10 second delay. So whatever you have to say, try to get it in about 30 seconds before the bell rings to pay. Paris and Paris will relate it to me, you know? And yeah, it just didn't really work out that well. Like, I don't know. And I can't say like, oh, if Alex had been there, I would have won. Like, I can't say that. But I think I would have been more comfortable. And I think I would have, I think I would have done, I think I would have tried more things. You know what I mean? I was, I'm really comfortable in the corner asking Alex questions. Like, I'll ask him stuff. and he'll, you know, that I'm wondering about. And I don't know. I think, I just felt bad that DC, I guess, got on Joe's case so bad.

I haven't watched the fight or, like, heard what DC said, but a couple of people messaged me or, like, called us and said that, like, D.C. was, like, ragging on Joe. And I feel bad about it because it's, like, D.C. didn't even fucking realize that we only had three corners in there that night. Like, DC didn't even realize that our fourth corner was gone and that that's the head guy and that that's the guy that was going to, like, be the sounding board for what was going on with Valentina, you know, and suddenly we lost, like, a major leg to the table that was, like, the support for this fight. And so, anyway, Joe was trying to do two jobs at once. And he knows,

Joe knows that one of the things I like the most about Alex is how calm he stays in the corner. He doesn't get all fucking, like, riled up and now, I'm right, you got to do this. You got to do that. Like, Alex stays real calm. I think Joe was just trying to emulate that, you know, so. Yeah, because that was one of the big things, you know, with the broadcast. Because, like, you telling, because my role on Saturday was I was like the play by play guy on our Twitter account. So like I can't really hone in on everything that's being said. So I'm sitting there just like trying to watch and type like what the hell is going on in the fights. And like some of the, especially the main event, I'm like,

how the hell am I supposed to keep up with these two crazy people? It's almost impossible to do. So I didn't even notice there there was somebody missing from the corner. And I don't even think it was even mentioned on the broadcast. But one of the things that was talked about in the broadcast, like like you said, was DC and in the corner. stuff because some, especially in sports, like some people need positivity to motivate them. Like when I played sports, I reacted more to, Mike, you suck. You F that up. Like, you were terrible. You cost us the game. Like that like was that got me riled up. But it's not like that for everybody.

Like obviously DC didn't agree with the way things are being handled and all that stuff. But like, will you go back and watch just to see what he said or do you just not even care? Because you heard enough from other people. Like, is it even worth your time to even hear what, what DC had to say? Well, I hope it's not as bad as what people were saying. People were pretty riled up about it. What were they saying? The DC was like just ragging on Joe super bad and that it was like almost insulting.

Like he, I guess he made Joe sound like amateur hour. Like, I don't know. I don't know, really because I went back and watched it. So I hope it's not as bad as like what's in my imagination. You know, but I don't know. I think like, it's like, man, fucking D.C. doesn't know, though. So, like, Joe probably was trying to keep me from getting discouraged, you know, like, and it's easy with a fighter like Valentina to get really discouraged.

And, like, truth be told, I was discouraged, you know, all this stuff with my coach. And then, like, going in there that first exchange, I was like, okay, like, I can't take too many of those fucking strikes. Like, that was crazy, you know. and so it made me timid. And then in the second round, I put her on the cage. And, like, I couldn't move her at all. Couldn't move her legs. Like, and it's just like, you know, my confidence was just getting chipped away.

And I think Joe was really trying to, in that moment, just make sure that my confidence didn't get totally blown out. You know, like that, you know, you still feel good enough to try to make some things happen. And it's hard to convey all that in one minute. And then we're trying, we were all trying. we were all trying to like compensate for this fact that our coach had been like pulled out from under us basically and um he and joe feed off each other really well in the corner so anyway i think that's i think um that was a big hurdle that we had and i i tried hard to overcome it like i tried to tell

myself like this is the kind of stress champions deal with like if you're going to be a champion you have to deal with this kind of stress you have to deal with it well and like this is an opportunity to practice doing that and um i'd be lying man if i said it wasn't tough, though. You know, we all, I think we all tried our best to handle it with grace and dignity and make the best out of a shitty situation. But it was a pretty shitty situation. And, yeah, I hope that next time I fight for the title, it goes differently. Yeah, hopefully all the coaches are in time. So when you're, so when kind of going back to the coach thing, when, when you found out that your coach tested positive, because I mean, as little as probably like two or three months ago, if a coach tested positive, like the fighter is out. Like, if one person from the team, they usually just, I, air on the side of caution, we pull everybody. Was that talked about it all? Or did they kind of change protocol on that, at least to your knowledge? They changed protocol on it.

And I know like the same thing happened to Sarah Alpar last weekend, like the weekend before. Like her coach tested positive. And so I think she went out there with just her training partner, really just had like one corner. And so I knew they would probably keep the fight. But yeah, I was pretty disappointed because it's like, they were like, well, were you sitting next to him on the plane?

I said, no. I said, are you having any symptoms? I said, no, I'm not having any symptoms. I already had COVID, you know, earlier this year. And they were like, okay, good. And I'm like, yeah, great, perfect. But, you know, I know you said, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

Dude, I'd be lying. I was like, man, you know, once it was decided, like, okay, we have to fucking do it because otherwise we might lose our title shot, you know. And the truth is I did feel healthy. Like, I didn't have any major injury. I had a good weight cut in front of me. Like the odds of that have, I haven't shown up this healthy to a fight in like ears.

And so we kind of had to take that into consideration. And like, anyway, yeah, I'd be lying though if I didn't, if I wasn't like, come on, Valentina, like maybe somebody in her camp will test positive or like, you know, maybe something'll, she'll like, I don't know, get pregnant or something will happen.

Like, where the fight can just get postponed, you know? because I did really want him there. And it was like, man, it was hard because it was like, if I win, he deserves to be there. You know, and so that thought was in my head, too. It's like even if you do pull up this miraculous upset, you win this fight, like, then the head guy, the guy that got you to this point, the guy that's been, that's had your back, you know, for this whole time, he's not even going to be there to celebrate with you or what, you know? So, yeah, it was difficult.

So you're back home in Houston. I mean, how, how was the rest of your Saturday night? Like, the fight ends. You said you don't even really remember the fourth round. No nonsense. Keith Peterson stops it. First time you'd ever been finished. You kind of had to, like, accept all of that.

Like, what was the rest of the night? Like, did you just kind of like relax or like, what did you have to do the rest of the way or end up doing the rest of the way? Yeah. I was a little out of it. We went to the back and like, you know, did the thing. I cried a little bit and, you know, told my coaches I was sorry. I told Joe and Paris involved, like, how.

sorry I was. But honestly, it was like, it was like, man, what the fuck can you do? Like, I don't know. She's just way better than me. Like, I don't know. And when you think about it like that, you're like, man, I think we did everything we could. And we had some challenges during the camp, too. Like, I was healthy going into the fight, but I did get injured during the camp and had to take

a couple weeks off. I did have, like, an illness during the camp and had to take a couple weeks off. It all came together so that I was healthy before the fight and felt good. I was in good shape. Even with all the stuff that had happened, like with the coach and everything, I felt like I was in a good headspace. So like when I had walked out, I enjoyed the walkout. When we were being introduced in the cage, like I remember I didn't feel like too many nerves. Like I felt good.

I felt pretty loose. And so that was all good experience. And then it was like once the fight started, I just felt like, man, the skill level and the experience level, man. I just, I was like, I can't match this, you know. So when you get into a situation like that, it's like, what can you do? I just, I fought my best and go, you know, afterward. Like, like, there's nothing I could have even felt bad about because I feel like we really overcame all these challenges and really gave it hell.

So, yeah, I mean, it sucks to lose. But on the other hand, I'm like, did I give it everything? Yeah, I think I did. Is Valentina head and shoulders above everybody else in the division right now? Probably. I think so, you know? I can't see anybody else becoming champ while she's, while she,

while she decides to continue being the champion, you know, so. Yeah, one thing that, that you said in the buildup and a lot of past opponents in the buildup is she's human. Valentin is human.

Is she human? I don't know. She might be a robot. Even like, I'll never forget, like, just going to throw that jab and her kind of ducking. down and just the look on her face she was like yeah like she just couldn't fucking wait to counter with whatever it was she was totally present and uh it reminded me of like when forest

griffin fought anderson Silva and he said like yeah i tried to punch him and he moved his head and looked at me like i was stupid and then he hit me back you know i was like yeah that's kind of what this is like this this must be what it was like for fighters to fight Anderson in his prime or like i said like played basketball with michael jordan one-on-one or something like that and like it's it's cool to be in the presence of greatness. And then even after the fight, she came over, you know, and she's all happy. And she thanked my coaches. And I was like, dude, you're the best.

You're the queen. You're the best. And she gave me a hug. And then like her tweet at me too afterward where she's like, you're very strong, talented skilled fighter. It's like, yeah, thanks, champ. Thanks a lot. I guess she's human.

I suppose, yeah. She's got human feelings at least. Yeah, maybe somewhere under there. She's human. but yeah, I mean, it's incredible. She's an incredible fighter. So I know the fight just happened four days ago. You're back in Houston and trying to kind of get everything back together,

heal up. And do you want to try to get back in there before the end of the year? Or are you just like, yeah, we're going to chill out and reevaluate. And then we'll come back in 2022 and do this damn thing again. That's the one. Yeah. I'd like to fight Cynthia Cavillo next spring, like March or, or April. So that, if I have my brothers, that would be the way it goes. I'm just going to enjoy

the holidays with my family. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed Halloween Thanksgiving and Christmas with like no worries and could just do whatever I want. And so I really, actually, I'm going to go do Jiu-Jitsu worlds in like a week and a half. I really wanted to compete at Worlds. So I'm going to go do that. And then Joe and I are going to Columbia. We have a vacation book. And then I just really want to enjoy the holidays and maybe go see my son. And then, yeah, get back to it and get serious like the beginning of the year and be ready to fight by like March or April. So that would be, that'd be good.

I think Cynthia would be a good matchup and that would be something to look forward to next spring. Yeah, I think it's time for that rivalry to be settled. You know what I mean? Yeah. Let's just get it. The time is now. Let's just make that fight happen.

Last thing, you did like a. countdown pretty much throughout fight week, even like the two weeks before. It's like 11 days till I can have this or 10 days for like I could have this. What was the first thing you went for? Like you posted all the pictures of the food and all the different companies and all the different stuff. Like what was the first thing you went for? What was what was number one on the list? A cheeseburger. I actually had two cheeseburgers in a row. Yeah. Nice. So yeah, two cheeseburgers. And then today I'm actually going to go train so I can work up an appetite, but mostly just so I think they'll eat some more.

Nice. Well, well-deserved. Listen, you went through a lot, and I didn't know any of this. So thank you for the candor in sharing everything. You went in there, you fought for a world title, you gave it your all. And I think you're handling this as well as maybe anybody I've ever seen. So that just says a lot about you, Lauren. And again, we've had these conversations for a long time to see where you started and

from where you were and learning about you in our first conversation to seeing you fight for a world title was it was just rad. Like it was really cool to see. You walk it out to bat of the bone. I'm like, holy shit, she's about to fight for a world title. This is crazy. Like, one of the first people that actually like gave me a chance to interview them back in the day. And now look, it's just, it was pretty surreal to see. So well done, well deserved. You've definitely earned your way into that title shot. There's nothing lucky about it. And you do what you could. And I appreciate you coming on and talking all about it. That means a lot, as always, Lauren.

So enjoy, enjoy training and eat that delicious food. Thanks a lot, man. Yeah, I think you summed it up. It's like, what can you do, man? We went after it and gave it hell. And like I did the best I could with what I had and did my did the best I could in the moment. And yeah, we came up short, but that's okay.

Like, I think I still have a lot of fun fights in front of me. And, you know, this, this game is crazy. San Hagan just got a title shot coming off a loss. And so it's like, who knows? Maybe, who knows? Anything could happen in this sport. So I'm not giving up hope quite yet at, like, you know, world championship aspirations. But maybe for now, you know, maybe for now.

We'll put them on the back burner and just enjoy some time off. But yeah, it was cool, man. It's cool. And I'll never, I'll never forget it. And I'm never going to regret fighting for the, you know, fighting for the title. And fighting somebody like Valentina, like, it is cool, man. I can't even tell you what it's like to be in there with like somebody that caliber and experience greatness like that.

It's like I'm, I'm grateful for it at the end of the day. Getting T-KO. It wasn't that much fun. But, you know, pretty much everything around it was pretty cool. You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network.