MMA news: Lerone Murphy to overcome Josh Emmett and stay unbeaten at UFC Vegas 105

After Fight Night events in the UK and Mexico, UFC action returns to Las Vegas with a clash between two top-10 featherweights as undefeated Brit Lerone Murphy (15-0-1) takes on renowned power puncher Josh Emmett (19-4).

A win for either man would likely secure a match-up with a top-five opponent and put them within touching distance of a title shot.

Will established veteran Emmett climb to the summit of the division once again or will surging Murphy hold onto that zero and secure himself another big fight?

Sports News Blitz writer Niall Togher previews the bout and offers a prediction.

The Miracle out to keep the ball rolling

Lerone Murphy is currently the UK’s biggest hope for a UFC champion.

The Mancunian has been near perfect since joining the UFC, with a draw against Zubaira Tukhugov the only blemish on his record.

Whilst other British fighters – such as Paddy Pimblett, Tom Aspinall, and Molly McCann – have stolen the headlines in recent years and deservedly so, Murphy has been somewhat of a dark horse in the featherweight division.

He has, by all accounts, gone about his business quietly and efficiently.

In his last two fights, though, Murphy has broken into the rankings and defeated two notable names in Edson Barboza and Dan Ige.

During both of those fights, Murphy showed off his solid chin and displayed great powers of recovery, which he may have to lean on again when he takes on the heaviest hitter in the division.

Lest we forget, he was almost knocked out by an up-kick from Barboza and dropped in his fight against Ige after over-extending in boxing range and getting countered.

Murphy is a well-rounded fighter who has clean striking with constant feints, a nice one-two combination, and phenomenal spinning back-kicks.

He is also capable of securing takedowns and it is that ability to mix things up that will be crucial in order to keep Emmett thinking and hesitant to throw his right hand.

The Englishman certainly displayed an ability to push a phenomenal pace over five rounds in his fight with Barboza, and a replication of that against an ageing Emmett while being defensively responsible would set him up nicely for the win.

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Emmett looking to regain prime form

At lighter-weight classes such as featherweight, it is well-documented that older fighters have limited success due to the speed with which the younger fighters operate.

At 40 years old, Emmett is extremely old for a featherweight and has not been seen in action since December 2023, when he added another highlight-reel knockout to his collection in flatlining Bryce Mitchell.

Injuries have since kept Emmett from returning to action sooner, meaning he has been unable to build upon any momentum that the Mitchell KO provided him.

Having already challenged for the interim title back in 2023, Emmett cannot afford to lose to the 10th-ranked contender if he ever wants to find himself back in the title picture.

Everyone knows the strengths of Emmett – his big looping overhand that, if landed, renders opponents unconscious in devastating fashion.

In this match-up, Emmett could attempt to replicate Ige’s gameplan against Murphy by pushing him back so as to get the better of the boxing exchanges before attempting to control the wrestling department later on.

The American, it must be said, possesses impressive wrestling credentials, so the ability to mix them in could open an avenue for Emmett to land his right hand and close the show.

Alternatively, a takedown could present opportunities for him to land some ‘ground and pound’ and finish the fight that way.

While Emmett’s highlight reel is nothing short of legendary, the American has suffered brutal damage in his career due to fighting at an elite level with the likes of Yair Rodriguez, Jeremy Stephens, and Ilia Topuria.

Father Time waits for no man and, although he was athletic and explosive in his prime, it remains to be seen if Emmett can still perform at the level required.

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Murphy to overcome danger and take the win

If this fight took place six months ago after Emmett’s bout with Mitchell, then it would be harder to call.

However, the age and recent inactivity of Emmett make him a hard bet as things stand, even if the power he possesses can make a mockery of any prediction against him.

Murphy is certainly the more technically sound and diverse striker in this fight, while Emmett can tend towards being something of a one-trick pony at times.

The volume of Murphy will be key – as Emmett loads up and looks for his one shot to end the night, Murphy will need to act quickly, get his work down, and then retreat to distance.

If there is a finish in this fight, it will most likely be for Emmett, but a Murphy masterclass in navigating danger and picking shots en route to a points victory seems more likely.

Fight prediction: Lerone Murphy to win by decision

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