Lerone Murphy's Patient Approach
Undefeated Lerone Murphy Faces Dan Ige In A Matchup Of Ranked Featherweights This Saturday At UFC 308: Topuria vs Holloway
Patience is a virtue practiced by few. Lerone Murphy is one of those few. How else can you explain a young man going 6-0-1 in his first seven UFC bouts, yet not calling out anyone or declaring that he deserves a title shot?
Patience.
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“I just believe that when it's time, it'll be time, and I'm not rushing anything,” Murphy said. “I'm still young in the game, still learning, but I believe this fight right now is a real benchmark for me, and if I come out with the win in this fight, I will be calling for all of that stuff. Trust me, I'll be 15-0, still undefeated, and just beat two top fighters back-to-back. I believe it'll be time for some real recognition after that. The cream rises to the top, for sure.”
This Saturday’s fight, Murphy’s first since an impressive five-round win over Edson Barboza in his first UFC main event in May, is against fellow featherweight contender Dan Ige. It’s a big fight wherever it’s put on the UFC 308 card, but the fact that it’s placed on the pay-per-view main card of an event in which the featherweight title is up for grabs in the headliner between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway has to mean something, right?
“Of course,” said Murphy. “They know everybody who beat Ige has gone on to do good things and challenge and be a real contender. So they know that if I win this fight they've got to start getting behind me. They've got to start pushing me. So if I can go out there and be dominant in this fight and look good, I'm sure the UFC will get behind me as a serious contender.”
Saturday's Full Fight Card Preview
The previous five wins Manchester’s Murphy scored in the UFC put him on the map, but it was his clearcut victory over the still dangerous Barboza that marked “The Miracle” as a serious threat to the throne. That doesn’t mean it felt any better the morning and days after his win at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas when you’ve dealt with 25 minutes with the leg kick king of the division.
“To be honest, it took me a good two weeks,” he laughs. “Those five-round fights are just a different experience, and I feel like it's just the accumulation of damage. So, if it was a three-round fight, I feel like I wouldn't have took that much damage. To be honest, it wasn't that bad. Obviously, I had a nose fracture, but other than that, it was the leg that was bruised up for weeks.”
Lerone Murphy Fight Week Interview | UFC 308
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Lerone Murphy Fight Week Interview | UFC 308
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It’s the price to pay for five rounds with Barboza, but it was one of those wins that not only introduced Murphy to a wider audience, but got him ready for the big fights ahead of him, where five rounds will be the norm. Plus, he got to fight in Vegas for the first time, so that’s something to scratch off the bucket list.
“The first time I went to Vegas, I went to watch McGregor-Mendes, so ever since I went to that, I always wanted to fight in Vegas,” Murphy said. “It wasn't a big arena, but it was still that Vegas feel. So it's good to tick that one off the box, but hopefully next time it will be in an arena. It just gives me goals and things to work towards.”
The 33-year-old gets his arena this weekend, and when he steps into Etihad Arena, it will almost be like a home game, considering that he fought his first four UFC bouts in Abu Dhabi. Call it a perfect storm – “home game” in an arena, pay-per-view main card, and the opportunity to watch someone in the main event he might be fighting eventually. So, does he have a preference when it comes to Topuria or Holloway?
“Obviously, I feel like they're both the best in the world, and it's like them two are just next level from the rest of the division at the minute. So, for me, it's just whoever's champion. I don't care who the champion is; that's my goal and I'll fight whoever I need to fight to get there.”
RELATED: Inside Murphy vs Ige
That’s Lerone Murphy. All class. No callouts, no trash talk, just business.
“That's just me,” he said. “A lot of people say, ‘Oh, why do you not call people out? Why are you not talking s**t online? Why are you not doing this?’ Obviously, I understand that if you are a loudmouth, you get to your destination a lot quicker. But, for me, I just always want to be true to myself, and I don't want to act like something I'm not. I just want to let my fighting do the talking and I believe if I can perform, I'm going to blow up anyway. I'm going to be a fan favorite anyway. The UFC are going to get behind me anyway. I'm going to be champion anyway. So, I just stick to me being me and I’ll get those performances under my belt. Simple.”
UFC 308: Topuria vs Holloway took place live from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on October 26, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!