Main Event Spotlight | UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs Murphy

From March 2019 to June 2022, Emmett won five fights, earning two knockouts and three performances bonuses along the way. His split decision win over Calvin Kattar in June 2022 catapulted him into a shot at the interim title shot where he fell to Yair Rodriguez via second-round submission. After dropping a Fight of the Night main event against Ilia Topuria four months later, Emmett returned to form six months later at UFC 296. There, he faced Bryce Mitichell, delivering one of the most devastating knockouts in recent memory less than two minutes into the bout.

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The 40-year-old Emmett, despite his age, remains one of the most fearsome strikers at 145 pounds. His power, combined with the threat of his wrestling, make him one of the most don’t-blink spectacles in the weight class, and he has tallied 12 total knockdowns, which is most in featherweight history. He is also tied for second all-time with 1.32 knockdowns averaged per 15 minutes. To stand in front of him is to play the most dangerous game.

Lerone Murphy

Since entering the UFC in September 2019, Murphy has long been a contender in the making. After stumbling in his debut against Zubaira Tukhugov (a split draw), Murphy found his legs relatively quickly, scoring two knockouts in his next three fights. He saw his momentum stymied in 2022 when he was unable to compete, but he reasserted his status as a featherweight on the rise with wins over Gabriel Santos and Josh Culibao in UFC’s pair of visits to London in 2023. 

Murphy spun that forward to a pair of massive results in 2024. The first came in his first UFC main event against the ever-dangerous Edson Barboza. The two locked horns for an intense 25 minutes, with Murphy securing the judges’ nod while both men earned Fight of the Night honors. “The Miracle” followed that with an assertive decision win over Dan Ige at UFC 308, cementing himself as a Top 10 combatant.

WATCH: The Incredible Journey of Lerone Murphy

The Manchester-representative is a classy, sharp striker whose +2.13 striking differential ranks fourth all-time in the featherweight division. He uses sharp footwork, a clean jab and a variety of attacks to keep his opponents at bay, and he has shown a knack for landing knees and other anti-grappling strikes when his opponents try to ground him.

Meeting in the Middle

UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs Murphy represents the first fight of 2025 for both sides of the headlining bout, but Emmett’s year-plus layoff is an intriguing wrinkle in the bout. Whether the layoff gave Emmett a sense of rejuvenation or results in some rust early is a factor to watch, particularly against a methodical and strategic striker like Murphy. Both men are accustomed to their fights stretching into the third round, as well.

Although the headline around Emmett is always going to be his powerful overhands, the Team Alpha Male representative does like to mix in his grappling a bit just to get his opponents thinking and maybe shifting their hands a little lower. Murphy is no stranger to the strategy and defends about half of his opponents’ takedowns while also landing just under two takedowns per 15 minutes himself. 

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Murphy’s footwork and long-range strikes are sure to play a role, as well. He boasts a three-inch advantage in height and reach, but he will have to be mindful of Emmett’s shifting overhand strikes and overall explosiveness.