Lerone Murphy, though not the crowd favorite, delivered a performance strong enough to defeat Josh Emmett at UFC Vegas 105, maintaining his undefeated professional record.
Murphy showcased technical superiority throughout the fight, consistently outstriking Emmett. The former interim title contender struggled to mount effective offense, frequently becoming frustrated by Murphy`s strategy. Murphy effectively utilized leg kicks to wear down Emmett and landed sharp jabs that proved successful throughout the night.
The judges` scorecards reflected Murphy`s dominance, reading 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46, all in favor of Murphy, awarding him a unanimous decision victory and improving his record to 16-0-1.
Following the decision announcement, the audience at the UFC APEX, largely supporting Emmett, voiced their disapproval with loud boos. Murphy responded to the negative reaction, asserting his victory.
“It`s alright, 16-0, easy work,” Murphy exclaimed to the crowd. “I stuck to my game plan. Emmett has knockout power, so I couldn`t afford mistakes. It was an intelligent and defensively sound performance. I even dropped him with a left hand. It was a quality win.”
While Emmett searched for opportunities to land a knockout blow, Murphy maintained distance, utilizing jabs and calf kicks. An accidental clash of heads resulted in a cut and bleeding on Emmett`s face, but he continued to press forward aggressively.
Emmett deviated from his striking preference to execute a powerful takedown, lifting and throwing Murphy to the mat. However, Murphy quickly returned to his feet, nullifying Emmett’s grappling attempt.
Murphy continued to target Emmett`s lead leg with kicks, visibly hindering Emmett`s movement and causing frustration as he struggled to corner Murphy. Murphy mixed up his attacks, alternating between low leg kicks and high head kicks, keeping Emmett guessing.
Murphy`s speed and varied striking became increasingly difficult to anticipate as the fight progressed into the fourth round. He also began to find openings for impactful body kicks against Emmett.
Recognizing he was behind on points, Emmett became more focused on landing a knockout punch. Despite his efforts, Murphy consistently blocked or evaded Emmett`s power shots, causing Emmett to sense the fight slipping away.
In the final round, Emmett desperately sought to land his powerful right hand, but faced the same challenges as before, failing to connect cleanly. Murphy continued to employ leg kicks, jabs, and counter-striking tactics to control the fight until the final bell.
Murphy`s performance was solid and effective, though not a spectacular finish. He consistently finds ways to win, even without a knockout since 2021 against Makwan Amirkhani. This victory over Emmett marks another step in Murphy`s steady ascent in the rankings.
“Of course, a title shot is my goal, but I`m ready for anyone in the top 5 or top 3,” Murphy stated regarding his future plans. “I want to maintain this momentum and stay active, aiming for two more fights this year.”
