Lerone Murphy makes frank admission despite theories around UFC London fight

Lerone Murphy has admitted that his UFC London main event against Movsar Evloev may not be a No 1 contender’s fight, despite theories from many figures in MMA.

On 21 March, Manchester’s Murphy will face the Russian in a battle of unbeaten featherweights, with champion Alexander Volkanovski keen to face the winner.

Naturally, then, many fans and pundits have been quick to dub the UFC London main event a No 1 contender’s bout, given Murphy and Evloev’s impressive records and Volkanovski’s desire to face either man.

Yet it isn’t always that simple in the UFC, as Murphy noted on Monday, shortly after his fight was announced. “Nothing’s concrete,” he said on The Ariel Helwani Show.

Still, Murphy added: “But I hope so. The matchmakers know what type of match-up this is. Everyone knows what type of fight this is going to be, and what type of fighter I’m fighting against.

“So, I think the winner should be undeniably next in line for the title. Simple.”

Murphy, who will carry a 17-0-1 record into the O2 Arena, said of the 19-0 Evloev: “Movsar is elite. He’s a very good fighter, good everywhere, but I just believe I’m going to take him into deep waters.

“It’s going to be defensive wrestling, an ambitious offence, and pressure him to make a mistake. I’ll be hunting for the knockout from bell to bell.”

News of the match-up came just two days after Volkanovski extended his second reign as featherweight champion with a win over Diego Lopes. Volkanovski outpointed Lopes to retain the title in the main event of UFC 325, nine months after beating the Brazilian in the same manner to win the vacant belt.

And the Australian champion used his post-fight press conference to call for a fight with Murphy, 34, or Evloev, 31, next.

“It hurt watching that fight, thinking I should have been there,” Murphy said. “It should have been me [...] I think if I was in there, I would have gotten the job done.

“I see a lot of things in there that I would have been doing. I feel, right now, that I’m the best in the world at featherweight.

“Volk is the guy I have the utmost respect for as a champion. If it were up to him, he would have fought me, and he’s going out there and fighting the next best. It’s how every champion should be. Hopefully I get the chance to share the Octagon with him.”

Murphy last fought in August, taking on UFC debutant Aaron Pico. The Briton stopped the former Bellator star in stunning fashion, with a spinning back elbow, which led Volkanovski to call for a title defence against Murphy.

Meanwhile, Evloev has not fought since December 2024, when he narrowly outpointed Aljamain Sterling, a former bantamweight champion in the UFC.