Lerone Murphy will be looking for his next fight to make a statement toward featherweight contendership after defeating former interim title challenger Josh Emmett in the main event of UFC Vegas 105.
The opening round proved to be a competitive one. Murphy looked to use leg kicks to take out Emmett's power and connected with several notable shots. Emmett, however, did put his power on display, connecting hard on a few exchanges during the frame.
Emmett then scored a massive slam early in the second round before nearly locking in a guillotine. Murphy escaped to the feet, but Emmett kept control, pinning the British fighter against the fence. Murphy escaped Emmett's grasp with less than two minutes left in the round, looking to pressure and be the aggressor for the rest of the round, finding success with the upper hand in striking.
Lerone Murphy Outworks Josh Emmett In Competitive Outing, Earns Decision
The third round proved to be a toss-up, with Emmett looking for takedowns and Murphy continuing to work his combinations and leg kicks. After another back-and-forth striking battle in round four, round five saw Emmett seem to get the upper hand in terms of striking output. Murphy, however, landed a stunning shot on Emmett, and he ultimately took the decision on all three judges' cards.
This was Emmett's first appearance in the Octagon since his knockout of Bryce Mitchell -- one of the top knockouts of 2023 -- at UFC 296. He's lost three of his last four, beginning with a loss in an interim featherweight title fight against Yair Rodriguez.
Murphy improves to 16-0-1, having won every fight since earning a draw in his UFC debut. Murphy's last three wins have now come against notable names in Emmett, Dan Ige and Edson Barboza.