Lerone Murphy looks to cement himself as one of the leading figures in British MMA, hoping that his inspirational story will motivate the next generation of fighters.
The 33-year-old comes off a scintillating performance to claim a unanimous decision victory over Edson Barboza, headlining a UFC Fight Night card earlier this year.
And now, after appearing on his next opponent’s undercard back in 2020, ‘The Miracle’ will take on American featherweight Dan Ige at UFC 308 this Saturday.
But still, while the unbeaten contender is swiftly becoming one of the UK’s brightest stars, his story is ultimately something that transcends the world of MMA.
Lerone Murphy takes on Dan Ige at UFC 308
Before he became one of the top British fighters in the UFC, Lerone Murphy was compelled to overcome a life threatening injury.
The horrific incident, in fact, took place over a decade ago, when he was shot in the face outside a barber shop in Manchester, England.
Remarkably, Murphy not only survived the attack but also found himself taking up the sport of MMA three months later.
And so, while the UFC’s 12th-ranked featherweight looks to join countrymen Tom Aspinall and Leon Edwards at the biggest events, he will take nothing for granted when he steps into the octagon this weekend.
“Sometimes I just have to pinch myself because it feels like I’m just in a dream,” Murphy told The Sun. “It’s strange, it’s night and day the contrast. It’s night and day.
“If I look back ten years now, if somebody said, ‘Where will you be in ten years?’ It definitely wouldn’t be here anyway. It definitely wouldn’t be here.
“[I’m] the first [Manchester fighter] born and bred [to headline a UFC event]. For my team, I’m trying to motivate the younger guys to see the path.”
- Read More [Dan Ige calls out superstar boxer Ryan Garcia for ‘No Takedown’ MMA fight at The Sphere for UFC 306]
Lerone Murphy Joins Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway on the main card UFC 308
In many ways, for Murphy to be joining the likes of Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway on a star-studded UFC card is an achievement in itself.
Both Topuria and Holloway will be colliding for the featherweight title in Abu Dhabi, with the winner representing the number one fighter in Murphy’s division.
Not only that, but middleweights Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev will lock horns in a mouthwatering co-main event too.
So now, after the incredible adversities he has overcome, one would suspect that the possibilities for Murphy are endless.
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