LAS VEGAS – Undefeated featherweight competitor Lerown Murphy focuses on what lies between Alexander Volkanovsky and Diego Lopez in the UFC 314 main event.
Murphy (16-0-1 MMA, 8-0-1 UFC) has brought him closer to the top of the division, beating Josh Emmett in the UFC in the ESPN 65 main event at UFC Apex. What he described as “splendid” was a solid, unanimous decision victory. For Murphy, it’s all about getting closer to the title shot.
In UFC 314, a vacant title will appear when former champion Volkanovski (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC) wins Lopez (26-6 MMA, 5-1 UFC) in a marquee match. Murphy has an idea of what to do at Miami’s Caseya Center.
“I think it’s a great fight. They’re both top fighters, and I think they’re both exciting fighters,” Murphy said at a postwar press conference. “It’s a very high level of two competitors, but I think we’ll probably see Volk win in a slow round with cardio and experience, who knows?”
Volkanovsky, 36, lost his second bid for a lightweight title against Islamic Makhachev, then dropped the featherweight title to Ilia Toplia.
Meanwhile, 30-year-old Lopez scored five straights, including stops for Gavin Tucker, Pat Sabatini and Sodik Yusuf. He scored a shot in gold in the trio finish, all unanimous decisions over Dan Ige and Brian Ortega.
“Diego is young and hungry, and he’s been in tears lately,” Murphy said.
Murphy had no predictions about who will win or how to win, but whoever argues that the title could become his next opponent, depending on how the division shakes in the coming months, he certainly maintains a meticulous watch.
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