Early UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs Murphy Predictions
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Vladislav Tchakarov
While we are still mesmerized by Lewis' antics from Saturday night, it is already that time of the week when we make our Barboza vs Murphy predictions.
We understand that this upcoming card may not immediately excite you when you scroll through the fights. But we promise you, the lack of high-ranked fighters does not make it any less thrilling. Here are a few solid bouts to look out for.
Anything can happen when @LeroneMurphy enters the Octagon 👀
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Barboza vs Murphy – A Legend vs An Undefeated Fighter
Somehow, someway, Edson Barboza is reviving his career at 38 years of age. For years, he was used as a gatekeeper, getting thrown at the young prospects. Between 2017 and 2022, he lost seven out of ten fights. Then in 2023, he won against Billy Quarantillo and Sodiq Yusuff. He was a solid underdog in both cases.
Lerone Murphy made his debut in the UFC in 2019 but he only fought six times. He was inactive for over a year for undisclosed reasons and returned in 2023. Lerone Murphy remains undefeated with 13 wins and 1 draw behind his back.
Murphy enters this contest as a slight betting favorite. But since he never faced serious opposition, we can't confidently say that he has what it takes to beat Barboza.
There is a far better option for this matchup. How about we kick off our Barboza vs Murphy predictions with an over? Bet on over 2.5 rounds in this bout.
Pinheiro vs Hill – Angela Is Almost 40 Now
Angela Hill is one of the funniest characters on the roster as her confidence is too high for her record. She has been in the UFC since 2017 and her overall record is 16-13. She is 39 years old and yet somehow managed to win three of her last four fights.
Luana Pinheiro is 9 years younger than Hill and has an almost perfect record (11-2). She is coming from her first UFC loss against Amanda Ribas, a fight that was supposed to send her high up the rankings.
On paper, Pinheiro should have the advantage but she has not really been convincing in recent years. And you never know what to expect from Hill these days. Moreover, she is actually the favorite here, believe it or not.
With all this in mind, we have to continue the Barboza vs Murphy predictions with a second over. Hill's last 11 bouts all ended with a decision.
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Demoupoulos vs Ducote: First Fight of the Night
Two former champions from different promotions meet in the opening bout of this card. Both females suffered defeats in 2023 and have to win this at all costs.
Vanessa Demopoulos has actually been fairly successful since joining the UFC and her 2023 loss to Kowalkiewicz was a huge setback after three wins in a row. Ducote is incredibly experienced but her UFC record is 2-2 so far.
It feels like all of our Barboza vs Murphy predictions will revolve around the over/under market. Regardless of the experience levels, neither of these fighters is a finisher. We expect a long one to start the evening.
Magomedov vs Alves: Last UFC Chance for Alves?
This will be Warlley's 10th year in the UFC and he never made it far up the rankings. He lost six of his last ten fights and we believe that after three defeats in a row, this is his final chance to remain on the roster.
Abus Magomedov was supposed to be a beast at middleweight when he made his debut with a professional record of 24-4.
Unfortunately, he was drafted to fight Sean Strickland as early as his second outing and the then-future-now-former champ put him to sleep. Since then, he also lost to Caio Borralho.
Let us complete our early Barboza vs Murphy predictions with at least one moneyline bet. Magomedov has to win and he must do it fast as a decision against this opponent will be considered a disappointment.
Overall, when we look at this card and compare it with some of the earlier Fight Nights in 2024, it becomes clear that matchmakers are at a dead end right now.
The recent massive events (UFC 299, UFC 300) and the upcoming PPVs have really left them without many options for good fights.
Vlad is a former amateur MMA fighter. After a series of injuries, he found a different way to connect with the sport and its fanbase - through writing. He's been covering everything-UFC for over 5 years on various platforms and has been part of the team at NYFights since early 2022.
