MMA World Reacts as Movsar Evloev Ends Lerone Murphy’s Unbeaten Run, Stakes Claim for 145lbs Title Shot

Mar 21, 2026; London,UNITED KINGDOM; Movsar Evloev (red gloves) fights Lerone Murphy (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images
by Kshitiz Kumar Singh

UFC London may have finally clarified the featherweight title picture, as Movsar Evloev edged past Lerone Murphy via a closely contested majority decision in the main event at London’s O2 Arena. Despite losing a point owing to a nut shot in Round 4, the unbeaten Russian moved to 20-0 with scorecards of 48-46, 48-46, and 47-47.

Evloev started aggressively, pressing forward and looking to back Murphy up. He threw looping overhand rights that largely missed, while the Englishman stayed composed, using lateral movement and sharp straight punches to establish his rhythm. Murphy’s early body work and cleaner striking stood out, while Evloev leaned heavily on kicks but surprisingly didn’t attempt a takedown in the opening round.

In Round 2, Murphy continued to build momentum. He timed his counters effectively, landing clean right hands and mixing in leg kicks. Evloev kept pushing forward with big swings and takedown feints but struggled to land consistently. While he had some success targeting the body with kicks, Murphy’s accuracy and control gave him another strong round.

 

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The third round saw both men raise the intensity. Murphy landed a solid knee to the chest, prompting Evloev to secure his first takedown, though Murphy quickly returned to his feet. After a brief pause due to an accidental low blow, Murphy impressed with a spinning wheel kick and crisp combinations. Evloev responded with pressure, a sharp jab, and a late flurry along the fence to keep things competitive.

However, the momentum shifted in Round 4. An early low blow from Evloev resulted in a point deduction, but it also sparked urgency. He pressed forward with more aggression, landing a big right hand and securing multiple takedowns. Murphy showed resilience by repeatedly getting back up, but Evloev’s pressure and control began to take over. Murphy also appeared to suffer a hip injury, which visibly affected his movement.

In the final round, Evloev leaned heavily on his wrestling. He secured early takedowns, maintained control, and even advanced to mount. Murphy battled back to his feet multiple times and landed a few clean shots, but his compromised hip made it difficult to keep pace. Evloev’s grappling dominance ultimately sealed the round.

Overall, Murphy appeared to have the edge in the opening rounds, while Evloev took over down the stretch by clearly controlling the final two. A Murphy win, or even a draw, felt like a fair outcome. However, two judges awarded Evloev four of the five rounds, a decision that sparked debate but may have secured him a long-awaited 145lbs title shot against champion Alexander Volkanovski.

 

With his 10th straight victory in the UFC, Evloev continued to make a strong case for a title opportunity, especially with Volkanovski openly welcoming fresh challengers. As for Murphy, he will look to regroup following the first loss of his professional career. Let’s see what the world of MMA thought about the UFC London main event.