Lerone Murphy eyes top-five after UFC Vegas 105 win

Lerone Murphy took another major step toward title contention in the UFC featherweight division on Sunday, outclassing veteran Josh Emmett over five rounds to extend his unbeaten record at UFC Vegas 105.

Fighting in his first main event slot, Murphy showed his class with superior movement, well-timed counters, and effective leg kicks that disrupted Emmett’s rhythm throughout the bout.

His left hand landed cleanly in the fifth to seal the result on the judges’ scorecards: 49-46, 48-47, 48-47.

Top MMA sportsbooks had Murphy at +130 to win on points, and the 32-year-old Brit delivered exactly that.

“I had to fight a certain fight,” Murphy said post-fight.

“He’s a dangerous guy. I couldn’t afford to make any mistakes.”

Now 16-0-1, “The Miracle” is unbeaten through eight UFC appearances and has firmly planted himself in the top-10 discussion.

He used his moment on the mic to call for a top-five or top-three opponent next, targeting a return to the Octagon in July.

It was a disappointing return for Emmett, who had been out for 16 months and was hoping to reignite one last title run.

The 40-year-old American struggled to close the distance and never found a home for his signature overhand right.

He’s now lost three of his last four, with retirement potentially looming.

Elsewhere on the main card, Torrez Finney remained undefeated in his UFC debut but not without backlash.

The powerhouse wrestler landed eight takedowns on Robert Valentin but threw only four significant strikes, earning a narrow split-decision win in a bout that was widely panned online.

A baffling 30-27 scorecard for Valentin from judge Tony Weeks only added to the controversy.

“I’d call that a dud performance,” Finney admitted.

“But I got the win. I’ll get better from here.”

Fight fans were treated to far more excitement in other bouts.

Ode Osbourne (+200 at Nags.bet) produced one of the knockouts of the night, flattening Luis Gurule with a flying left hand in round two to earn a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.

Other bonus winners included Chang Ho Lee, Rhys McKee, and Dione Barbosa, who each scored stoppage wins.

Veteran Brad Tavares secured a historic victory, outpointing Gerald Meerschaert to tie Michael Bisping for the most middleweight wins in UFC history (16), while Pat Sabatini showcased elite grappling in a lopsided co-main win over Joanderson Brito.

From highlight-reel knockouts to technical five-round displays, UFC Vegas 105 delivered a bit of everything.

For Murphy, it was another defining moment in his rise—and the clearest sign yet that he’s ready to take on the featherweight elite.

Attention now turns to UFC 314, where Alex Volkanovski will meet Diego Lopes for the vacant featherweight title.

The Aussie enters as the -147.06 favorite with top UFC betting sites, and a win could set the stage for a future clash with the surging Lerone Murphy.

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