Fight Coverage
Matchup to Watch | Lerone Murphy vs Dan Ige
High-Level Featherweights Collide In Abu Dhabi Hoping To Set Themselves Up For A Run Toward Gold In 2025
You know a fight card is stacked when a Top 15 matchup between highly touted featherweights is flying a little under the radar. Granted, that’s what happens when there is a title fight of the caliber of Ilia Topuria’s first championship defense against BMF champion Max Holloway, as well as a crucial middleweight bout between former champion Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev. Even so, the second fight of the main card between Lerone Murphy and Dan Ige is one every fight fan should anticipate.
Not only could the winner set themselves up for a real run toward the belt that is up for grabs later in the night, but it is one that, stylistically, should fascinate the casual viewers and hardcore fans alike.
Order UFC 308: Topuria vs Holloway
Lerone Murphy
“The Miracle” came into the UFC with a decent amount of hype after going 8-0 with five knockouts on the regional scene. However, his draw result with Zubaira Tukhugov at UFC 242 stymied that momentum off the jump, and his climb up the featherweight rankings has been a steady one instead.
Day Off | Lerone Murphy
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Day Off | Lerone Murphy
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After getting his UFC tenure on track with a first-round TKO of Ricardo Ramos and a decision win over Douglas Silva de Andrade, the only thing that got in Murphy’s way was sour luck and inactivity. A matchup with Charles Jourdain — one of the more entertaining matchups that could’ve been made outside of the rankings — dissolved when Murphy encountered visa issues. He would step in on short notice to face Makwan Amirkhani, simultaneously scoring a second-round knockout win and answering a lot of questions regarding his defensive grappling. That would be his last fight for the next 17 months, however.
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His return to action finally came when he faced Gabriel Santos in London, getting the split decision nod at UFC 286. He followed that with a sharp decision win over Josh Culibao at UFC Fight Night: Aspinall vs Tybura, which led to the biggest opportunity of his career: a main event slot opposite Edson Barboza. In the UFC APEX, Murphy stood toe-to-toe with the ever-dangerous and timeless Barboza, earning the decision win as well as Fight of the Night.
All along the way, Murphy fought with an elegantly sharp style featuring classy striking. Making one’s way through the shark tank of the featherweight division is no easy task, nor is maintaining an unbeaten record, but Murphy did just that and is now primed to make his way into the Top 10.
Dan Ige
After winning, but not earning a contract, on Dana White’s Contender Series in July 2017, Ige stepped up for an opportunity opposite Julio Arce at UFC 220. Although the Hawaiian-born Ige lost a decision, he has been an absolute workhorse in the company since, having fought multiple times each year other than 2022. He made big gains following his debut loss, reeling off six consecutive wins in less than two years, including a split decision victory over Edson Barboza that led him to a main event opportunity two months later opposite Clavin Kattar.
Ige would lose that bout via decision and take a deserved break, returning in March 2021 to face Gavin Tucker, delivering what is arguably his best highlight to date. Just 22 seconds into the bout, he uncorked a short right hand that crumpled the Canadian. The finish put him back in the main event spotlight against The Korean Zombie, although he would lose the bout.
UFC 308 Embedded | MMA Coaches Break Down Holloway vs Topuria This Saturday
Following three consecutive losses, Ige felt like his back was up against the wall when he stood across from Damon Jackson, who walked into the fight on a four-fight winning streak and had his eyes on the Top 15. Once again, Ige stepped up, knocking him out in the second round to earn his third performance bonus and get back into the winner’s circle. He would proceed to outduel Nate “The Train” Landwehr at UFC 289 before dropping a decision to Bryce Mitchell, but in 2024, he came back with yet another thunderous knockout. This one came midway through the first round against the always tough veteran Andre Fili, along with it his fourth performance bonus.
The moment many belatedly fell in love with the no nonsense Ige, however, came at UFC 303. Laying on his couch getting a massage, Ige heard about Brian Ortega pulling out of his scheduled co-main event against Diego Lopes. After a few text messages, Ige called his coach Erick Nicksick and made his way to T-Mobile Arena on about four hours’ notice to fight Lopes in a 165-pound catchweight bout. It was an unreal whirlwind of events. Although Ige lost a decision, he made Lopes work for it, earning the third round on all three judges’ scorecards.
Fight By Fight Preview | UFC 308: Topuria vs Holloway
While nothing about Ige’s skillset or attributes necessarily pops off on paper, it only takes a fight fan a short while to understand that he is about this life. Whether he needs to grind it out like a wrestler or show his opponent he has plenty of power to respect in his hands, Ige can find success regardless of where a fight goes.
Meeting in the Middle
This fascinating contrast of styles is also one with major implications in the loaded featherweight rankings. Ige is desperate to get back into a Top 10 position that he held a couple years ago while Murphy believes it’s finally his time to get the marquee fights for which he has longed. The 33-year-olds also feel like they are in their prime to run toward the title picture, so a win on October 26 positions them well for whatever awaits them in 2025.
As far as what will actually go down in the Octagon, it’s likely Ige will try to close the distance and make the fight a little messier and more chaotic for Murphy. The Englishman is a sharpshooter with excellent quickness and footwork. If he can keep Ige at bay and pepper him with long range strikes, he can make life quite miserable for Ige. On the other hand, Ige has several tools to drain that speed from Murphy, so it won’t be a surprise to see Ige mix in grappling early and often before trying to land that thunderous right hand of his.
UFC 308: Topuria vs Holloway took place live from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on October 26, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
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