Edson Barboza and Lerone Murphy are set to face off in a five-round UFC Fight Night main event in Las Vegas on May 18, although they have yet to sign the bout agreement.
Edson Barboza and Lerone Murphy are gearing up for a showdown. They’re set to headline a UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas on May 18. The venue? None other than the UFC APEX.
But hold your horses. The bout agreement isn’t signed yet. That’s according to a few folks in the know. MMA Fighting got the scoop after Laerte Viana broke the news.
Barboza’s record stands at 24-11. He’s stepping back into the octagon, eyes on the prize for a third consecutive win. His last victory? A knockout against Billy Quarantillo. That was followed by a decision over Sodiq Yusuff in late 2023.
Remember, Barboza had a rough patch with losses to Giga Chikadze and Bryce Mitchell. But he’s a seasoned fighter with 29 octagon appearances and 12 post-fight bonuses under his belt. As a featherweight, he’s won four out of seven. Not too shabby, eh?
Now, let’s talk about Murphy. His record is 13-0-1. He’s been unbeaten since he joined the UFC in 2019. His UFC journey started with a draw against Zubaira Tukhugov. But he’s been on a roll since mid-2020, with five consecutive wins.
His knockout victories over Ricardo Ramos and Makwan Amirkhani are worth mentioning. His latest win? A unanimous decision over Josh Culibao in July 2023.
A quick shoutout to Mike Heck. He contributed to the original report.