Manchester’s own Lerone Murphy faced a significant setback at UFC London, as his aspirations for a title shot were dashed following a controversial majority decision loss to Movsar Evloev. Despite Evloev having a point deducted in the fourth round for a second illegal blow, the judges ultimately scored the bout in his favour with cards reading 48-46, 48-46, and 47-47.
This bout was widely considered an eliminator for the next challenger to featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski’s throne. The defeat also marked the end of Murphy’s undefeated professional record, leaving him with a 17-1-1 ledger after the event at the O2 Arena.
Murphy, 34, had a slow start in the opening round but gradually found his footing in the subsequent two. His agile movement and precise striking effectively neutralised the takedown attempts of his 32-year-old Russian opponent. For the first ten minutes, Evloev, who was also actively engaging in striking exchanges, rarely attempted to take the fight to the ground. Even when he did manage to secure a takedown in the third round, Murphy showcased impressive defensive skills to quickly return to his feet.
As the fight progressed into the championship rounds with Murphy appearing to be in control, Evloev was penalised for a second low blow, which visibly impacted Murphy. This infraction seemed to significantly reduce Evloev’s chances of securing a victory without a finish. However, he finished the fight strongly, dominating the final two rounds to force the judges’ decision.
The scoring of the third round by all three judges in favour of Evloev, along with two judges awarding him the first round, proved crucial. This controversial victory extended Evloev’s own undefeated streak to an impressive 20-0. Despite the loss, Murphy displayed sportsmanship, advocating for Evloev to receive his deserved title shot. “Make sure Movsar gets the title shot, he deserves it,” Murphy stated.
Other Notable Performances at UFC London
The co-main event saw Luke Riley, a teammate of Paddy Pimblett, secure his second UFC victory by unanimously outpointing Michael Aswell Jr. This win provided a much-needed boost for the Liverpudlian contingent, especially after Kurtis Campbell’s knockout loss to Danny Silva in the opening bout of the main card.
Earlier in the evening, veteran Michael “Venom” Page’s highly anticipated bout against Sam Patterson failed to ignite the crowd, drawing boos from fans due to a lack of sustained action. Despite this, Page was ultimately declared the winner.
Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Action
Christian Leroy Duncan delivered an impressive performance to overcome Roman Dolidze, potentially positioning himself for a spot in the middleweight rankings. Meanwhile, Polish light heavyweight Iwo Baraniewski made a swift impact, securing a sensational 28-second knockout against Austen Lane, continuing his impressive run.
Prelims Showcase Excitement and Grit
The preliminary card also offered a mixed bag for British fighters, but it concluded with a thrilling encounter between Welshman Mason Jones and Axel Sola. The pair engaged in an electrifying striking battle, with Jones, known as “The Dragon,” ultimately earning a well-deserved unanimous decision victory. Having returned to the UFC in 2025 after a two-year hiatus, Jones delivered an impassioned speech to the London faithful following his win.
The event kicked off with a bang as London-born debutant Shanelle Dyer thrilled the early crowd by knocking out Ravena Oliveira with a spectacular head kick in the second round. Her triumph was followed by that of her Great Britain Top Team teammate, Nathaniel Wood, who narrowly defeated the debuting Belgian featherweight Losene Keita via split decision, extending his winning streak to four against a challenging opponent. Heavyweight prospect Mario Pinto, who was raised in London, also maintained his undefeated record with a decision win against Felipe Franco.
However, the night was not entirely positive for the home fighters. Both Louie Sutherland and Shem Rock were unable to rebound from their debut losses, consequently falling to 0-2 in the UFC. Sutherland was stopped early in his bout against Brando Pericic, while Rock, another fighter from Pimblett’s Next Generation MMA gym, was convincingly defeated by Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady, with all three judges scoring the contest 30-27 in favour of the Palestinian.
Rock’s UFC future may now be uncertain, and he found himself in further controversy after initiating a post-fight altercation. He struck Al-Selwady after the latter declined to shake his hand. Al-Selwady commented on the incident, stating, “I don’t really think there’s too much to say about it; I only talk in the cage with my performance.” He added that Rock’s actions at the ceremonial weigh-ins were a “desperate attempt to try to get under my skin,” and that Rock and his associates had been sending him direct messages for the past month.
