TLDR
- Murphy confirms UFC has not guaranteed a title shot if he beats Evloev at UFC London on March 21
- The British fighter says ‘words are wind’ when discussing the promotion’s performance-based approach
- Murphy believes the winner should be ‘undeniably next’ for Volkanovski based on matchup difficulty alone
- His game plan involves defensive wrestling and relentless offensive pressure to take Evloev into ‘deep waters’
- Murphy enters 17-0 after knockout wins over Josh Emmett and Aaron Pico while Evloev is 19-0
Sources: Bloody Elbow | MMA Junkie | LowKick MMA
Lerone Murphy has revealed that UFC officials have not promised him a title shot if he defeats Movsar Evloev at UFC London on March 21. The unbeaten British featherweight expressed doubt about whether the bout will serve as a true title eliminator.
“At this point, words are wind,” Murphy said on The Ariel Helwani Show. “It’s like the division’s forever changing and it’s a performance based company. Someone’s got to go out there and put on a good fight and then it’s nothing’s concrete.”
Murphy enters the five-round main event on a strong run of form. He knocked out Josh Emmett in 2025 and then earned widespread praise for his spinning back elbow finish of Aaron Pico in August, which many considered a Knockout of the Year candidate.
Evloev brings a perfect 19-0 record to London but hasn’t competed since late 2024. He sits ranked number one in the featherweight division ahead of Murphy at number three.
Murphy Believes Winner Should Be ‘Undeniably Next’
Despite the lack of guarantees from the UFC, Murphy believes the matchup itself should speak volumes. He argues that the difficulty level of facing Evloev makes the fight worthy of title eliminator status.
“I believe the matchmakers know what type of matchup this is,” Murphy explained. “I think it would be unfair to say you’ve got to go out there and get a crazy knockout to get the title. Everybody knows what type of fight this is going to be and what type of fighter I’m fighting against.”
Murphy stated that the winner should be “undeniably next in line for the title” regardless of how spectacular the finish might be. He emphasized that facing someone of Evloev’s caliber in a five-round fight should be enough proof for UFC matchmakers.
The 33-year-old from Manchester has been vocal about feeling overlooked for a title shot. After watching Alexander Volkanovski defeat Diego Lopes at UFC 325 in a rematch, Murphy believed he should have been the one challenging for the belt instead.
Game Plan Against Evloev Revealed
Murphy didn’t hold back when discussing his strategy for defeating the unbeaten Russian. He plans to rely on defensive wrestling while maintaining offensive pressure throughout all five rounds.
“Movsar is elite. Very good fighter,” Murphy acknowledged. “But I just believe I’m going to take him into deep waters. It’s no secret what I’m going to do in it. It’s going to be defensive wrestling and vicious offence, and that’s it.”
The plan centers on forcing Evloev into mistakes by maintaining relentless pressure. Murphy intends to hunt for a knockout from the opening bell to the final horn.
Volkanovski recently defended his title against Lopes at UFC 325 in Sydney, winning by unanimous decision. The champion has indicated he wants to fight three times in 2026 and is looking for a quick turnaround.
Murphy maintains his 17-0 professional record and believes his style matches up well against the current champion. However, he must first get past Evloev without any guarantee that a victory will lead to the title shot he’s been chasing.
The fight takes place at UFC London on March 21 as the main event. Murphy hopes his performance will force the UFC’s hand regardless of what promises were or weren’t made beforehand.
