Pre-fight discussion UFC Fight Night 241: Barboza v. Murphy Sat. May 18 4pm ET ESPN+

[Koala]

Oumar Sy has a new opponent, a British BJJ guy

 

[PurpleStorm]

Preview: UFC Fight Night 241 Prelims​

Martinez vs. Nolan​

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TOM FEELY MAY 15, 2024 COMMENTS

The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday will return to the UFC Apex with a preliminary slate replete with competitors looking to sort out various situations. Victor Martinez and Tom Nolan get the featured spot in a lightweight affair that should be quick and violent, especially with the latter looking to rebound from a rough promotional debut earlier this year. The first Octagon assignment for light heavyweight Oumar Sy represents another point of interest, as does the middleweight clash between talented but inconsistent veterans Abusupiyan Magomedov and Warlley Alves. Meanwhile, strawweights draw the attention at the bottom of the undercard, where the UFC has paired powerhouses Piera Rodriguezand Ariane Carnelossi with one another, along with putting together a well-matched affair between Vanessa Demopoulos and Emily Ducote.

Now to the preview for the UFC Fight Night 241 prelims:

Lightweights​

Tom Nolan (6-1, 0-1 UFC) vs. Victor Martinez (13-5, 0-1 UFC)

ODDS: Nolan (-500), Martinez (+380)

Nolan gets a second chance to make a first impression in this assignment. The young Australian was one of the more promising prospects on the 2023 edition of the Contender Series. Large for the division and a potent offensive threat, “Big Train” looked poised for success in the short term even if there were wrinkles to be ironed out. Defense was purely optional for Nolan, but he figured to be able to beat opponents to the literal punch up to a certain point, which made it a surprise when he got quickly knocked out by Nikolas Motta in his UFC debut in January. Nolan gets a softer touch for this sophomore effort against Martinez, who has struggled to find his footing in the UFC since earning a contract on the Contender Series in 2021. A steady if unspectacular striker, it took “The Brick” about a year and a half to make his UFC debut, and it went surprisingly poorly. Jordan Leavitt is primarily a grappler, but he was able to knock Martinez out in a shade over two and a half minutes. Nolan should be able to get off to his usual hot start, and Martinez isn’t nearly the one-shot knockout threat that Motta is. The pick is Nolan via first-round knockout.

Jump To »
Martinez vs. Nolan
Sy vs. Tokkos
Gatto vs. Vidal
Magomedov vs. Alves
Rodriguez vs. Carnelossi
Rodrigues vs. Alateng
Ducote vs. Demopoulos

 

[BEATDOWNS]

Literally no clue who Lerone Murphy is and i watch UFC every damn weekend. Used to be at least two solid main event fighters at least in these watered down fight nights. Now it's one solid fighter vs some noname guy just look to last weekend for example.

 

[PurpleStorm]

Literally no clue who Lerone Murphy is and i watch UFC every damn weekend. Used to be at least two solid main event fighters at least in these watered down fight nights. Now it's one solid fighter vs some noname guy just look to last weekend for example.

He's done okay in the UFC.

ENGLAND
STOCKPORT

LERONE MURPHY​

"The Miracle"​

AGE	32 / JUL 22, 1991
HEIGHT	5'10" / 177.8 CM
WEIGHT	145 LBS /65.77 KG

ASSOCIATION
MANCHESTER TOP TEAM

CLASS
FEATHERWEIGHT
WINS 13 KO / TKO 7

UPCOMING FIGHTS

UFC FIGHT NIGHT 241​

MAY 18, 2024 UFC APEX, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, UNITED STATES

LERONE MURPHY​

13-0-1 (WIN-LOSS-DRAW)

See entire fight card
FIGHT HISTORY - PRO

RESULT	FIGHTER	EVENT	METHOD/REFEREE	R	TIME
WIN	Joshua Culibao	UFC Fight Night 224 - Aspinall vs. Tybura Jul / 22 / 2023	Decision (Unanimous) Loic Pora VIEW PLAY-BY-PLAY	3	5:00
WIN	Gabriel Santos	UFC 286 - Edwards vs. Usman 3 Mar / 18 / 2023	Decision (Split) Rich Mitchell VIEW PLAY-BY-PLAY	3	5:00
WIN	Makwan Amirkhani	UFC 267 - Blachowicz vs. Teixeira Oct / 30 / 2021	KO (Knee) Marc Goddard VIEW PLAY-BY-PLAY	2	0:14
WIN	Douglas Silva de Andrade	UFC on ESPN 20 - Chiesa vs. Magny Jan / 20 / 2021	Decision (Unanimous) Marc Goddard VIEW PLAY-BY-PLAY	3	5:00
WIN	Ricardo Ramos	UFC on ESPN 13 - Kattar vs. Ige Jul / 15 / 2020	TKO (Punches) Rich Mitchell VIEW PLAY-BY-PLAY	1	4:18
DRAW	Zubaira Tukhugov	UFC 242 - Khabib vs. Poirier Sep / 07 / 2019	Draw (Split) Herb Dean VIEW PLAY-BY-PLAY	3	5:00

 

[BEATDOWNS]

He's done okay in the UFC.

ENGLAND
STOCKPORT

LERONE MURPHY​

"The Miracle"​

AGE	32 / JUL 22, 1991
HEIGHT	5'10" / 177.8 CM
WEIGHT	145 LBS /65.77 KG

ASSOCIATION
MANCHESTER TOP TEAM

CLASS
FEATHERWEIGHT
WINS 13 KO / TKO 7

UPCOMING FIGHTS

UFC FIGHT NIGHT 241​

MAY 18, 2024 UFC APEX, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, UNITED STATES

LERONE MURPHY​

13-0-1 (WIN-LOSS-DRAW)

See entire fight card
FIGHT HISTORY - PRO

RESULT	FIGHTER	EVENT	METHOD/REFEREE	R	TIME
WIN	Joshua Culibao	UFC Fight Night 224 - Aspinall vs. Tybura Jul / 22 / 2023	Decision (Unanimous) Loic Pora VIEW PLAY-BY-PLAY	3	5:00
WIN	Gabriel Santos	UFC 286 - Edwards vs. Usman 3 Mar / 18 / 2023	Decision (Split) Rich Mitchell VIEW PLAY-BY-PLAY	3	5:00
WIN	Makwan Amirkhani	UFC 267 - Blachowicz vs. Teixeira Oct / 30 / 2021	KO (Knee) Marc Goddard VIEW PLAY-BY-PLAY	2	0:14
WIN	Douglas Silva de Andrade	UFC on ESPN 20 - Chiesa vs. Magny Jan / 20 / 2021	Decision (Unanimous) Marc Goddard VIEW PLAY-BY-PLAY	3	5:00
WIN	Ricardo Ramos	UFC on ESPN 13 - Kattar vs. Ige Jul / 15 / 2020	TKO (Punches) Rich Mitchell VIEW PLAY-BY-PLAY	1	4:18
DRAW	Zubaira Tukhugov	UFC 242 - Khabib vs. Poirier Sep / 07 / 2019	Draw (Split) Herb Dean VIEW PLAY-BY-PLAY	3	5:00

borderline decision merchant. imho

 

[Danespina]

What you seeing here?

@tornado362, @TempleoftheDog, @svmr_db, @Doughie99, @Reach4theSky, @Paynebringer, @DC23, @SKYNET, @KDR by RNC, @Axe720,

 

[tornado362]

What you seeing here?

@tornado362, @TempleoftheDog, @svmr_db, @Doughie99, @Reach4theSky, @Paynebringer, @DC23, @SKYNET, @KDR by RNC, @Axe720,

It’s an okay card, but probably the one I’ve been least excited for this whole year.

Carlson Harris is an interesting prospect (if he’s even young enough to be called that anymore)

I have personal beef with Lerone Murphy, being one of Nathaniel’s team mates. So hopefully Barboza does what Barboza does to most unranked competition.

Excited for Gorimbo, I like him. I don’t think his ceiling is necessarily very high, but he’s someone I can get behind.

 

[Paynebringer]

What you seeing here?

@tornado362, @TempleoftheDog, @svmr_db, @Doughie99, @Reach4theSky, @Paynebringer, @DC23, @SKYNET, @KDR by RNC, @Axe720,

Seeing a lot of potential action with a few surprises, still trying to sort this card out.

 

[Bubzeh]

I’m seeing a good number of tasty, solid, female mixed martial arts bouts and that excites me greatly.

Nice card on paper.

 

[KDR by RNC]

What you seeing here?

@tornado362, @TempleoftheDog, @svmr_db, @Doughie99, @Reach4theSky, @Paynebringer, @DC23, @SKYNET, @KDR by RNC, @Axe720,

My little bro is graduating high school saturday so I haven't really looked at the card. Love that main event though.

 

[Axe720]

I predict...

 

[Kryptt]

I predict...

 

[Reach4theSky]

What you seeing here?

@tornado362, @TempleoftheDog, @svmr_db, @Doughie99, @Reach4theSky, @Paynebringer, @DC23, @SKYNET, @KDR by RNC, @Axe720,

Looks like a decent card. No real exciting prospects(besides Murphy) but I'll definitely watch. I think they are attempting to use Barboza's name to launch Murphy into the mix. I love when I see established stars give opportunities to up and coming fighters..

I'll forever be a fan of Edson, nothing but class and professionalism..

 

[PurpleStorm]

Good question @Danespina.

I see a card with lots of competition, in that the favorites should win but there's a likelihood there could be a lot of upsets.

 

[PurpleStorm]

Preview: UFC Fight Night 241 ‘Barboza vs. Murphy’​

Barboza vs. Murphy​

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TOM FEELY MAY 16, 2024 COMMENTS

The Ultimate Fighting Championship makes a one-week pitstop at the UFC Apex on Saturday in Las Vegas, where UFC Fight Night 241 figures to sink or swim with its main event. Edson Barboza enjoyed a highly successful 2023 campaign in terms of holding serve against opponents trying to take his spot, and the longtime vet looks to further the trend against Lerone Murphy in the featherweight headliner. It represents a massive opportunity for Murphy, who has quietly put together a series of solid performance and now faces a significant jump in terms of profile and level of competition. Meanwhile, Kalinn Williams squares off with Carlston Harris in a welterweight co-main event that figures to be messy but entertaining, and electric bantamweight Adrian Yanez looks to rebound from a rough patch against Vinicius Salvador. Beyond that, women’s strawweight stalwart Angela Hill returns to action for what should be yet another closely matched affair opposite Luana Pinheiro.

Now to the UFC Fight Night 241 “Barboza vs. Murphy” preview:

Featherweights​

#12 FW | Edson Barboza (24-11, 18-11 UFC) vs. Lerone Murphy (13-0-1, 5-0-1 UFC)

ODDS: Murphy (-148), Barboza (+124)

Barboza was signed by the UFC about a year and a half into his professional career, which isn’t out of the ordinary nowadays but made him extremely raw for the promotion per 2010 standards. Given that, Barboza hit the ground running in impressive fashion, immediately establishing himself as one of the most violent kickers in the sport’s history, winning his first four UFC bouts and capping that streak with an all-timer of a wheel kick knockout against Terry Etim. However, an upset loss to Jamie Varner served as a preview for most of the rest of Barboza’s career, at least in terms of his defeats. Varner came out of the gate quickly and got Barboza moving backwards, at which point the Brazilian was suddenly much less effective. That’s been the clear through-line for most of Barboza’s losses. He’s absolutely terrifying when given time and space to work, but pressuring opponents can usually make a ton of hay as Barboza constantly tries to reset his range and stay out of danger. Even with that clear game plan, it takes a high standard of fighter to actually pull it off. A 2018 fight against Dan Hooker is probably the clearest example of an opponent who had all the right ideas but was still slow enough that he kept walking into the proverbial wood-chipper. Barboza cut down to featherweight in 2020, and not much has changed since. Barboza still has the same problems with his game, but it’s also impressive that he’s still the same fighter in his late-30s and down a weight class given his athleticism-dependent style. After rough losses to Giga Chikadze and Bryce Mitchell, 2023 served as a nice reminder of the needle that Barboza’s opponents have to thread. Billy Quarantillo pressured him and got knocked out with a knee for his troubles, while Sodiq Yusuff dumped his gas tank in a dominant first round, only for Barboza to coast out a clear decision win.

Murphy, a top British prospect, is the next to step up to the plate and try to upend Barboza, and it’s a fascinating matchup that really could go either way. “The Miracle” was easy to ignore ahead of his UFC debut in 2019. It was a fight thrown together at the last minute against a top talent in Zubaira Tukhugov, and Murphy’s regional career was full of dominant wins against a particularly weak level of competition. It took Murphy all of one round to adjust to fighting in the UFC. After dropping a one-sided first round, Murphy took over the fight enough to earn a draw, keeping his undefeated record intact. It remains so to this day. In fact, a lot of Murphy’s fights follow that general pattern. He’s a clear athlete with plenty of skill in all areas, but he’s prone to shockingly poor starts time after time, often dropping the first round before turning things around to win a decision or score a finish. The impressive bit of business is that Murphy always seems to arrive at the answer to get things done no matter the matchup, as he’s proven himself as both a knockout artist and a grimy wrestler when his opponent presents the opportunity. Still, Barboza is by far his most dangerous opponent to date, which makes it a bit hard to parse how Murphy’s resume translates to this fight. Is Murphy’s ability to adjust a good sign that he can keep gutting out wins, especially against an opponent with clear weaknesses like Barboza, or are all these cold starts and close wins signs that he’ll falter with the first big step up in competition? Murphy probably needs to iron out some of his issues to beat opponents above Barboza’s level, but the Brit does get the benefit of the doubt for this specific matchup. Murphy adjusts well enough that he should eventually arrive at pressuring Barboza no matter how poor the start. Plus, he’s durable, and the fact that he picks up steam could lead to his blowing this fight open by the end. This is extremely well-matched, but the pick is Murphy via decision.

Continue Reading »
Barboza vs. Murphy
Williams vs. Harris
Gorimbo vs. Brahimaj
Yanez vs. Salvador
Hill vs. Pinheiro
The Prelims

Preview: UFC Fight Night 241 ‘Barboza vs. Murphy’ - Barboza vs. Murphy

The Ultimate Fighting Championship makes a one-week pitstop at the UFC Apex for a show that figures to sink or swim with its main event.

www.sherdog.com

 

[PurpleStorm]

After last week's wreckage hope springs eternal.

 

[MuffinsAppletree]

 

[TempleoftheDog]

Hey did you hear Dana in the post fight presser for the last card? he said they really want to get away from the Apex. I'm not sure to believe it though because you know Dana, he lies to much that he doesn't even know what he is lying anymore. I really hope its true though.

He said the same thing literally at the end of 2022. He said they wanted to get out of the Apex, and back on the road for FN cards in 2023.

Did he lie? Or does he sometimes say what he thinks/hopes/expects to happen? I honestly don’t know the answer to that question.. As Dana is a dishonest sack of shit. But, I really doubt some of the things people assume are lies. Are the definition of actual lies.

That’s why I look at each situation as being a brand new, or separate entity.

For example.. Dana once said a couple years before it happened that “women would never be in the UFC”. Women did indeed end up in the UFC. I have seen people actually label that as a lie. When anybody without a clear agenda of hate against Dana would see that it’s obviously NOT a lie.

A lie requires malice aforethought, with the reason being to deceive. Shit happens, and I don’t know anybody that something like this hasn’t happened too, in their lifetime. That’s how it generally works. You think, or believe something, until/unless your opinion changes.

He doesn’t call all the shots. And we know the word from the top (Ari/WME) has been to maximize profits. Especially during Covid. Dana has to answer to certain people.. He ALWAYS has. He more or less says what he’s told to say since the sale to WME.

Just my opinion.

 

[Danespina]

He said the same thing literally at the end of 2022. He said they wanted to get out of the Apex, and back on the road for FN cards in 2023.

Did he lie? Or does he sometimes say what he thinks/hopes/expects to happen? I honestly don’t know the answer to that question.. As Dana is a dishonest sack of shit. But, I really doubt some of the things people assume are lies. Are the definition of actual lies.

That’s why I look at each situation as being a brand new, or separate entity.

For example.. Dana once said a couple years before it happened that “women would never be in the UFC”. Women did indeed end up in the UFC. I have seen people actually label that as a lie. When anybody without a clear agenda of hate against Dana would see that it’s obviously NOT a lie.

A lie requires malice aforethought, with the reason being to deceive. Shit happens, and I don’t know anybody that something like this hasn’t happened too, in their lifetime. That’s how it generally works. You think, or believe something, until/unless your opinion changes.

He doesn’t call all the shots. And we know the word from the top (Ari/WME) has been to maximize profits. Especially during Covid. Dana has to answer to certain people.. He ALWAYS has. He more or less says what he’s told to say since the sale to WME.

Just my opinion.

View attachment 1044222

Yean Dana has successfully pushed UFC to tour the world for years now, and he still clearly has that passion when talking about new locations like Africa and Spain. He’s one of the only people who pushed for live events during COVID. And currently he’s been outspoken about UFC needing to get off its ass and start touring full-time again. Based on the things Dana thrives at, I don’t doubt him when it comes to this.

 

[TempleoftheDog]

What you seeing here?

@tornado362, @TempleoftheDog, @svmr_db, @Doughie99, @Reach4theSky, @Paynebringer, @DC23, @SKYNET, @KDR by RNC, @Axe720,

It’s a good FN card. But not one for the casual fans. People that hate wmma won’t be happy. And a lot of people really hate the Apex now.

For me, it always comes down to the actual fights.

I like wmma, and this card also has potential for some lovely violence. If the fights deliver, I will be entertained.

That’s all I ever ask for.

I’ve been busy, so I didn’t do a proper pre-fight post for this card.

Thanks for the thread @PurpleStorm

Enjoy the fights, everybody.