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Josh Emmett vs Lerone Murphy Preview & Picks – Murphy To Outpoint Emmett At UFC Fight Night

leigh-copson
02 Apr 2025
leigh-copson
Leigh Copson 02 Apr 2025
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  • Josh Emmett vs Lerone Murphy picks for Saturday, April 5
  • UFC Fight Night is taking place at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas
  • Preview, predictions, stats & form
Lerone Murphy (Getty Images)
    Josh Emmett vs Lerone Murphy Preview & Picks
  • Josh Emmett vs Lerone Murphy Preview & Picks
  • Josh Emmett Form
  • Lerone Murphy Form

Josh Emmett vs Lerone Murphy Preview & Picks

Lerone Murphy is tipped to win this main event fight via decision.

Josh Emmett still boasts some threat with his power, but Murphy has the reach advantage and technical striking ability that can help him control the fight and dictate how it plays out.

  • 5 of Lerone Murphy’s last 6 wins have been via decision
  • 2 of Josh Emmett’s 4 career defeats have been on points
  • Lerone Murphy has gone the distance in 6 of his 8 UFC fights
  • Josh Emmett has gone the distance in 4 of his last 6 fights

Josh Emmett Form

Josh Emmett is the #8 ranked featherweight contender with a professional record of 19-4 (7 KOs, 2 Subs).

Emmett first debuted in the UFC back in May 2016, but he did not enjoy his best run of form in the promotion until he reeled off five straight wins between March 2019 and June 2022.

He rebounded from a knockout loss to Jeremy Stephens by knocking out Michael Johnson in the third round, and then stopped Mirsad Bektic with strikes in the third round.

The 40-year-old American failed to finish his next three opponents, but he did earn himself an interim title fight by winning all of those fights.

Emmett catapulted himself into the shot by beating Shane Burgos and Dan Ige by unanimous decision, and Calvin Kattar by split decision.

However, he failed to claim the belt in February 2023 as he was tapped out in the second round by Yair Rodriguez.

He then dropped a decision to Ilia Topuria, before finally returning to winning ways in December 2023 when he knocked out Bryce Mitchell in the first round; Emmett’s most recent outing.

Lerone Murphy Form

Lerone Murphy is the #10 featherweight contender with an unbeaten professional record of 15-0 (7 KOs) with 1 draw.

Murphy signed with the UFC in 2019 but got off to a disappointing start as he went to a split decision draw with Zubaira Tukhugov.

He put that behind him in his next outing though, knocking out Ricardo Ramos in the first round, and that proved to be the start of a seven-fight win streak that pushed him into the rankings.

‘The Miracle’ fought twice in 2021, out-pointing Douglas Silva de Andrade before knocking out Makwan Amirkhani in the second round.

Murphy did not fight again until March 2023, but he made up for lost time with a decision victory over Gabriel Santos.

He then fought once more that year, beating Joshua Culibao on points too, before extending his streak to seven fights with two more wins in 2024.

The 33-year-old Englishman won both of those outings by unanimous decision, beating Edson Barboza and Dan Ige to break into the top-10.

Verdict

Lerone Murphy has put his debut disappointment behind him with this seven-fight win streak.

He is a good technical striker with a 3.5 inch reach advantage, and we expect Murphy to make the most of that as he out-points Emmett over five rounds.

Best Bet1: Murphy by Decision Method Of Victory @-105.26 at Stake.us - 6 Units
Murphy by Decision
Method Of Victory
@-105.26 - 6 Units
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