"The Miracle" Makes His First UFC Walk At Home After Defying The Odds Yet Again
Less than one year ago, Lerone Murphy was lying in a hospital bed.
While out cycling, a car turned without looking and collided with the UFC featherweight. A near-hour wait for an ambulance had the situation looking dire.
“It was nearly all took away from me,” he says, reflecting on that day as he sits in a London hotel, just days away from taking on Gabriel Santos at UFC 286.
Lerone Murphy | Fighter Focus
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Lerone Murphy | Fighter Focus
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The “it” he speaks of is the career of one of the most promising prospects coming out of the UK. Undefeated since turning pro back in 2016, he’s managed to get the attention of the 145-pound division since entering the UFC in 2019.
But that career was sadly borne of another near-tragedy back in 2013, when Murphy was the victim of a drive-by shooting in his native Manchester. Bullets entered his face and neck. The experience would inspire him to stay on the straight and narrow, and that outlet would be MMA.
“I’m called ‘The Miracle’ because I had a close shave earlier on in life,” he would tell UFC Connected. “It’s a miracle I’m here.”
By their very definition, miracles aren’t something to be relied upon. Murphy himself didn’t expect he would need a second one before the age of 31. He contemplates the gravity of how things might have gone very, very differently if those bullets or that careless motorist had been off by just millimeters.
Lerone Murphy of England celebrates after his knockout victory over Makwan Amirkhani of Finland in a featherweight fight during the UFC 267 event at Etihad Arena on October 30, 2021 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
“To even get back to this point…it is a blessing to even just walk out.”
He’ll live that blessing Saturday at the O2 Arena when he walks to meet Gabriel Santos during the sixth prelim of the evening. He had been slated to fight countryman Nathaniel Wood, who was forced to withdraw due to injury. Weeks went by without a replacement opponent, and Murphy began to feel he was jinxed.
“Every time I've been matched on a UK card, something's happened. Something like COVID three times and then just…it's just been a nightmare. I thought maybe it's a curse like ‘I'm not meant to fight at home.’
“When (Wood) first pulled out, I thought, ‘Four weeks out, it’s the UFC, plenty of people will take the fight.’ And as it got closer to whatever it was, eight days or something like that, I was like, ‘Oh, maybe I'm not going to fight.’”
Enter Santos.
Lerone Murphy's Knockout Knee
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Lerone Murphy's Knockout Knee
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“I didn't know anything about him. As soon as I got the name, I searched him up. Obviously, he’s 10-0. He's had a good run as LFA champion and stuff, so I just did my research then.”
After doing said research, Murphy is even more excited, convinced that he and the Brazilian will provide the ultimate in fireworks.
“Because he's undefeated, as well, he don't know how to lose. He's going to come to win. Simple as that. He’s a champion, he’s young and he's going to be hungry. He's going to believe in himself. I think we're both aggressive fighters. I just think it's going to be a fun fight.”
The recipe for fun was already in place. With all four of his previous UFC bouts taking place in Abu Dhabi, Murphy will finally get to wear the UFC uniform in front of his people.
“I've got a lot of friends and family coming down, loads of people, it's going to be good.”
It has been 17 months since he’s been in front of a crowd. 17 months since he finished Makwan Amirkhani with a knee-induced KO.
“It feels different; it feels it feels a bit strange. Last time I fought home was outside of the UFC in 2019. So I'm just happy to fight in front of a home crowd and it'll be a big crowd. I'm looking forward to it.”
And when his music comes up and he starts that walk, he already knows what he’ll feel.
