One of those contenders is No. 4-ranked Lerone Murphy, fresh off one of the best knockouts of the year against blazing-hot prospect Aaron Pico (watch highlights).
“When I first found out, I fell out of love with it for a bit, I’m not going to lie,” Murphy said. “I got into MMA over boxing because I thought there were no politics. I thought it was simply: Do the work, the best fight the best, and that’s the way it goes. That’s what hurt me the most.”
Still, Murphy says he’s trying to move past it.
“I have to get over it. It is what it is — it’s business,” Murphy added. “Just keep fighting, keep doing what you’re doing, keep winning, and we’ll get there eventually. I think it’s inevitable that it’s gonna happen, and you know I’m going to be champion.”
“I’m not crying. You can’t tell me to get to work,” Murphy said. “I’ve won nine fights in a row, so no one can tell me to get to work. I’ve fought whoever the UFC has given me. I’ve not ducked fights. I’ve said yes. In my opinion, I’ve done the UFC a favor by taking the Pico fight on three weeks’ notice. I believe he’s top five in the division, for sure. I feel he’s one of the best there, and I went out and knocked him out.”
With the title picture set for now, Murphy expects to return in a No. 1 contender fight in the first quarter of 2026 — ideally on home soil in the U.K.
