Lerone Murphy's Title Hopes Dashed in Controversial UFC London Decision
Manchester fighter Lerone Murphy saw his aspirations for a featherweight title shot evaporate in a contentious majority decision loss to Movsar Evloev at UFC London. The event, held at the O2 Arena on Sunday 22 March 2026, delivered a night of high drama and disputed outcomes, with Murphy's defeat standing as the most polarising moment.
A Controversial Verdict Amidst Point Deduction
Murphy, known as "The Miracle," succumbed to a majority decision defeat despite his Russian opponent, Movsar Evloev, having a point deducted in the fourth round for a second low blow. The judges scored the bout 48-46, 48-46, and 47-47 in Evloev's favour, a verdict that left many questioning the scoring criteria. This loss not only derailed Murphy's path to challenging featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski but also tarnished his previously unblemished professional record, leaving him at 17-1-1.
The 34-year-old Murphy started cautiously in a closely contested first round but found his rhythm in the subsequent two rounds. His fluid movement and sharp striking effectively neutralised the 32-year-old Evloev's takedown attempts, limiting the Russian to minimal grappling success in the opening ten minutes. Even when Evloev managed to take Murphy to the mat in the third round, the Briton showcased impressive defensive skills, swiftly returning to his feet.
Championship Rounds Turn the Tide
As the fight progressed into the championship rounds with Murphy seemingly in control, Evloev was penalised with a point deduction after committing his second low blow of the evening, leaving Murphy writhing in agony. This penalty appeared to severely diminish Evloev's chances of victory without a knockout or submission. However, the Russian rallied dominantly in the final two rounds, securing takedowns and controlling the action to force the bout to a decision.
All three judges controversially awarded the third round to Evloev, while two also gave him the first round, ultimately delivering him a crucial victory. In a display of sportsmanship, Murphy was gracious in defeat, publicly urging UFC matchmakers to grant Evloev a title shot, stating, "Make sure Movsar gets the title shot, he deserves it."
Mixed Results for British Fighters on the Card
The co-main event featured Paddy Pimblett's teammate, Luke Riley, who improved his UFC record to 2-0 with a unanimous decision victory over Michael Aswell Jr. This win provided a boost for Liverpudlian fighters after Kurtis Campbell was knocked out by Danny Silva in the main card's opener. Meanwhile, Christian Leroy Duncan delivered an impressive performance to overcome Roman Dolidze, potentially earning a spot in the middleweight rankings, and Polish light heavyweight Iwo Baraniewski stunned the crowd with a 28-second knockout of Austen Lane.
The preliminary card was highlighted by a thrilling encounter between Welshman Mason Jones and Axel Sola, which ended in a unanimous decision victory for Jones after a fierce striking exchange. London-bred debutant Shanelle Dyer electrified the early-arriving fans with a spectacular second-round headkick knockout of Ravena Oliveira, while Nathaniel Wood extended his win streak to four with a split-decision victory over debuting Belgian featherweight Losene Keita.
Setbacks and Post-Fight Altercations
Not all home fighters enjoyed success, however. Both Louie Sutherland and Shem Rock fell to 0-2 in the UFC, with Sutherland suffering an early finish against Brando Pericic and Rock being convincingly outpointed by Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady. Rock's night took a further turn for the worse when he instigated a post-fight scuffle, striking Al-Selwady in the face after the Palestinian refused to shake his hand.
Al-Selwady, who had been subjected to trash-talking from Rock at the ceremonial weigh-ins, commented tersely after the fight, "I don't really think there's too much to say about it; I only talk in the cage with my performance. It was a desperate attempt to try to get under my skin. My opponent has been in my DMs for the last month – him and his crew of guys."
Heavyweight Mario Pinto, of Portuguese descent but raised in London, maintained his undefeated record with a decision win against Felipe Franco, rounding off a night that blended triumph with controversy for British MMA.
