SUMMARY
- Edson Barboza is all set to fight Lerone Murphy at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nedava.
- Jon Jones recently shared a compliment towards Edson via X.
The stage is currently being set for the UFC to return to the Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Edson Barboza is scheduled to take on a young and hungry opponent in Lerone Murphy. The latter, who remains undefeated for the most part will be fighting to maintain his streak against a seasoned knockout artist who is commonly referred to as the human highlight reel.
Coming off an exciting Fight Night featuring Derrick Lewis and Rodrigo Nascimento, this fight at the Apex is going to be an absolute banger considering that Edson’s last two matchups resulted in fight of the night bonuses. So far, the veteran has fought relatively younger opponents and he’s eager to take on higher-ranked fighters.
According to CBS Sports, Barboza said, “Anybody in the top 10 [next] would be great. Everybody knows me. I never pick an opponent. I fight anybody. Just give me somebody. Most of the time, I’ve fought someone behind me in the rankings.” Edson is 2-2 in his last four fights. He made his featherweight debut against Dan Ige exactly four years ago going 4-3 in the division so far.
Jon Jones has massive respect for Edson Barboza
Edson Barboza is one of the most dangerous knockout artists the UFC has ever seen over the years. Nearly 15 years ago, he made his UFC debut right around the time another malicious combat artist who goes by the name of Jon Jones was on the rise. Jones, who currently holds the Heavyweight belt recently chimed in on the upcoming Barboza vs Murphy fight.
Always been a fan of this mans stand-up game for mma, what a treat https://t.co/zp0EjWAW0n
— BONY (@JonnyBones) May 17, 2024
He said, “Always been a fan of this man’s stand-up game for MMA, what a treat.” Jones is also known for being a deadly striker who won his last fight in Las Vegas against Ciryl Gane for the title. He hasn’t fought ever since due to a pectoral injury. On the other hand, Edson has been tearing up the featherweight rankings. He is currently fighting at No.12 while Murphy is yet to reach the top 15.
Edson Barboza’s striking poses a major threat to Lerone Murphy
Murphy has been through a lot of adversity during his life, dealing with a life-or-death situation at the age of 21. He was involved in a gang-related shooting that nearly took his life. Murphy claims that there’s still a fragment of a bullet left in his tongue. However, this Edson Barboza fight will be his toughest one yet, especially since the veteran still stands as a high-IQ striker.
Edson has a slight edge over Murphy in reach while averaging better numbers in terms of striking. But the 38-year-old’s defense in general can be a little upsetting at times. This fight could easily go the distance if Murphy and Barboza keep it on their feet, but that’s where the latter can be even more dangerous. Barboza can be crafty with his strikes which means Murphy needs to be careful while taking down or closing the distance against the veteran.
