Latest news with #UFConESPN65
USA Today
09-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, April 8: Lerone Murphy enters top 10
UFC on ESPN 65 took place this past Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, producing a key move in the featherweight division. In the main event, undefeated Lerone Murphy won a clear unanimous decision over former interim title challenger Josh Emmett. Murphy entered the week at No. 12 in the 145-pound division, but after his second main event win, lands at No. 8 in this week's rankings update. Check out all the latest pound-for-pound and divisional USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings.
USA Today
08-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Lerone Murphy breaks down Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes title fight at UFC 314
LAS VEGAS – Undefeated featherweight contender Lerone Murphy will be keeping a close eye on what goes down between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes in the UFC 314 main event. Murphy (16-0-1 MMA, 8-0-1 UFC) placed his name closer to the division's top by defeating Josh Emmett in the UFC on ESPN 65 main event at the UFC Apex. It was a solid unanimous decision win that he described as 'masterful.' For Murphy, it's all about getting closer to a title shot. At UFC 314, the vacant title will be on the line when former champ Volkanovski (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC) takes on Lopes (26-6 MMA, 5-1 UFC) in the marquee bout. Murphy has an idea of what could go down at Kaseya Center in Miami. 'I think it's a great fight – I think they're both top fighters, both exciting fighters,' Murphy said at a post-fight news conference. 'Two very high-level competitors, but I think maybe, I can see Volk winning late rounds with the cardio and the experience, but who knows?' Volkanovski, 36, will enter the fight on a two-fight skid, having lost a second bid for the lightweight title against Islam Makhachev, and then dropping the featherweight title to Ilia Topuria, who has since vacated and has plans on moving up to lightweight. On the other hand, Lopes, 30, has won five straight, including stoppages of Gavin Tucker, Pat Sabatini and Sodiq Yusuff. He followed at trio of finishes with a pair of unanimous decisions over Dan Ige and Brian Ortega to earn a shot at gold. 'Diego's young and hungry, and he's been on a tear lately,' Murphy said. While Murphy didn't predict a winner or a method of victory, he certainly will be keeping a close watch as whoever claims the title could be his next opponent, depending on how the division shakes out in the coming months. For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC on ESPN 65.
USA Today
06-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 65 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Middleweight veterans lead earners
LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday's UFC on ESPN 65 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $161,000. The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy. UFC on ESPN 65 took place at the UFC Apex. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+. The full UFC on ESPN 65 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included: * * * * Lerone Murphy: $6,000 def. Josh Emmett: $11,000 Pat Sabatini: $6,000 def. Joanderson Brito: $6,000 ChangHo Lee: $4,000 def. Cortavious Romious: $4,000 Brad Tavares: $21,000 def. Gerald Meerschaert: $21,000 Ode Osbourne: $11,000 def. Luis Gurule: $4,000 Torrez Finney: $4,000 def. Robert Valentin: $4,000 Dione Barbosa: $4,000 def. Diana Belbita: $6,000 Rhys McKee: $4,500 def. Daniel Frunza: $4,000 Loma Lookboonmee: $6,000 def. Istela Nunes: $4,500 Victor Henry: $6,000 def. Pedro Falcao: $4,000 Martin Buday: $6,000 def. Uran Satybaldiev: $4,000 Talita Alencar: $4,000 def. Vanessa Demopoulos: $6,000 Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program's payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum's multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,650; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $32,000 while title challengers get $42,000. In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-65 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials. Full 2025 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts: Year-to-date total: $2,279,000 2024 total: $8,280,500 2023 total: $8,188,000 2022 total: $8,351,500 2021 total: $6,167,500 Program-to-date total: $33,296,500 For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC on ESPN 65.
USA Today
06-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 65: Lerone Murphy frustrates Josh Emmett, stays unbeaten
Knowing his opponent has the power to put heads in the third row, Lerone Murphy seemed to have a simple game plan. Murphy (16-0-1 MMA, 8-0-1 UFC) stayed busy dancing on the outside against Josh Emmett (19-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) in an attempt to stay away from Emmett's power. And while Emmett appeared to be close several times, he never could put Murphy away. For his part, Murphy's striking was solid en route to a pair of 48-47 scores and a 49-46 to stay unbeaten with his eighth straight win. Murphy said afterward he would love a featherweight title shot – or at the very least, a crack at someone in the top five to get him closer to the belt. The featherweight title was vacated earlier this year by Ilia Topuria, and former champ Alexander Volkanovski will take on Diego Nunes for the belt at UFC 314 next week. The featherweight bout was the UFC on ESPN 65 main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Afterward, on the post-fight show, Murphy said he wants a fight against Brian Ortega on his next step up the ladder. Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 65 results include: For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC on ESPN 65.
USA Today
05-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Video: UFC on ESPN 65 backstage post-fight interviews with winners
LAS VEGAS – UFC on ESPN 65 took place Saturday with 12 bouts on the lineup. We've got you covered with backstage winner interviews from the UFC Apex. You can hear from all the UFC on ESPN 65 winners by checking out their post-fight news conferences below. For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC on ESPN 65. * * * *
