LAS VEGAS – Josh Emmett took some time to himself in order to be his best version in competition. Now well rested and refreshed, leading into UFC on ESPN 65, he intends to put a blemish on his opponent’s undefeated record.
In Saturday’s featherweight main event at the UFC Apex (ESPN, ESPN+), Emmett (19-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) takes on Lerone Murphy, who has not experienced defeat in his professional career. It will be a return for Emmett after a lengthy hiatus since December 2023, which he admits was self-imposed to be at his best.
“Yeah, I could have fought, but I feel like I owe it to myself, my coaches, my wife, my family, fans, the UFC – the last handful of years I have not been fighting at my best,” Emmett said at Wednesday’s media day. “I’ve been fighting at a fraction of myself. So, I had to work on myself to get back to 100 percent, and I’m fighting and training the way I used to. So, you guys are going to see something special Saturday night.”
