ABU DHABI – Lerone Murphy beat Dan Ige with a unanimous decision Saturday on the main card at UFC 308 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Take a look inside the fight with Murphy, who stayed unbeaten and made a big callout.
Lerone Murphy def. Dan Ige
Result: Lerone Murphy def. Dan Ige via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Updated records: Murphy (15-0-1 MMA, 7-0-1 UFC), Ige (18-9 MMA, 10-8 UFC)
Key stats: Murphy has won five of his past six by decision.
Murphy on the fight’s key moment
“I’m used to overcoming adversity, so it’s nothing to me. It’s a fight. It was a flash knockdown. I wasn’t really hurt. I got my wits about me again within five, 10 seconds. I knew Dan Ige is a banger and I knew that there was a good chance that he’ll put me down at some point. I do a lot of visualization. I go over the good, the bad in my head, so when it happens, I feel like I’ve been there already. I feel like I should have been better defensively. But you live, you learn. If you swim, you’re going to get wet.”
Murphy on improving as he goes
“I’ll come into that fight a lot better. Josh (Emmett) is a scary man, and you can’t make them kind of mistakes against them guys. They’re the type of fights I want. I want to be switched on in there. I want to perform. I feel like I performed at 60 percent in there today, and I can’t wait to show me at my best. And we’re getting there. We’re learning on the job. I’ve had eight fights in the UFC, 16 pro fights total. So that’s half my pro fights. I’m learning on the job in the best organization in the world against the top, toughest fighters in the world, as well.”
Murphy on what he wants next
“Let’s go (Josh Emmett), man. Let’s go. Let’s go. If you think it’s an easy fight or whatever, let’s go – test me. I’m quiet in (this sport). Maybe I need to be a bit louder. But I’m just being myself in it. I’m just being myself, and I feel like putting on good fights will get the recognition in due time. I’m learning on the job. When it’s my time, it would be my time. And that time’s coming. I’m 15-0 now. They can’t deny me now. They’re going to give me a top-10 opponent and I’ll show how good I am.”
To hear more from Murphy, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.
