Edson Barboza vs. Lerone Murphy: UFC Fight Night 241 Odds, Prediction
No. 12 ranked featherweight Edson Barboza comes into UFC Fight Night 241 looking to string together his first three-fight win streak in nearly eight years. Barboza will have his hands full, however, as he’s up against an undefeated fighter in No. 14 ranked Lerone Murphy.
Murphy opened as a -145 favourite to win on the MMA odds, while Barboza is a +120 underdog.
Edson Barboza MMA odds
Barboza is 24-11 since his professional MMA debut as a lightweight in 2009. He made the jump to the UFC the next year, winning seven of his first eight fights. The 38-year-old Brazilian has never earned a title fight, but he’s been one of the most exciting strikers of his generation to watch. His nine Fight of the Night bonuses is tied with Dustin Poirier for most in UFC history and his seven lightweight knockouts is third-most in division history.
It’s been mixed results for Barboza since moving to the featherweight division in 2020. He started off with losses in three of his first five fights, but he had a bounce back year in 2023. Barboza earned a first-round knockout win against Billy Quarantillo in April and authored arguably the best comeback of the year in a unanimous decision victory against Sodiq Yusuff in October.
“Junior” is a veteran striker who has fought some of the most notable names in UFC history, including Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje. He lands 4.18 significant strikes per minute and averages 0.48 takedowns landed per 15 minutes. Barboza’s striking power makes him a threat to end the fight at any minute, but his best strategy is to finish things quick. He’s up against a younger, faster, opponent, so Barboza won’t want to let the fight drag on.
Lerone Murphy MMA odds
The undefeated Murphy tuned pro in 2016, racking up 13 wins and one draw in 14 career fights. The 32-year-old Manchester native earned first-round finishes in four of his first five fights and ended his UK career by winning the FCC featherweight championship.
Murphy joined the UFC in 2019 and picked up a rare split draw in his first fight against Zubaira Tukhugov at UFC 242. Since then, he is 5-0 with two knockouts wins, two unanimous decision wins and one split decision. Murphy has been off since last July, so it’s fair to wonder if he’ll deal with any rust.
“The Miracle” lands 3.65 significant strikes per minute with 50 per cent accuracy and he averages 1.29 takedowns per 15 minutes with 46 per cent accuracy. This is his first five-round fight, so it’s a new test for him, but he’s proven adaptable in the past. Whether this fight ends on the mat or stays standing up, Murphy’s athleticism and speed will give him the advantage.