Murphy And Evloev In Cold Ufc London Staredown

Lerone Murphy and Movsar Evloev engaged successful acold staredown arsenic nan brace faced disconnected earlier their UFC London featherweight bout astatine nan O2 Arena connected Saturday.

Manchester combatant Murphy was warmly applauded by fans arsenic he took to nan stage, while Russia's Evloev was booed earlier nan brace went eye-to-eye successful a tense face-off.

The conflict has some athletes putting their undefeated records connected nan statement pinch Murphy, 34, undefeated successful 18 bouts and Evloev winning each 19 of his.

"Ready for a war," said Murphy. "That's it - simple."

Evloev, 32, trim a cool and collected figure, arsenic he has passim conflict week contempt only arriving connected Wednesday, earlier replying: "He's not fresh for a warfare - I'll show it tomorrow."

In possibly a connection of intent, Murphy was first connected nan scales retired of each combatant connected nan paper during nan morning's charismatic weigh-ins, clocking 145lb (10st 3lb), pinch Evloev weighing 1 lb heavier.

Murphy was not serenaded by fans for illustration British UFC London stars specified arsenic Tom Aspinall and Paddy Pimblett who person fought successful erstwhile years, but it allowed him to support his attraction arsenic he shadowboxed while waiting for Evloev's arrival.

The conflict betwixt Murphy and Evloev will thief find nan adjacent challenger for Alexander Volkanovski's featherweight title, though it has not been branded a number 1 contender conflict by nan UFC.

Murphy is 3rd successful nan UFC's featherweight rankings pinch Evloev first, but sixth-ranked Jean Silva has suggested he whitethorn besides jump nan queue to conflict Volkanovski.

The Brazilian was astatine nan weigh-in, interacting pinch fans and will beryllium cageside connected Saturday.

Murphy's past conflict ended successful spectacular manner pinch nan Mancunian knocking retired Aaron Pico pinch a spinning elbow to thrust himself into title contention.

But alternatively nan UFC matched Volkanovski pinch second-ranked Diego Lopes who nan champion had beaten 10 months anterior - a move which Murphy says "woke maine up to a batch of things".