Lerone Murphy managed to bring the UFC Apex to life in an unprecedented fashion on Saturday night, but not in a good way.
The undefeated Murphy continued his winning run by outpointing Josh Emmett in a lack lustre main event for UFC Vegas 105. Usually, a lack of crowd makes these shows soulless, but Murphy managed to get the small attendance on their feet as they booed him out of the octagon.
His victory saw him widely outland Emmett, but generally fight on the defensive, with many accusing him of ‘running’. Fans even called it the ‘worst card ever’, with just a handful of explosive finishes saving it from being a complete dud.
Lerone Murphy booed out of the octagon after UFC Vegas 105 win
Particularly after knocking out Bryce Mitchell is brutal fashion, Josh Emmett has been a fan favorite with UFC fans for many years. But he couldn’t find Lerone Murphy for most of their Apex headliner as he brushed off the cobwebs of a near two-year lay-off.
Murphy really had a solid gameplan and clearly outscored his rival, winning by a round on two scorecards and three rounds on the other. But it didn’t impress a rare raucuous crowd at the Apex, who fans on social media noted were the ‘loudest ever heard’ at the venue.
Fans in the Las Vegas facility were not positive with their reactions to the result being read out, and Murphy goaded them further during his interview with Michael Bisping. “Wahey, 16-0, what?” Murphy chanted. “Easy work, easy work!”
At one point between rounds Emmett complained that his rival was ‘running’, which proved frustrating throughout the contest. This angered fans, and his coaches who tried to fin him other paths to victory to no avail.
Fans react as Lerone Murphy continues winning run
While the decision was not particularly controversial; Murphy’s performance was. Viewers were not happy at being asked to watch a slow paced fight where they claimed he was on his bike throughout and refused to engage with Emmett.
The infamous account Grabaka_Hitman joked that the crowd reaction was the “Loudest I’ve ever heard the Apex.” Another added: “Getting drowned with boos in the Apex, lol this guy is not champion material.”
Others were critical of the performance, adding: “Garbage fight and the judges reward a guy for not fighting. Josh beat him in punches and take downs… Murphy just kicked and kept distance all through the fight. TRASH!”
