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\nLerone Murphy thought he’d clinched a title shot by knocking out
\nAaron Pico. | Getty\/UFC<\/b><\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
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Last summer in Chicago, Lerone After all, he had just knocked out highly-regarded Bellator Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n However, Murphy did not get the championship opportunity he \u201cTo be completely honest, it was rough,\u201d Murphy told the UFC. \u201cI was training. I thought I was gonna fight in December. The champ Now, Murphy will have to prove himself once again when he faces the \u201cIt\u2019s just another fight for me,\u201d Murphy said. \u201cI understand that One thing that may have been slowing Murphy\u2019s rise to contention \u201cIt reaffirmed I could finish, I could knock people out,\u201d Murphy A knockout could prove to be a tall task against Evloev, who hasn\u2019t \u201cI\u2019m expecting a five-round war. I\u2019ve trained hard, I\u2019ve worked “I understand the game, I understand the Preview All Fights: https:\/\/t.co\/F6O0DC0jUG<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/0f4sZpN1bP<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMurphy<\/a> thought a title shot was all but inevitable.<\/p>\n
\nMMA<\/a> signee Aaron Pico<\/a>
\nwith a spinning back elbow in the first round at
\nUFC 319<\/a>. Not only was it a \u201cKnockout of the Year\u201d candidate,
\nbut it extended the Englishman\u2019s promotional winning streak to
\nnine. The performance also caught the attention of reigning
\n
\nUFC<\/a> featherweight champion Alexander
\nVolkanovski<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nanticipated. Instead, it went to Diego
\nLopes<\/a>, who only needed to earn one victory to earn a rematch
\nwith Volkanovski at
\nUFC 325<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cAfter the fight in Chicago, I thought I\u2019d done enough. Everyone
\nthought I\u2019d done enough. I go out there, co-main event, step in on
\nshort notice and get a KO like that on short notice over a
\nhighly-touted prospect \u2014 I thought I\u2019d done enough.<\/p>\n
\nwas calling me out, so I thought it was inevitable. I started
\ntraining, and I found out it was not gonna be me for that fight. It
\nwas kind of hearbreaking, I won\u2019t lie. It kind of threw me
\noff.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nunbeaten Movsar
\nEvloev<\/a> in the
\nUFC London<\/a> main event on Saturday. The matchup is likely to
\ndecide the next No. 1 contender at 145 pounds, but as Murphy knows,
\nnothing in the UFC is guaranteed.<\/p>\n
\nit\u2019s a title eliminator, it\u2019s a very important fight. But every
\nfight is important to me. I treat them all the same.\u201d<\/p>\nA Taste for Blood<\/h2>\n
\nwas the lack of finishes on his UFC resume. That\u2019s why the knockout
\nof Pico was integral to re-establishing \u201cThe Iceman\u201d as a
\ncompetitor capable of delivering excitement in the Octagon. Though
\nto hear Murphy tell it, he never lost confidence in his abilities
\nas a fight ender.<\/p>\n
\nsaid. \u201cI knew I could do that. Sometimes you just need the dance
\npartner to do that. Obviously Pico was aggressive, comes forward.
\nSo he gave me the opportunity to do that. Now tasting some blood
\nagain, I want some more. I\u2019ll be looking for the finish.\u201d<\/p>\n
\ntasted defeat in 19 professional outings. Murphy is prepared for
\nall possibilities.<\/p>\n
\nhard. I\u2019m ready to go. I\u2019m excited,\u201d he said. \u201cA perfect
\nperformance would be a finish. A big KO, whatever way that comes.
\nThat\u2019s a perfect performance for me \u2014 getting in and out. Five
\nrounds is a long time to fight. In a perfect world we get it done
\nin the first round.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
\nbusiness. Now I\u2019ve got to go out and prove I\u2019m the best in the
\nworld.”@LeroneMurphy<\/a>
\nlooks to be undeniable in his third main event en route to a shot
\nat featherweight gold at
\n#UFCLondon<\/a>. \ud83c\udfc6<\/p>\n