Lerone Murphy breaks down Muhammad Ali-inspired game plan to silence critics after UFC Vegas 105

In his second main event, one of the most in-form featherweight contenders earned his 8th consecutive win inside the Octagon.

Lerone Murphy remained undefeated after beating Josh Emmett in the headliner for UFC Vegas 105 at the Apex this past Saturday night.

‘The Miracle’ has already spoken about what he wants next with Murphy calling out Brian Ortega for a matchup that could put him into the title picture.

Whilst it was undoubtedly the biggest win of his career to date and a smart performance from the Brit, it wasn’t all praise after the final bell.

Murphy received some criticism both online and inside the Apex after many felt like he fought too cautiously which took away from his accomplishment.

Lerone Murphy replies to critics by highlighting his game plan

When Lerone Murphy is at his best, he’s an incredibly smooth and controlling operator and he was able to implement that against Josh Emmett on April 5.

The 33-year-old has had some difficult fights since signing to the UFC in 2019 but against one of the division’s most dangerous contenders, he was able to avoid the one-punch power of the American.

Murphy emerged relatively unscathed after five rounds, winning the bout via a unanimous decision with scores of 48-47, 49-46 and 48-47.

‘The Miracle’ already made his feelings on the performance clear in his post-fight interview where he replied to the reaction from the crowd by highlighting how he had perfectly executed his game plan which relied on avoiding wild exchanges with Emmett.

He echoed the same sentiment in a social media post the following day, referencing how he had to be constantly on the move and keeping to his strategy in order to avoid making a mistake and getting tagged with a big shot.

Murphy closed out his thoughts with a reference to the greatest of all time.

“Clinic! Real MMA fans will appreciate the technicality of that fight. That’s fight IQ. Punishing elbows in close, body kicks, neat footwork. Had him hurt a few times. Why would I stay in the pocket with a power puncher. Float like a butterfly sting like a bee baby.”

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Lerone Murphy looked impressive at UFC Vegas 105 but some question whether that’s enough

There are countless examples of quality fighters who put in good performances but don’t move the needle for whatever reason.

Lerone Murphy has a remarkable story and his performance against Josh Emmett was a strong showing for the featherweight contender.

However, plenty of reactions from the fight are people stating that Murphy needs to do more to get people excited about watching him in big fights.

‘The Miracle’ is going to continue working his way to the top with performances like this but it might take him a bit longer than the other contenders around him.