Edson Barboza vs Lerone Murphy prediction, pick: Will the veteran be able to defend himself against the younger, undefeated fighter?

MMA junkie analyst Dan Tom goes in depth to detail the UFC’s biggest fights. Today, he takes a closer look at the UFC Fight Night 241 main event between Edson Barbosa It is Leron Murphy. UFC Fight Night 241 (ESPN+) takes place Saturday, at the UFC Apex, in Las Vegas.

Edson Barboza’s UFC Fight Night 241 Preview

• Record: 24-11 MMA, 18-11 UFC

• Height: 5’11” Age: 38 Weight: 145 lbs. Reach: 75″

• Last fight: decision win over Sodiq Yusuff (October 14, 2023)

• Camp: American Top Team (Florida)

• Stance/attack style: Orthodox/muay Thai

• Risk management: Good

Additional information:
+ Regional MMA titles
+ Various muay Thai prizes
^ Record of 25-3 (22 by KO)
+ brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu
+ 14 knockout wins
+ 1 victory by submission
+ 8 finishes in the first round
+ Knockout power
+ Solid feints and footwork
+ Improved boxing technique
^ Jabs, pivots, counters, etc.
+ Devastating leg kicks
+ Precise spinning attacks
+ Underrated counterfight
+ Solid butterfly protector

Lerone Murphy’s UFC Fight Night 241 Preview

Lerone Murphy UFC 286 Ceremonial Weigh-In

• Record: 13-0-1 MMA, 5-0-1 UFC

• Height: 5’9″ Age: 32 Weight: 145 lbs. Reach: 73.5″

• Last fight: Victory by decision over Josh Culibao (July 22, 2023)

• Camp: Manchester Top Team (England)

• Stance/strike style: Switch-stance/muay Thai

• Risk management: Good

Additional information:
+ Regional MMA title
+ Amateur MMA Awards
+ blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu
+ 7 knockout wins
+ 6 finishes in the first round
+ Knockout power
+ Solid feints and footwork
^ Strikes well in both stances
+ Strong calf kicks
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ Works well with over-unders
+ Useful removal capacity
^ Favors tries along the fence
+ Solid shuffling and transitional fighting
+ Good ground-and-pound

Edson Barboza x Lerone Murphy point of interest: Muay Thai whirlwind

The main event in Las Vegas features two fighters familiar with the eight-member art.

Entering the UFC scene as a thunderous leg kicker, Edson Barbosa became known for his early impressions of violence that reminded MMA fans why Muay Thai is such an effective striking art.

After a few years of mixed success, Barboza went to New Jersey to train with Mark Henry, a trainer who quietly helped him improve his footwork and his fundamentals in the world of boxing.

From hitting the pivots to stepping on the appropriate sides, the Brazilian did a much better job facilitating his punches and the attack in general. Barboza has always possessed an underrated right hand, but has since developed his left hand with these upgrades.
While Barboza delivers his punch much more efficiently, it’s the improvements to his boxing counters and bodywork that could serve the American Top Team product particularly well in this fight. However, Barboza will still need to respect the power that is coming back towards him.

To type Leron Murphy.

Despite the efforts of UFC matchmakers to bury lighter talent on preliminary cards, Murphy appears to have become undeniable with the skills demonstrated in his accumulation of victories.

A well-trained fighter who seems to have talent when it comes to striking, Murphy behaves comfortably in both standing positions. Whether Murphy is throwing powerful strikes from the southpaw’s left side or trying to set up his patented orthodox kick, the English fighter is perfect at switching sides.

Not only can Murphy vary the look and levels of his striking, but the 32-year-old also shows solid instincts when it comes to leg kick defense and counterattacks that should come in handy this Saturday. That said, Murphy has shown that he is also not exempt from getting caught while shooting, making counterattacks a powerful two-way street.

Analysis of Edson Barboza x Lerone Murphy: possible fight threats

Lerone Murphy (red gloves) fights Josh Culibao (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at the O2 Arena. (Reporting by Haljestam, USA TODAY Sports)

Considering the potential for chaos on the feet, no one should be shocked if this party ends up on the floor at some point.

No stranger to close combat, Murphy showed a semi-surprising willingness to engage the opposition during a fight.
While Murphy has a decent reactionary double leg that he will dust off from time to time, the 8-year pro primarily looks to do things from the clinch. Whether Murphy is forcing his man into the bodylock or trying to change levels along the fence, the Englishman looks strong in this space and works well on top.

However, since Barboza’s first encounters with fighters like Jamie Varner and Danny Castillo, the 15-year pro has steadily strengthened his counter-wrestling acumen. Even in his slightly more recent fight against former lightweight kingpin Khabib Nurmagomedov, Barboza was still able to contest his counterpart’s underhooks, creating enough space for separations despite being dead tired in the final frame.

Most importantly, Barboza – from an offensive perspective – is not beyond landing a double takedown to help alleviate the pressure. Reactionary duos, at least on paper, wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world, given the Brazilian’s advantage in experience.
Still, despite giving up his fair share of takedowns, Murphy showed a solid fight process.

Typically looking to locate the fence, Murphy prefers to walk the wall to safety any way he can – usually keeping a loud whistle for help. And if Murphy can get to the top, “The Miracle” has wicked ground and pound that can change the dynamics of a fight.

Edson Barboza x Lerone Murphy odds

Oddsmakers and the public are slightly favoring the younger man, listing Murphy -115 and Barboza +118, according to FanDuel.

Edson Barboza x Lerone Murphy prediction, choose

Considering Murphy is the undefeated fighter with the least mileage, I’m not surprised to see him installed as the favorite, albeit slightly. Still, it’s nice to see some respect given to Barboza given the line’s overall lack of movement.

Not only have we seen some notable Brazilian veterans find the fountain of youth this year, but Barboza has been quietly improving during this kind of late-career resurgence. In addition to being fully settled into his new home, American Top Team, Barboza has made marked improvements to his boxing game, which I see Murphy having some input into.

While Murphy re-enacting a worse version of Bryce Mitchell’s southpaw knockdown is a reality that is on the table for Barboza, the English fighter has shown suspect defense when it comes to protecting his midsection.

Unless Murphy can stop Barboza in the first two frames, then I suspect the 38-year-old veteran can pull away with body work and counters down the stretch.

I hope to see more Murphy regardless of the outcome, but the official choice is Barboza by decision.

Prediction: Barboza by decision

Edson Barboza x Lerone Murphy start time, where to watch

For the main event, Barboza and Murphy are expected to walk to the Octagon at approximately 9:45 pm ET (6:45 pm PT). The fight is broadcast live on ESPN and ESPN+.

For more information on the card, visit the MMA Junkie events hub to UFC 241 Fight Night.

This story originally appeared on MMA Junkie