This week’s UFC fight card will take place in London, England. The card is scheduled for fourteen bouts nine of which pit English athletes against fighters travelling into London for their competition which will clearly benefit the local English combatants.
Fighters weighing 170lbs. and above will compete in six of the fourteen fights as well there are three fights where an age difference is eleven years, a certain advantage for the younger athlete.
The large thirty-foot cage will be in use, and the normal raucous London fight crowd will be on hand to cheer for their local athletes.
Last week favorites once again marched to a 13-1 result pushing them thus far in 2026 to 67-20 or 77%. Favorites are winning at a historic rate, and the question is whether to keep searching for mangy mutts or to succumb and start chasing chalk because after all, a stubborn approach is often a losing approach!
Last week this column split on two one-unit releases but lost a half unit position on the main event bet of Josh Emmett +430 who was hardly competitive in his loss to Kevin Vallejos.
Time to earn!
Movsar Evloev -220 vs. Lerone Murphy +190 Featherweight (145lbs.) main event
Evloev is your prototypical Russian vice grip wrestler. A master of sports in Greco-Roman wrestling Evloev is immensely strong, doggedly determined, and able to expend immense amounts of energy endlessly.
Evloev’s been at the pinnacle of his division for years, but he has a difficult time finding fights for fellow featherweights duck him because of his unrelenting pressure wrestling.
The UFC is no real fan of Evloev either for his way of fighting is unlike the manner the UFC wishes to endorse for in this new arrangement with Paramount productions, most parties are yearning for blood, violence, and knockouts. Leg humping, opponent control from top position and grappling prowess are all aspects of the fight game the UFC is willing to turn away from.
Evloev 19-0 professionally has been in the UFC for seven years now. He’s realized an 11-0 record however each of his wins have come via decision. Evloev’s striking is in development for he utilizes it only insofar as to create the opportunity to clasp onto any opponent, drag them to the floor then begin control time.
Evloev is the kind of mixed martial artist that is being easily overlooked by the UFC when it comes to exposure, support, and investment.
In Lerone Murphy we have an English fighter who has created great momentum for himself in recent bouts. A purple belt in BJJ, Murphy’s fight aptitude is based in his athleticism for he played soccer prior to a knee injury that forced him into the world of boxing then eventually MMA.
Murphy’s 9-0-1 in the UFC. His first ever UFC battle was against Russian athlete Zubaira Tukhugov, a forceful wrestler/striker. That bout ended in a draw. Since then Murphy has competed against an array of talented mixed martial artists but he has not competed against anyone with Tukhugov’s wrestling prowess until this Saturday when he enters the cage with this prototype of a wrestler Evloev.
Physically Murphy has a three-inch height advantage in this battle as well he’ll sport a slight reach advantage so while this fight remains on the feet I look for Murphy’s athleticism, movement, and diversity of attack to control Evloev until which time the Russian clasps ahold of the Englishman.
This fight comes down to Evloev’s offensive wrestling and Murphy’s ability to defend it. Evloev excels in the tumultuous grind where he can control most any featherweight opponent, reign damage upon them from top position while simultaneously draining them of their energy as well their will to win.
Evloev is an authentic world class mixed martial artist who is being to an extent shelved by the UFC because of his manner of fighting.
Murphy is the style of fighter the UFC wants to promote and there’s little doubt that this fight happening in London is no mistake for the organization yearns for violent striking battles and fights that make crowds howl.
They’re giving Murphy his chance to step over Evloev in the rankings as well do their dirty work by having Evloev be defeated thus knocking him down in the rankings.
Unfortunately for this main event, Evloev, who has earned this position by defeating everyone the UFC has set before him will squelch Murphy’s ability to remain in striking distance and sooner than later in this fight ground hm for what is liable to be a twenty-five-minute roll on the canvas.
This fight may be a bit lackluster to blood thirsty fight fans wishing for a barrage of striking action however those MMA fans looking for a tremendous clash of styles will appreciate Evloev’s systematic dismantling of Murphy via his unrelenting forward pressure, his unending cardio, and his basic lock down wrestling.
Boring? Perhaps but masterful certainly!
Evloev -220 1u
Evloev -120 via decision makes a ton of sense also as he is 9-0 in the UFC all decisions.
Total in this fight: 4.5Rds Over -270
Luke Riley -250 vs. Michael Aswell +210 featherweight (145lbs.) co main
Aswell ships in from Texas. He is a rough and tumble brawler who is tough, aggressive and swings wide and with intent.
Riley is a young up and comer from England and while fellow Englishman Nathanial Wood is well more deserving of this co main event slot, Riley gets the shine because of his youth, power, aggression and finishing ability.
The UFC believes they have a future star in Riley, and this fight may goi a long way in proving that for Riley, Aswell the English crowd and we fight enthusiasts!
Riley -250 1u
Riley +100 via finish is also a strong consideration.
Total in this fight: 2.5 Over -165
Friday Morning the ‘Bout Business podcast drops across all podcast platforms. It’s also available on GambLou.com. Catch all my final releases for UFC FN London there!
Thanks for reading and enjoy the fights!