The UFC takes a trip across the pond this Saturday for a stacked pay-per-view event at the 02 Arena in London, as we’ll witness the welterweight championship rematch between Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman.
However, English MMA enthusiasts are just as pumped about their undefeated prospect, Lerone Murphy – a well-rounded competitor that’s buzz sawed through the rankings thus far, winning won three consecutive UFC bouts behind two stoppages.
Continue reading for our UFC 286 betting guide and UFC picks, taking a first look at the undefeated, 11-0-1 Lerone Murphy and his opponent, Gabriel Santos. Don’t forget to review the best US betting sites to find the best book to bet with.
UFC 286 Hot Prospect Betting Pick
UFC Pick: Lerone Murphy ML (-175) at Bookmaker (visit our Bookmaker Review)
Lerone Murphy Moneyline Reasoning
Murphy is undefeated in his professional MMA career (11-0-1) and has displayed a great ability to counterstrike and deliver powerful shots in bunches. His opponent is a fellow unbeaten prospect. However, Gabriel Santos accepted a fight on short notice and will travel to hostile territory where the English support could make a UFC debut daunting.
With a cage calmness, excellent striking combinations that are difficult to read, and the experience of competing against UFC-level opponents (and winning them all), it’s difficult to overlook the potential success of Murphy this weekend in London.
UFC 286 Information
- When: Saturday, March 18, 2023 – 12:00 PM EDT
- Where: 02 Arena, London, England
- Scheduled Fights: 15
- Main Event: Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman [Welterweight Championship Bout]
UFC 286 Hot Prospect Profile: Lerone “The Miracle” Murphy
- Pro MMA Record: 11-0-1 (7 KO, 4 decisions)
- UFC Record: 3-0-1 (2 KO, 1 decision)
British featherweight prospect Lerone Murphy arrived at the elite levels of the UFC undefeated and, in a short-notice bout with Zubaira Tukhugov, made an excellent account of himself. The bout was a draw, but considering the circumstances, Murphy impressively kept his unbeaten streak intact versus a well-experienced opponent, notably without a full training camp.
We’ve watched Murphy grow during his previous three years with the company. And to his credit, the undefeated streak has been well-protected as the level of competition steadily raised when defeating Ricardo Ramos and Douglas Silva de Andrade.
Unfortunately, five canceled bouts have stunted the growth in Murphy’s quest for rankings supremacy. Still, the two TKO stoppages earned over Ramos and Makwan Amirkhani, he’s solidified his worth as an elite-level contender. He unquestionably owns the skills to reach a top-ten-ranked position.
Lerone Murphy vs. Gabriel Santos: The Fight Tape
Thus far, Murphy hasn’t displayed a one-dimensional skillset but undoubtedly favors his offensive striking game plans. His early MMA tenure doesn’t provide much analytic insight, as the opposition he faced was lackluster. However, since we’ve seen him compete at an elite level, he’s displayed a diverse arsenal of striking techniques.
Murphy does an excellent job of stringing combinations together – most of which end with a damaging leg kick. He isn’t easy to read and switches his shot variety from the legs, body, and head. And while a noteworthy striker, we’ve watched him mix up his takedowns. He won’t be shooting takedowns from the outside, but inside the clinch, he’s strong and has no issues dropping levels, clasping his hands, and taking the fight to the ground.
His opponent, Gabriel Santos (10-0-0), is no slouch. The Brazilian is, however, faced with many factors that could be detrimental to his overall performance – short notice and a long-haul flight to England from Brazil. Santos loves spinning attacks and will diversify his striking decisions, but flashy attacks have cost him in the past, and it’s easy to see the openings where Murphy can take advantage.
UFC 286 Hot Prospect Best Bet
The available UFC odds are fairly priced, and Murphy is the rightful favorite despite the undefeated record of Santos.
The Brazilian could employ an offensive grappling gameplan, as we’ve watched Murphy be susceptible to this approach in the past. However, Murphy’s cool and calm nature often delivers a sniper-like performance. He’ll own all the outside variables, such as UFC experience, home-crowd support, and short-notice preparation for his opponent.
UFC Pick: Lerone Murphy ML (-175) at Bookmaker
UFC 286 Main Card & Odds
- Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman [UFC welterweight championship bout]
- Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev [UFC co-main lightweight bout]
- Gunnar Nelson vs. Bryan Barberena [UFC welterweight bout]
- Jennifer Maia vs. Casey O’Neill [UFC women’s flyweight bout]
- Marvin Vettori vs. Roman Dolidze [UFC middleweight bout]
UFC 286 Preliminary Card & Odds
- Jack Shore vs. Makwan Amirkhani [UFC featherweight bout]
- Chris Duncan vs. Omar Morales [UFC lightweight bout]
- Sam Patterson vs. Yanal Ashmoz [UFC lightweight bout]
- Muhammad Mokaev vs. Jafel Filho [UFC flyweight bout]
- Lerone Murphy vs. Gabriel Santos [UFC featherweight bout]
- Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Dusko Todorovic [UFC middleweight bout]
- Jake Hadley vs. Malcolm Gordon [UFC flyweight bout]
- Joanne Wood vs. Luana Carolina [UFC women’s flyweight bout]
- Jai Herbert vs. Ludovit Klein [UFC lightweight bout]
- Veronica Macedo vs. Juliana Miller [UFC women’s flyweight bout]
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
