With some much-anticipated fights, the mega UFC 308 event is upon us. The premium event features an elite card, headed by a fight that every MMA fan all over the world would be intrigued about. The undefeated Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria will take on the division’s veteran, Max Holloway, who also happens to be the UFC BMF Champion. The winner will not only take home the Featherweight Title but also the bragging rights of being the undisputed king of the 145lbs weight class.

Aside from the contest in the main event, the main card features another Featherweight fight, where as well an undefeated fighter is the protagonist. The rising sensation Lerone Murphy has had quite the journey. Having picked Football as the first career option, Murphy suffered a heartbreak when his dreams ceased due to a serious knee injury when he was just 16. Struck by a setback, the Young Turk did not give up on making a mark in the field of sports and as destiny had it, the same individual is now a formidable force at the premier dais of MMA.

With the intention of climbing the ranking table and emerging as the number one contender for the Featherweight title, Lerone Murphy will square off against Dan Ige at UFC 308, a fight which could give him a further push on the ranking table, should he win. Ahead of the battle, Lerone Murphy engaged in a brief one-to-one with Republic World. He gracefully answered all our queries and was expressive through his dialect.

Also Read | UFC 308 Topuria Vs Holloway: Full Fight Card and Streaming Details

Here are the excerpts from the conversation:

On Fighting Dan Ige

I expect a tough battle from Ige, and I anticipate him trying to bring the fight to me. We trained for that, and I will stick to my game plan against him. Dan Ige is a good fighter with a lot of experience, and I know it will be a tough test, but I am ready.

What the Future Holds

If I win, I want to face anyone in the top 10. I’m focused on climbing the rankings and working my way toward the title. Whoever I fight next doesn’t matter; it just needs to be a step closer to that goal.

Balancing Life Outside Fight World

Balancing life is hard. When you have a fight, it consumes your thoughts, making it challenging to focus on anything else. For me, I love food, which doesn’t help since I’m always dieting, but I also cherish spending time with my family. I enjoy playing video games with my son and teaching him how to fight.

Ideal Figure In MMA

I admire fighters like Khabib (Nurmagomedov). He’s very respectable and doesn’t play games in the cage. I think he sets a great example for the youth.

On Coping With Injury That Ended Football Aspirations and Introduction To MMA World

For me, everything happens for a reason, and my journey led me to this path. MMA started for me because I loved watching combat sports. I never thought I’d actually fight, but I began training and fell in love with it. Now, it’s my full-time career, and I hope to make a good living from it and go all the way.

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On Ilia Topuria vs Max Holloway

It’s a very tough fight, and I’m honestly 50-50 on it. I keep changing my mind between Topuria and Holloway, but I lean more toward Topuria.

Whether Undefeated Stature Adds To Pressure

It depends on perspective. Some people say you can’t lose, but ultimately, you don’t want to lose at all. For me, I have seven fights in the UFC with no losses, so I feel less pressure.

I believe the more wins I can accumulate without losing, the better. Once you start losing, that’s when the pressure increases. However, I’m not worried about it. My main focus is the end goal: to become champion. I’ve said it many times: I never want to lose, and I always aim to keep winning. But if I do, I know I can bounce back from it. I’ve come back from worse, and as long as I become champion, I’m good.

*Watch UFC 308 – Topuria vs Holloway LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 SD & HD (Tamil & Telugu) on October 26,2024 from 11:30 PM. Sony Sports Network is the official broadcaster of UFC in India.