Movsar Evloev was able to preserve his unbeaten record by way of majority decision against Lerone Murphy in the main event of UFC FIght Night 270, despite being deducted a point in the 4th round.
Round One
The featherweight main event is underway in London!
Both fighters firing off some strikes without quite finding their range in the opening minute.
Right hand gets through for Murphy as Evloev starts to apply pressure. Body kick from Evloev. Low kick from Murphy.
Push kick for Evloev sends Murphy backwards. Body kick for Evloev. Evloev with another kick that comes off the forearms of Murphy.
More pressure from Evloev and misses on a punch. Murphy loads up on a right hand but doesn’t find the mark.
Murphy still working on dialing in his range. Glancing left hand from him. Another body kick for Evloev.
Inside leg kick for Murphy. Spinning backfist attempt from Evloev misses the mark late in the round.
Round Two
Right hands for Murphy. One-two from Evloev. Punches from Murphy coming off the guard.
Murphy with a body kick. Evloev goes for a kick and Murphy partially grabs it to knock him off-balance for a moment.
Nice counter left hand from Murphy. Now a jab. Evloev tries a spinning backfist that misses.
Counter right for Murphy. Body kick. Jab for Murphy. He fires off a combo, but comes up a little short.
Body kick for Evloev. He tries a spinning high kick that misses. High kick from Evloev is blocked and he transitions directly into a spinning backfist that doesn’t come close.
Punch for Murphy and a kick. Now a body punch. Low kick lands. Evloev ducks a punch and then fires off a couple of his own late in the round.
Round Three
Jab for Murphy. Body punch from Evloev. He lands a body kick now. Evloev finally transitions to a takedown and gets Murphy down, but he quickly scrambles and stands again the cage. Evloev still clinched up, but then opts to back off.
Jab for Evloev. Nice right hand lands for Murphy. Low kick for Evloev, but it strays to the groin and forces a time-out.
Murphy recovers quickly. Front kick to the body from Murphy. Now a spinning hook attempt from Murphy. Uppercut for Evloev.
Short right hand for Murphy in close. Solid body kick for him. Evloev works the jab. One-two from Murphy. He rips to the body now.
Glancing right hand for Evloev. Calf kick from Murphy. Body kick for Evloev. He tries a spinning backfist but misses.
Inside leg kick for Murphy. Murphy tries to counter a leg kick with a right hand. Overhand for Evloev. Evloev presses forward and lands a left hand. Evloev getting aggressive late in the round as he pieces together some punches and then a knee to the body.
Round Four
Body kick for Evloev. He goes for it again but it lands to the groin and Murphy needs another time-out.
When Murphy recovers the referee he deducts a point from Evloev for his second groin strike of the fight. Big moment in the fight.
Evloev comes forward with punches but Murphy lands a counter.
Evloev stays aggressive and manages to bundle Murphy to the mat for a moment. He gets back up and Evloev shoves him away and looks for more punches.
They reset to the center of the cage now. Uncommon spinning elbow to the body from Murphy.
Quick exchange of punches in close. Evloev bursts into a takedown and gets Murphy to the mat. Murphy able to stand, but Evloev drags him back down nicely. Murphy stands again though.
Murphy manages to break free. Body kick for him. Nice uppercut in close from Evloev. Now a jab.
Murphy tries for a head kick but slips to the mat after he misses. Evloev on him and lands some hammerfists before he stands.
Evloev with a punch as he backs out of the clinch. Murphy with a jab. He lands it again. A couple of punches for Evloev.
Round Five
Jab and an uppercut from Evloev. Body kick for Murphy. Evloev with a body kick and misses on a follow-up spinning backfist
A couple of short punches from Evloev. Evloev able to land a single-leg takedown in the center of the Octagon.
He lands a few hammerfists and Murphy is bleeding now. Evloev moving towards the back while landing more hammerfists.
Murphy battling back to his feet. Evloev drags him down, but he gets straight back up. Evloev takes him down again. Murphy back up and now gets to striking range.
Right hand for Murphy. He tries for an uppercut. Evloev pressuring, but Murphy lands a left.
Short flurry for Evloev. Right hand for him. Inside leg kick from Evloev. Body punch for Murphy.
Murphy attempts that spinning elbow to the body, but ends up just giving his back up, which Evloev gladly takes. Evloev gets him over to the cage and then lands a takedown.
Murphy scrambling up in the final 10 seconds and lands a last punch.
Decision
Evloev took some risks tonight by not pursuing takedowns as often as he usually would, instead opting to test himself against Murphy on the feet. That led to some closely fought rounds, but a point deduction for Evloev early in the 4th round for two groin strikes seemed to spur him on as he then stepped up his intensity, landing multiple takedowns while also being more aggressive with his striking. And in the end his efforts were rewarded with a majority decision victory (48-46 x2, 47-47).
