UFC London Murphy vs Evloev: Unbeaten Featherweights Headline March 21 Card

Lerone Murphy (17-0-1) faces Movsar Evloev (19-0-0) in a featherweight title eliminator at The O2 on March 21.

The UFC London Murphy vs Evloev featherweight main event on March 21 at The O2 features two undefeated contenders vying for a shot at Alexander Volkanovski’s title. Lerone Murphy enters the Octagon with a 17-0-1 record, coming off a knockout of the year performance against Aaron Pico at UFC 319, where he utilized a spinning elbow to secure the victory. His opponent, Russian wrestler Movsar Evloev, holds a 19-0-0 professional record and most recently defeated former champion Aljamain Sterling. Despite his ranking, Evloev has yet to record a finish within the UFC and returns to action for the first time since December 2024. This five-round headliner marks the first London event in three years not headlined by Leon Edwards.

In the co-main event, Liverpool’s Luke Riley makes his second UFC appearance following a debut knockout victory. Riley, who began training Muay Thai in Thailand at age 10, faces former Fury belt holder Michael Aswell Jr., who carries an 11-3-0 record. Riley trains at Next Generation MMA alongside Paddy Pimblett, who is scheduled to be in his corner for this featherweight clash. The main card also features Michael "Venom" Page (24-3-0), who looks to bounce back against the unranked Sam Patterson (14-2-1). Page has expressed frustration over the matchup, stating he is unsure what a win over Patterson provides beyond a potential highlight reel moment.

Heavyweight Power and Middleweight Rankings

No. 15 ranked heavyweight Mario Pinto (11-0-0) seeks his fourth consecutive UFC TKO/KO victory when he faces Brazilian debutant Felipe Franco (10-1-0). Pinto gained viral fame for a post-fight monologue at UFC Rio where he claimed he did not speak English before switching to the language fluently. Another heavyweight bout features Scotland’s Louie Sutherland (10-4-0), who weighed 264.5 pounds for his promotional debut. Sutherland, who previously worked night shifts at a railway, has seen three of his last four fights end before the second round. He faces Brando Peričić (5-1-0), known as the "Balkan Bear," who enters with one knockout win in the company.

Middleweight implications are high for Christian Leroy Duncan (13-2-0), who remains undefeated in London appearances. Duncan is coming off a knockout of Marco Tulio in November and aims to break into the top 15 by defeating No. 11 ranked Roman Dolidze (15-4-0). Dolidze’s resume includes victories over Anthony Smith, Marvin Vettori, and Kevin Holland, though he recently suffered a defeat against Anthony Hernandez at the UFC Apex. At light heavyweight, 38-year-old Austen Lane (13-7-0) moves down a weight class to face Iwo Baraniewski (7-0-0). Baraniewski debuted with a knockout of Ibo Aslan, a fight in which he registered four knockdowns in just 30 seconds.

Preliminary Card and British Homecomings

The preliminary card is headlined by Welsh lightweight Mason Jones (17-2-0), who returns to The O2 following a 2022 loss that led to a temporary stint in Cage Warriors. Jones recently defeated Jeremy Stephens and now faces unbeaten Frenchman Axel Sola (11-0-1), who debuted with a knockout of Rhys McKee. London native Nathaniel Wood (22-6-0) looks for his first UFC finish since 2019 against 28-year-old debutant Losene Keita (16-1-0). Keita, nicknamed the "Black Panther," arrives as a former champion of the Eastern European organization Oktagon MMA, while Wood enters on a three-fight winning streak, including a victory over Jose Miguel Delgado.

Liverpool’s Kurtis Campbell (8-0-0) enters his bout against American Danny Silva (10-2-0) as a significant prospect. Campbell, the "Pink Panther," was a 5/1 favorite in his Contender Series win, earning public praise from Dana White. Silva brings a boxing-heavy style with notable stance switches to the matchup. Also representing Liverpool is Shem Rock (12-2-1), who spent seven years as a fugitive before being found not guilty of a crime. Rock, who has competed in Malaysia and Cage Warriors, lost his UFC debut to Nurullo Aliev and now faces Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady (15-4-0). Al-Selwady, known as the "Pride of Palestine," previously held titles in Cage Warriors and Fury Fighting Championship.

Opening Bouts: England vs. Brazil

The event begins with two consecutive England vs. Brazil matchups. London’s Shanelle Dyer (6-1-0) makes her official debut against Ravena Oliveira (7-3-1). Oliveira is currently 0-2 in the UFC, with one loss via submission, but she holds six knockout wins and four first-round finishes from her pre-UFC career. The first fight of the night features Melissa Mullins (7-2-0), a double gold medalist at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation World Championships. Mullins is coming off a unanimous decision loss and faces Luana Carolina (11-5-0). Carolina, nicknamed "Dread," has three career KOs and two first-round finishes, including a victory by guillotine choke. This card serves as a rare opportunity for UK fighters, as London is typically limited to one UFC event per year.