UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Murphy Betting Preview
The UFC returns to its vaunted APEX this Saturday, April 5, for UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Murphy. Headlined by an intriguing lightweight bout between heavy handed Josh Emmett and the surging Lerone Murphy, the card is mostly top-heavy, but will likely still provide some solid action for sports bettors and fight fans alike.
Josh Emmett vs. Lerone Murphy
For his part, Emmett has been out for the last 16 months following his absolutely stunning KO of village idiot, Bryce Mitchell. Born on March 4, 1985, in Phoenix, Arizona, Emmett has been active since 2011 and is affiliated with Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California. He currently holds a professional record of 19 wins and 4 losses. On the other side, Lerone Murphy is undefeated, with a professional record of 15 wins, no losses, and one draw. Murphy made his UFC debut in 2019, securing a split draw against Zubaira Tukhugov. Since then, he has achieved notable victories over fighters such as Ricardo Ramos, Makwan Amirkhani, Edson Barboza, and Dan Ige.
The bout here has significant implications for both fighters, but a win for Murphy could position him for a title shot in the open Featherweight division, especially after Ilia Topuria's move to Lightweight. Despite his impressive record, Murphy remains mostly under the radar, likely due to his reserved nature and limited social media presence. But Murphy has an absolutely incredible story to match his run; the young fighter has overcome a tumultuous past, including surviving being shot in the face.
While Emmett likely has the power advantage here, we like Murphy to cruise and get a decisive decision win here. If he can avoid getting hit with one of Emmett’s fight-ending shots, Murphy will likely be able to use his superior speed and footwork to land his shots while avoiding most of Emmett’s. Crypto sports betting enthusiasts like ourselves like Murphy big here, and even expect the Brit to hold a title in the near future.
PICK: Lerone Murphy by Decision
Pat Sabatini vs. Joanderson Brito
The co-main event sees dangerous grappler Pat Sabatini vs the always game Joanderson Brito. Brito will likely have a big striking advantage here, but Sabatini has shown a strong ability to deal with strikers and impose his will. Barring nasty KO and TKO losses to Diego Lopes and Damien Jackson, respectively, Sabatini has looked good in his UFC run. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and former two-time Cage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC) Featherweight Champion, Sabatini made his UFC debut in April 2021 and has since secured notable victories, including a first-round submission win over Jonathan Pearce at UFC Fight Night on October 12, 2024. Training out of Marquez MMA, Sabatini is recognized for his grappling prowess, achieving 12 of his 19 wins by submission.
For his part, Joanderson Brito holds a professional record of 17 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw, with notable victories including an impressive 41-second knockout of Andre Fili in April 2022 and a TKO victory due to doctor's stoppage against Jack Shore on May 4, 2024, at UFC 301. Brito is recognized for his aggressive fighting style and finishing ability, with eight wins by knockout and seven by submission. If Sabatini can avoid Brito’s strikes, he should cruise here, but that’s a big “if.” Sabatini has shown that he’s susceptible to big power shots, and Brito definitely has KO power. While we favor Sabatini here, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Brito score an upset.
PICK: Sabatini by Submission