‘Fighting is my therapy’ – Murphy, the miracle man of the UFC

Lerone Murphy says fighting is his “therapy” as he prepares to face Dan Ige at UFC 308 on Saturday in Abu Dhabi.

The Manchester fighter receives the nickname ‘The Miracle’, having He experienced two near-death moments in his life.

Murphy was shot in the face in 2013 and crashed into a car while riding a bicycle in 2022.

The 33-year-old is at the peak of his fighting career with an undefeated record, and says every fight in his 15 fights has been a “therapy appointment.”

“For me that’s fighting, you know yourself a lot more. I feel like all fighters have some kind of demon; it’s a strange thing,” Murphy told BBC Sport.

“It’s a constant test, the mixed emotions you get, the rollercoaster of emotions.

“I feel like it makes you a better man and I need to fight. It’s good for me.”

Murphy, who says he has not undergone any therapy outside the cage, is coming off the biggest win of his career against The main contender Edson Barboza.

The May fight received the “Fight of the Night” award and was Murphy’s first time headlining as a UFC fighter.

But Murphy is still building his reputation in the division, with British stars such as Leon Edwards and Tom Aspinall gaining the most traction in the last year.

Murphy is one of the few undefeated UFC fighters from England and says he knows his talents have “gone unnoticed.”

“It’s just because I’m quiet. Nobody recognized Leon until he won the belt,” Murphy said.

“I think you don’t have to go out and be a big mouth, but you have to work harder in the cage if you’re not.

“But for me I’m just focused on what I’m really doing. If I win this fight I’m 15-0 (with a draw), they can’t deny me that.”