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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is just one day away from the upcoming UFC Vegas 92 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, which is set to go down tomorrow night (Sat., May 18, 2024) on ESPN+ from inside the promotion’s APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring a featherweight main event between Top 15 contender Edson Barboza and red-hot up-and-comer Lerone Murphy, a five-round headliner with major title implications for late 2024 and beyond.

Before we dive into the main and co-main event, which includes the 170-pound scrap between welterweight veterans Khaos Williams and Carlston Harris, be sure to bring yourself up to date with all the UFC Vegas 92 news and notes by clicking here. Get all the latest “Barboza vs. Murphy” odds and betting props courtesy of DraftKings right here. In addition, the Sound & Pound podcasters took a closer look at this weekend’s APEX card right here.

145 lbs.: Edson Barboza vs. Lerone Murphy

Edson Barboza

Record: 24-11 | Age: 38 | Betting line: -165
Wins: 14 KO/TKO, 1 SUB, 9 DEC | Losses: 4 KO/TKO, 2 SUB, 5 DEC
Height: 5’11“ | Reach: 75” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.18 | Striking accuracy: 45%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 4.34 | Striking Defense: 57%
Takedown Average: 0.48 (50% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 75%
Current Ranking: No. 12 | Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Sodiq Yusuff

Lerone Murphy

Record: 13-0-1 | Age: 32 | Betting line: +120
Wins: 7 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 6 DEC | Losses: 0 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 0 DEC
Height: 5’9“ | Reach: 73” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 3.65 | Striking accuracy: 50%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 2.40 | Striking Defense: 56%
Takedown Average: 1.29 (46% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 46%
Current Ranking: Unranked | Last fight: Unanimous decision victory over Joshua Culibao

This marks the 30th UFC fight for Edson Barboza, who is just a few months removed from his 14th anniversary with the promotion. You don’t often see that kind of longevity for MMA fighters, particularly at this level, and the Brazilian remains a reliable workhorse that can round out a pay-per-view (PPV) card or headline a “Fight Night” event. He doesn’t always deliver, but a Barboza knockout is typically worth the price of admission and the former lightweight already has 12 post-fight bonuses to his credit, including nine “Fight of the Night” honors. That includes his split decision victory over Sodiq Yusuff at UFC Vegas 81 last fall, his third main event before drawing a tough assignment against an undefeated Brit on the cusp of breaking into the Top 15. Hopefully Barboza isn’t overlooking the English “Miracle” because some of his pre-fight chatter about “BMF” belts has me worried.

“If one guy deserves to fight for the BMF title, it’s me,” Barboza told reporters during the UFC Vegas 92 media day (watch it here). “Who has better highlight knockouts than me? Bro, imagine. I love Max Holloway, he’s one of my favorite fighters ever. I love to watch him fight, and he’s a very nice guy, very family guy, but imagine a fight against him for the BMF belt. It’s going to be very, very good for me and him and the company. Like I said, I have 30 fights in the UFC. I think I deserve that. Of course, my focus is 100 percent on the next one, but I think it’s going to be good.”

Lerone Murphy made his Octagon debut to little fanfare back in late 2019, drawing a last-minute contest opposite Zubaira Tukhugov at UFC 242. What ended in a draw kicked off a five-fight winning streak with a couple of knockouts, and “The Miracle” is looking to build on his unanimous decision victory over Joshua Culibao at UFC London last July. Like any undefeated record, Murphy looks great on paper but his opponents on the regional circuit were so atrocious they make CM Punk look like Georges St. Pierre. I know that sounds harsh but the numbers don’t lie: Martin Fouda, Tyler John Thomas, and Nathan Thompson have a combined record of 20-97. No disrespect to Thompson but I have zero training and zero coordination and could probably do better than 7-41 as a pro fighter. I’m not in the habit of punishing combatants for their strength of schedule because that decision is not up to them, particularly at that level, and Murphy has proven his mettle as legitimate UFC fighter.

It just gets harder to pick him against Barboza when you take a critical look at his resume.

“I visited Las Vegas in 2016 to watch McGregor and Mendes, and since then, I’ve always thought this is a place I need to fight,” Murphy told reporters during the UFC Vegas 92 media day (watch it here). “This is the fight capital. Now, we’re here. This is my opportunity. This is my breakthrough. This is my time to shine now. Who I’m fighting is more so the big thing (over being the main event). I’m fighting Edson Barboza, a legend of the sport, a dangerous fighter. That’s what excited me. A win puts me up there, solidifies my name, puts me among the elite of the elite. It gives me a shot at that Top 10 afterward. If we can get through this fight unscathed and with a win, then I’ll definitely be asking the matchmaker to put me on [UFC 304].”

Bookies have Barboza as the slight underdog, mostly because of his inconsistency. The Brazilian turned 38 back in January and is pretty easy to figure out, all things considered. Murphy will need to disrupt his opponent’s rhythm and cut off space inside the Octagon, forcing Barboza to walk backwards while effectively neutralizing his best weapons. Sounds pretty straightforward, except Murphy will be getting slammed with kicks — in all directions — while trying to accomplish that task. Assuming “The Miracle” can make this a dirty fight, I can easily see him grinding out a decision through repeated takedown attempts and wall-and-stall. That said, 25 minutes is a long time to survive without getting tagged by one of the most dangerous strikers in the division.

Prediction: Barboza def. Murphy by technical knockout

170 lbs.: Kalinn Williams vs. Carlston Harris

Kalinn “Khaos” Williams

Record: 14-3 | Age: 30 | Betting line: -105
Wins: 7 KO/TKO, 1 SUB, 6 DEC | Losses: 0 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 3 DEC
Height: 6’0“ | Reach: 77” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 5.77 | Striking accuracy: 39%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 5.33 | Striking Defense: 42%
Takedown Average: 0.00 (0% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 80%
Current Ranking: Unranked | Last fight: Split decision victory over Rolando Bedoya

Carlston “Mocambique” Harris

Record: 19-5 | Age: 36 | Betting line: -125
Wins: 5 KO/TKO, 6 SUB, 8 DEC | Losses: 2 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 3 DEC
Height: 6’0“ | Reach: 76” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 2.93 | Striking accuracy: 49%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 2.44 | Striking Defense: 53%
Takedown Average: 2.05 (29% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 55%
Current Ranking: Unranked | Last fight: Submission victory over Jeremiah Wells

Kalinn Williams looked to be an absolute terror for the welterweight division after his late-replacement onboarding back in early 2020. He needed less than 30 seconds to treat Alex Morono the way Kento Nanami treated Haruta Shigemo in Jujutsu Kaisen. Just a couple of months later, “Khaos” replicated that performance with his decapitation of Abdul Razak Alhassan at UFC Vegas 14. Then matchmakers gave Williams a step up in competition and his deficiencies started to reveal themselves, proving the Michigan native is not as effective when his power starts to wane (or gets neutralized altogether). The good news is, at least for UFC Vegas 92, is that “Khaos” will be fighting an equally messy fighter, at least in terms of offense, so this has the potential to earn “Fight of the Night” honors — or be over in the early part of the opening frame.

“I’m ready to go 15 minutes, but all my fights, I don’t see none of my fights going the distance,” Williams told reporters during the UFC Vegas 92 media day (watch it here). “I just feel like whoever is in front of me, the guy isn’t going to last. All it takes is one shot if you make a mistake. Whether I submit him or whether I test that chin out and take his soul from his body, he’s not going to last. But I know you can’t knock everybody out. But that’s just what I plan on doing. I don’t want it to go to a decision. Regardless, I’m going to bring it. Whether I’m the first fight, the last fight, the co-main event — I’m going to bring it just like I’m the main event.”

Carlston Harris has been a nice surprise at 170 pounds and would probably have a better argument for a place in the division Top 15 had the promotion not done him dirty and paired him off against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC Vegas 47. “Nomad” was still something of an unknown commodity back then but in hindsight, Harris was doomed from the start. Undaunted, “Mocambique” bounced back with consecutive wins over Jared Gooden and Jeremiah Wells, the latter of which ended with a submission — and a “Performance of the Night” bonus worth $ 50,000. Harris is more well rounded than Williams but just as sloppy in his offense, so unless he falls back on his wrestling, he may be walking into the lion’s den.

“I never question when UFC gives me any opponent — I just want to fight,” Harris told reporters during the UFC Vegas 92 media day (watch it here). “I never question. No matter who. I just want to fight. I want to be active. I only fight two times a year. That’s not good, man. Two times a year is nothing for an active fighter. Two times a year can’t pay the bills. So for me, the opponent don’t matter. I want at least four fights a year. I’m not injured. I just want to fight. I don’t know what is the UFC agreement. I’m always on my [Instagram page] asking for fights. Finally, they give me Khaos Williams. So it’s good. I never question it. I just want to fight. It don’t matter what name, who and when. I just want to fight.”

Harris broke out his wrestling against Gooden and I suspect he’ll do likewise against Williams. Whether or not he’s effective remains to be seen, though I’m underwhelmed by his success rate of 29 percent. I think “Mocambique” can win this fight if he’s both patient and tactical in his approach, but the more likely scenario is that both fighters come out of the gate with something to prove and just wing punches until someone drops. If that’s the case, it’s hard to bet against “Khaos.”

Prediction: Williams def. Harris by knockout

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 92 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+ preliminary card matchups, which are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining main card balance (also on ESPN+) at 7 p.m. ET.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 92 news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive here. For the updated and finalized “Barboza vs. Murphy” fight card and ESPN+ lineup click here.

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

For years, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos promised that the streaming service that boasts 270 million subscribers had no interest in getting involved in live sports programming.

That philosophy has changed in a major way in recent months, especially with the news that Netflix secured a deal with the NFL to bring Christmas day games to the streaming service for the next three years. The partnership launches in 2024 with a pair of games featuring the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens vs. the Houston Texans.

No financial details surrounding the deal were revealed, but considering Amazon paid $ 1 billion per year for a single game each week on Thursday nights, it’s safe to say Netflix didn’t get a bargain discount when negotiating with the NFL.

“Last year, we decided to take a big bet on live — tapping into massive fandoms across comedy, reality TV, sports, and more,” Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria said in a press release. “There are no live annual events, sports or otherwise, that compare with the audiences NFL football attracts. We’re so excited that the NFL’s Christmas Day games will be only on Netflix.”

The football games headed to Netflix kick off five months after the upcoming boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, which goes down on July 20 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Netflix also paid $ 5 billion to land the WWE’s flagship show Monday Night Raw, which begins broadcasting on the streaming platform in 2025.

Despite Netflix executives pushing back against an entry into live sports programming for years, it looks like 2024 is the year that finally changed those plans. It doesn’t hurt that Netflix boasts the largest subscriber base by a wide margin with 270 million subscribers and Amazon sitting at a distant second place with 200 million subscribers — that latter figure is at least partially due to the Amazon Prime service that many customers use for free express shipping rather than streaming the latest episodes of Fallout or The Boys.

With Netflix now clearly invested in live sports programming, what’s next? Well, the easy answer is the UFC.

The UFC’s broadcast rights are exclusive to ESPN through 2025, but it’s no secret that negotiations on a new contract are expected to kick off soon. ESPN has an exclusive negotiating window starting in January where the network can lock down the UFC without allowing the organization to even field offers from other bidders, although it’s highly unlikely the two sides reach an agreement before that deadline expires.

TKO Group Holdings President Mark Shapiro has spoken glowingly about the relationship that the UFC shares with ESPN, especially after inking a deal that included pay-per-view broadcasts — one of the most lucrative parts of the entire UFC business model. ESPN remains the gold standard for sports broadcasting, but the network has taken a number of hits in recent years that has resulted in other players taking a big chunk of the market.

Beyond linear television (i.e. cable, satellite, etc.) facing a tumultuous future, ESPN’s owners at Disney have openly touted plans to seek out partners in the business, which means new owners investing in the company. Disney doesn’t want to give up a controlling interest, but an influx of cash as an investment in ESPN certainly wouldn’t hurt.

To make matters even murkier, ESPN just recently announced the launch of Venu Sports — a sports-specific streaming service launching in the fall of 2024 that brings together channels from ESPN, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery in a joint venture. That means ESPN is partnering with networks that the company previously viewed as rivals.

CNBC estimated the service could run around $ 45 to $ 50 per month.

ESPN also faces another expensive broadcast rights negotiation with the NBA currently shopping for a new deal. The NBA is currently split across two networks with ESPN/Disney and Turner Sports (a division of Warner Bros. Discovery), but there are new bidders that could balloon a new deal to astronomical numbers.

In fact, NBCUniversal is attempting to steal away at least part of the package of games after making a whopping $ 2.5 billion per year offer to the NBA.

While all signs point to Disney/ESPN maintaining the partnership with the NBA, that price tag is going to hit the company right in the bottom line when that deal kicks in. That could force ESPN — or more importantly the powers-that-be at Disney — to make some hard decisions about where money should be spent on future broadcast rights deals.

The UFC has remained a valuable asset for ESPN, especially with the launch of the ESPN+ streaming service. But with ESPN+ subscribers falling for the past two quarters, and in three of the past four, it’s difficult to guess what Disney does when filling out a wish list for future partners.

Because the UFC is likely going to seek double the value from the previous package signed with ESPN — some estimates reach $ 3 billion or more — it opens the door for another potential suitor like Netflix to swoop in for the kill. Netflix obviously boasts far more subscribers — 270 million vs. 24.8 million for ESPN+.

Even if you add in linear television, ESPN is only available in just over 70 million households and that doesn’t come close to Netflix on a global scale.

There’s no telling if Netflix is truly interested in buying all or some of the UFC’s broadcast rights, but the fact that the streaming service is already partnered with WWE opens the door to building that relationship. Nobody saw Netflix coming when WWE announced the 10-year deal to move Monday Night Raw there in 2025, but it’s impossible not to think the UFC won’t explore that option considering they share the same owners as the professional wrestling outfit.

There’s also a great possibility that the UFC seeks a split package similar to the NBA, which means part of the company’s program stays with ESPN and another part ends up with a different partner like Netflix. That could potentially allow the UFC to keep the current pay-per-view model intact with ESPN but then provide live events and shoulder programming like specials, documentaries and more to another partner like Netflix.

In addition to Netflix, other streaming platforms like Apple TV and Amazon could get into the bidding. However, while those companies have the money to burn, they don’t have the 270 million subscribers that Netflix has.

The fact that Netflix is jumping head first into live sports programming in 2024 can only mean things are going to get more interesting when the UFC starts seeking a new deal that begins in 2026.

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Ahead of his return to the Octagon this weekend at UFC Vegas 92, fan-favorite striker, Edson Barboza has staked his claim for a symbolic BMF championship fight with recently-minted titleholder, Max Holloway – claiming if anybody deserves it based on highlights, it’s him.

Barboza, the current number twelve ranked featherweight contender, returns to the Octagon this weekend in a high-stakes clash with Manchester native Lerone Murphy – in search of his third consecutive victory at the weight class.

Out of action since an impressive unanimous decision win over Sodiq Yusuff back in October of last year in the main event of UFC Vegas 81, prior to that, Nova Friburgo veteran, Barboza had landed a stunning first round knee KO win over Billy Quarantillo.

Edson Barboza eyes BMF title fight with Max Holloway

Racking up another highlight-reel finish amongst a career of shocking knockout finishes, Brazilian star, Barboza has floated a future BMF title fight with Hawiian favorite, Holloway, claiming his résumé of stoppages should firmly cement him as a deserving challenger.

“If one guy deserves to fight for the BMF title, it’s me,” Edson Barboza said during his media availability ahead of UFC Vegas 92. “Who has better highlight knockouts than me? Bro, imagine. I love Max Holloway, he’s one of my favorite fighters ever. I love to watch him fight, and he’s a very nice guy, very family guy, but imagine a fight against him for the BMF belt.”

“It’s going to be very, very good for me and him and the company,” Edson Barboza explained. “Like I said, I have 30 fights in the UFC. I think I deserve that. Of course, my focus is 100 percent on the next one, but I think it’s going to be good.”

Himself landing the symbolic BMF crown at UFC 300 back in April, Holloway, a former undisputed featherweight champion landed a stunning buzzer-beating knockout win over Justin Gaethje.

And linked with a return at both the lightweight and featherweight limit, Holloway has been favored to take on incumbent 145lbs champion, Ilia Topuria in a blockbuster showdown next.

Who would win in a potential BMF title clash: Max Holloway or Edson Barboza?

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

At the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk weigh-ins, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will step on the scale Friday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Fury and Usyk will compete in the heavyweight division, and they just have to weigh in over 200 pounds.

The Fury vs. Usyk weigh-ins are expected to begin at 1 p.m. ET.

Get Fury vs. Usyk weigh-in results below.

Main Card (DAZN and PPV.com at 12 p.m. ET)

Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk — For the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO heavyweight titles

Jai Opetaia vs. Mairis Briedis — For the vacant IBF cruiserweight title

Joe Cordina vs. Anthony Cacace — For the Cordina’s IBF super featherweight title

Frank Sanchez vs. Agit Kabayel — WBC heavyweight championship eliminator

Moses Itauma vs. Ilija Mezencev — For the vacant WBO Intercontinental heavyweight title

Mark Chamberlain vs. Joshua Wahab — For the WBC silver lightweight title

Sergey Kovalev vs. Robin Sirawn Safar — Light heavyweight

David Nyika vs. Michael Seitz — Cruiserweight

Prelims (MMA Fighting at 10 a.m. ET)

Daniel Lapin vs. Octavio Pudivtr — For the vacant intercontinential light heavyweight title

Isaac Lowe vs. Hasibullah Ahmadi — Featherweight

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

At the Tyson vs. Paul press conference, Mike Tyson and Jake Paul will answer questions from fans and the media at Texas Live! in Arlington, Texas, on Thursday evening.

Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano are also expected to attend the event. They will compete in the co-main event on the fight card.

The Tyson vs. Paul press conference is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. ET.

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