UFC star Lerone Murphy wasn't always destined for the grappling and striking of the octagon, having once had trials with Liverpool.
The fighter, hailing from Manchester, boasts an unblemished professional record in mixed martial arts, currently standing at 14-0-1 since entering the pro ranks in 2016. Yet his aspirations hadn't always been set on fighting.
As a passionate footballer during his younger years, Murphy dreamt of wearing the jersey for his beloved Manchester United, telling the Liverpool Echo earlier this week: "That was my dream club growing up as a boy. I always wanted to play football for United, that would have been a dream."
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He even trained with local clubs Stockport County and FC United of Manchester. When asked whether he would have been content playing for Liverpool instead of the Red Devils, Murphy's loyalty was clear as he responded: "Nah, it would be United all day."
However, a knee injury at 16 dashed those early footballing hopes. Now known as 'The Miracle', Murphy turned a corner following his recovery from a shooting at the age of 21 that left him with injuries to his neck and face.
About nine months after the incident, he started his journey in MMA - a path that led him away from the football pitches of his childhood dreams and into the UFC fighting arena. The shooting saw Murphy hospitalised for a fortnight, requiring nutrition via a feeding tube and extensive dental reconstruction.
But despite this setback, it didn't hinder his quest to carve out a reputation in the realm of sports. Reflecting on the traumatic experience, Murphy shared: "I just lived a different life when I was younger. Ended up getting shot at 21 years old and the rest is history.
"I think I started training nine months later towards the end of that year. I didn't get into MMA because of that, it got brought to me I believe by the higher powers and it just put me on a new path."
Murphy launched his amateur MMA career in 2014, triumphing over James Doolan with a second-round guillotine choke at amateur level. He continued his winning streak by overcoming Matthew Bonner and Lloyd Sweeney in the ensuing year.
Going professional in 2016, Murphy secured a victory against Martin Fouda by unanimous decision at FCC 15, subsequently establishing his legacy. He made his first appearance in the UFC in 2019, earning a split draw against the formidable Zubaira Tukhugov despite the short notice ahead of the fight.
Following a decisive win against Edson Barboza in May - a bout in which Murphy was the headliner - he's now poised to go up against all-rounder Dan Ige as the UFC makes its return to Abu Dhabi this weekend. Known as '50K', Ige holds the 14th spot in the featherweight rankings, and Murphy has acknowledged the fight's challenging nature.
Rating his opponent, he explained: "He's high level, probably my toughest test yet. He's good everywhere with the best of them. There's nothing he's not seen so I just think it's a good match-up and we're going to put on a big, big fight for the fans."
