UFC Fight Night: Josh Emmett vs. Lerone Murphy full card picks & predictions

The UFC heads back to Las Vegas this Saturday for a UFC Fight Night event featuring a featherweight headliner, and MMA KO’s Drew Beaupré is here to provide predictions for all 13 fights on the card.

UFC Vegas 105 is headlined by former interim featherweight title challenger Josh Emmett and Lerone Murphy, who is unbeaten in his professional career and is riding the momentum of wins over Edson Barboza and Dan Ige last year.

Featherweights will also take center stage in the co-main event, as Joanderson Brito will try to redbound from a split decision loss to William Gomis when he meets Pat Sabatini.

Lerone Murphy (red gloves) fights Gabriel Santos (blue gloves) during UFC 286 at O2 Arena. | Per Haljestam-Imagn Images

UFC Vegas 105 Main Card Predictions

Josh Emmett vs. Lerone Murphy

Even at age 40, I’m a bit surprised to see Emmett lined as a sizeable underdog here considering his body of work and the fact that he slept Bryce Mitchell with one of the nastiest knockouts in UFC history in his last outing.

Josh Emmett (red gloves) reacts after knocking out Bryce Mitchell (blue gloves) during UFC 296 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

There is certainly some concern about a fighter his age returning after well over a year to face Murphy, but I’m willing to take a flier on Emmett landing something big to hand “The Miracle” his first professional loss.

(Pick: Emmett)

Joanderson Brito vs. Pat Sabatini

After dropping his UFC debut in 2022, Brito stopped five-straight opponents to establish himself as a featherweight worth watching before he lost a close decision in his last outing in September.

Joanderson Brito (blue gloves) during UFC 301 at Rio Arena. | Jason Silva-Imagn Images

The Brazilian could find himself in some trouble if he ends up on the ground with Sabatini, but Brito should be able to bounce back here in what should be one of the night’s more entertaining bouts.

(Pick: Brito)

Cortavious Romious vs. Chang Ho Lee

This fight is in a bit of a weird spot on the card given that both bantamweights each only have one formal UFC appearance, although Romious won a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series and Lee came up through Road to UFC.

Cortavious Romious punches Gaston Bolanos in a bantamweight fight. | (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Romious is always a threat to surprise an opponent and end things in the first round, but if that doesn’t happen then Lee feels like the smart pick here.

(Pick: Lee)

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Brad Tavares

This might be the most intriguing fight on the card outside of the main event, as it features a pair of longtime UFC veterans squaring off in a pretty clear clash of styles.

Brad Tavares lands a hit against Omari Akhmedov during UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Getting Tavares to the ground has been a difficult task throughout his UFC career, but Meerschaert only needs one opportunity to snatch a submission and could become the first fighter to submit Tavares since his days on The Ultimate Fighter.

(Pick: Meerschaert)

Luis Gurule vs. Ode Osbourne

A member of the UFC roster since 2020, Osbourne now finds himself matched up with an undefeated prospect after an 0-3 skid that began in 2023.

Ronaldo Rodriguez of Mexico (red gloves) fights Ode Osbourne Jamica (blue gloves) during Riyadh Season Noche UFC 306 at Sphere. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Gurule was one of the rare fighters to earn a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series without scoring a finish, and I’m going to lean with Osbourne to upset the debutant and preserve his spot on the roster.

(Pick: Osbourne)

Robert Valentin vs. Torrez Finney

Finney was famously put on blast by Dana White following his second Contender Series win, and just two months later he returned to the UFC Apex and earned a UFC contract with a first-round finish.

Torrez Finney reacts after defeating Abdellah Er-Ramy of Morocco in their middleweight fight during Dana White's Contender Series. | (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Valentin came up short in the middleweight finals of The Ultimate Fighter 32, and unfortunately for him there’s a strong chance that he falls to 0-2 in the UFC when he meets Finney.

(Pick: Finney)

UFC Vegas 105 Preliminary Card Predictions

Davey Grant vs. Daniel Santos

Davey Grant (red gloves) fights Daniel Marcos (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. | Per Haljestam-Imagn Images

This matchup has strong “Fight of the Night” potential. After Grant successfully returned to action and scored a win last December, I’ll slightly lean with “Dangerous” to get the better of Santos.

(Pick: Grant)

Dione Barbosa vs. Diana Belbita

Dione Barbosa (red gloves) fights Ernesta Kareckaite (blue gloves) during UFC 301 at Rio Arena. | Jason Silva-Imagn Images

The odds on this fight are absolutely staggering, but it’s hard to see an avenue to victory here for Belbita in what will likely be her last UFC fight.

(Pick: Belbita)

Rhys McKee vs. Daniel Frunza

Chidi Njokuani (red gloves) fights Rhys McKee (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Boardwalk Hall. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

I would have had major concerns about Frunza clipping McKee during the latter fighter’s first UFC run, and while that is still a possibility I think “Skeletor” has improved enough to avoid suffering that fate against an extremely dangerous finisher.

(Pick: McKee)

Loma Lookboonmee vs. Istela Nunes

Loma Lookboonmee moves in with a kick against Angela Hill during UFC Fight Night Auckland at Spark Arena. | Jasmin Frank-Imagn Images

Nunes steps in to replace Ariane Carnelossi here, and unfortunately for the Brazilian a tough outing with Lookboonmee might be her swan song in the UFC.

(Pick: Lookboonmee)

Victor Henry vs. Pedro Falcao

Charles Jourdain (red gloves) fights Victor Henry (blue gloves) in a bantamweight bout during UFC Fight Night at Rogers Place. | Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

The 37-year-old Henry likely won’t challenge for a UFC title at any point, but he remains a very well-rounded and entertaining fighter and should be too much for Falcao here.

(Pick: Henry)

Martin Buday vs. Uran Satybaldiev

Martin Buday during UFC 303 at T-Mobile Arena. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Buday now welcomes LFA Light Heavyweight Champion Satybaldiev to the UFC on short notice following Kennedy Nzechukwu’s withdrawal, and while I do think Satybaldiev will have a solid UFC career he’s moving up a weight class to face a fighter with a frustrating style.

(Pick: Buday)

Vanessa Demopoulos vs. Talita Alencar

Silvana Gomez Juarez (red gloves) competes against Vanessa Demopoulos (blue gloves) during UFC 270 at Honda Center. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

I won’t be surprised if Alencar rebounds from her rematch with Stephanie Luciano here, but I’m going to side with the more-experienced fighter in Demopoulos.

(Pick: Demopoulos)

MMA KO will be providing comprehensive coverage for UFC Vegas 105 all throughout fight week, and be sure to check back on our homepage for a preview of the event as well as live results and highlights on fight night.

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