Lerone Murphy hints at next opponent as he ‘watches tape’ amid Alexander Volkanovski fight uncertainty

UFC featherweight contender Lerone Murphy might be moving on from the next featherweight title shot against Alexander Volkanovski.

As 2025 rapidly approaches a close, the UFC featherweight division remains in uncertain territory with multiple top contenders making cases for a shot at Alexander Volkanovski. Volkanovski reclaimed the featherweight title by defeating Diego Lopes at UFC 314 earlier this year to kick off his second title reign.

Since Volkanovski’s title win, several top contenders have entered the mix, including Lerone Murphy and Movsar Evloev. Murphy knocked out Aaron Pico at UFC 319, drawing the viral attention of Volkanovski and appearing on the verge of earning a title shot.

But talks surrounding a Volkanovski vs. Murphy clash have stalled in recent weeks, and Murphy has seemingly moved on from the prospect of getting the next title shot. That hasn’t stopped him from preparing for a potential No. 1 contender fight against one of the division’s fiercest competitors.

Lerone Murphy hints at Diego Lopes showdown in cryptic Instagram story post

In a recent Instagram story post, Murphy appeared to begin preparing for a clash with one of the top featherweight contenders for his next Octagon test.

“Just watching tape in between sessions,” Murphy posted with an image of Diego Lopes.

Lerone Murphy Instagram. (@lerone145)

Lopes most recently defeated Jean Silva at Noche UFC to get back into the title mix following the loss to Volkanovski. He could be one win away from a title shot, a situation similar to Murphy’s.

The UFC featherweight title could be on the line in January for the first major UFC event on Paramount. UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria could potentially return on the card, depending on the matchmakers’ plans for his first title defense.

While Murphy makes arguably the best case to be Volkanovski’s next opponent, the UFC may opt to pair him against another top contender to solidify the title mix. If that’s the case, Lopes makes a good fit to be Murphy’s next foe.