Story byPhoto by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLCJamie TheodosiTue, February 3, 2026 at 2:47 PM UTC·2 min readThe undefeated pair are set to meet in the UFC London main event, with a title shot likely on the line for the winner. After Alexander Volkanovski’s featherweight title defence at UFC 325, he wasted no time letting everyone know he wanted to stay active. He said as much immediately following his win, and he even outlined his preferred timeline for a return. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementComing off yet another impressive display, one that added further weight to his claim as one of the best ever at 145 pounds, it seems Volkanovski might not have to wait long before finding out who is next in line. On Monday afternoon, the promotion confirmed that Lerone Murphy and Movsar Evloev will headline UFC London on 21 March, and the winner of that bout is likely to face ‘The Great’ next. Lerone Murphy admits uncertainty over UFC London main eventPhoto by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLCBefore his rematch with Lopes, Volkanovski had expressed interest in facing Murphy, especially after the Brit’s knockout of Aaron Pico, which Dana White named Performance of the Year. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementStill, his next defence will likely be a new matchup for fans, even if it does not involve either of the headliners from UFC London. And speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Murphy shared that he had not been told by the promotion that his bout with Evloev is officially a number one contender fight. He said: “Seeing the way the division mapped out, it was obvious that they were gonna go with that fight.“At this point, words are wind, innit?” Murphy said when he was asked whether he is guaranteed a title shot with a win.“It’s like, the division’s forever changing and it’s a performance-based company, someone’s gotta go out there and put on a good fight, nothing’s concrete, that’s what I’m trying to say. But I hope so.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis lack of clarity is surprising given Volkanovski has been vocal about wanting to face either Murphy or Evloev next, coupled with their standing in the rankings. Who else might get a shot ahead of Murphy or Evloev?Right now, it would be a major surprise if the winner of Murphy vs.