I just rewatched the Lee Murray vs Anderson Silva fight the other day. That was a very competitive fight between two evenly matched fighters. I'd have liked to watch them rematch each other. Murray certainly fared better than Franklin did, for one thing he didn't freeze up and do nothing when Silva utilized the thai clinch.
Lee Murray is best known for punching Tito out in a bar and for the millions he apparently had a hand in robbing from a bank. Those things aside, Murray was a legit middleweight who could be matched up with just about anyone in the weight class, although his wrestling could use a little work.
He's the only guy to ever KO Pele. He's 1-0 in the UFC with a decisive win via triangle over Jorge Rivera (another guy who put Franklin through hell). A former Cage Rage champ. He was legit.
How does everyone else think he matches up with the UFC and Pride MW's if he were able to still fight?
i don't think both fighters were on the same level.
silva's striking was much more technical and more well rounded than murray's. in that fight murray hung tough and had 1 or 2 decent moments but otherwise got dominated. he didn't freeze up but he threw way too many lunging wild right hands that he had no shot of catching someone like silva with.
i do think murray would have steadily improved if he stayed in the game.
I disagree with your assessment of that fight. Anderson Silva wasn't comfortable in there until he hurt Lee with those devastating leg kicks. That's what turned the fight around. Murray was forcing Silva to shoot. Name 1 other fighter to do that...or even another fighter who you could picture forcing Silva to shoot lol.
Don Frye minus the wrestling ability of course. On the other hand he is much better on the ground than Frye. I think Lee's ground game was underrated. He wasn't a rubber guard player from BTT or anything, but he was competent and had the ability to submit his opponents.
I was looking forward to seeing more of him in MMA. After hearing the Tito story from all parties involved, I thought he was just a street fighter, then I saw him win that UFC match with a triangle and I was really intrigued. I guess the intrigue went a little too far.
B level fighter? I think that's an ignorant statement. Comparing him to Rich Franklin, who is top 5 on most people's lists, he looks much better. Against the same competition: Jorge Rivera and Anderson Silva, Murray performed MUCH better than Franklin.
I think people have to remember that wrestling in the UK is no way near the level of that in the USA, in terms of exposure, accesibilty and probably funding. Having read that starting wrestling at age 15 in the USA can be considered a late start, it is understandable that his wrestling skills may have been behind others'. In UK schools, our sport national curriculum usually consists of football (soccer), rugby, cricket, athletics and to a lesser degree tennis, basketball etc. But nothing for wrestling. As far as I know, it is a sport that kids would choose to follow outside of school.
That said, I know he trained at London Shootfighters before UFC 46, where the instructors are of British Olympic-level standard.
it wasn't really in response to anything, just a general observation. I think Murray is a talented and exciting fighter, too bad we probably won't see him in a cage anytime soon.
He was a natural. He had amazing KO power for his size, great speed and very solid instincts. The guy came off to me like an extremely experienced fighter - moreso than his record would reflect. I am thinking he fought many times a week outside the ring/cage.
"too bad we probably won't see him in a cage anytime soon"
Don't be so sure of that. I think he will be spending plenty of time "in the cage".