After a health-oriented hiatus that lasted nearly 16 months, Emmett (19-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) returned and dropped a unanimous decision to undefeated Murphy (16-0-1 MMA, 8-0-1 UFC) in Saturday’s featherweight headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, putting a wrench in his title aspirations.

Lerone Murphy and Josh Emmett played matador and bull on Saturday. Emmett's pressure was constant, but his ineffective offense failed to sway the judges at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas. Emmett vs. Murphy played out as most pundits expected.