Lee Murray may’ve been a UFC famous person, however now he’s serving 25 years in jail for his involvement within the largest money heist in British historical past.
‘Lightning’ impressed everybody when he beat Jorge Rivera, a future opponent of MMA legend Michael Bisping, in his first and final UFC struggle in 2004.
The then-26-year-old used his post-fight interview to name out UFC light-heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz after previously knocking him out throughout an notorious road struggle.
Nonetheless, his life went downhill quick and he by no means fought in MMA’s premier promotion ever once more.
Street rage incident ruined Lee Murray’s life
The infamous MMA star believes one second of street rage insanity was the catalyst as he went from a fighter on the rise to a convicted felon with a quarter-of-a-century sentence.
Murray was heading to a household gathering on Christmas Day together with his eight-month-pregnant spouse Siobhan and six-year-old daughter Lily when the incident that successfully ended his MMA profession came about.
After overtaking a automobile, he claims was driving ‘about 10 miles per hour’, the opposite car in the reduction of in entrance of Murray, smashed his automobile, and triggered a high-speed pursuit.
Murray ultimately bailed the state of affairs to guard his household, however the man returned and used his automobile as a weapon in an try to settle their street rage incident.
He defined in Showtime’s ‘Catching Lightning’ documentary about his life: “All of the home windows have gone by, there’s glass throughout my daughter, she’s at the back of the automobile screaming and he’s going back and forth ramming my automobile.”
“I’ve managed to get the door open. I’ve put my arm throughout his throat to attempt to get the keys out of the ignition and he’s bit a gap in my arm. I’ve managed to get him out of the automobile. I hit him with one punch, apparently, that broke his cheekbone. Then I’ve hit him once more and he went out. He’s making an attempt to kill my household. I gave him the least of what he ought to’ve acquired, he ought to’ve acquired much more than what I gave him.”
Murray was charged with assault. The incident just about ended his MMA profession as he was now not capable of journey to America and his dream of turning into a UFC champion was over.
The case in opposition to him was dropped when it was later revealed the person he acquired into an altercation with had beforehand been jailed for his function in one other street rage incident.
Nonetheless, Murray remained barred from the U.S. and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than different occasions in his life made the budding MMA prospect think about a dramatic profession change.
Anderson Silva, stabbing and historic heist
Murray tried to proceed his fight sports activities profession. A younger Brazilian by the title of Anderson Silva beat him by determination in his subsequent and final MMA struggle earlier than happening to change into one of many biggest fighters of all time.
In September 2005, the 8-2-1 MMA skilled was stabbed within the coronary heart throughout a 15-man brawl outdoors a nightclub, and that was the second that actually introduced an finish to his MMA profession.
In 2006 Murray and a gaggle of masked males ransacked a Securitas depot in Kent, England, and walked away with $92.2million in a shocking robbery that made worldwide information.
A few of his accomplices stay at massive and far of the stolen cash remains to be unaccounted for.
Others concerned within the theft have completed their time and been launched from jail, however Murray is at the moment serving 25 years in a Moroccan jail for his main function.
When he’s launched from jail in 2035, Murray can be 57 years outdated. Nonetheless, he’s planning to return to MMA in some kind and finally understand his UFC championship dream three many years later than he may have.
“Preventing’s my life. Preventing’s in my blood,” he concluded.
“If I’m not in there preventing myself, I’m going to be taking folks in there. A technique or one other I must win that UFC title. My story isn’t completed. This isn’t the tip.”
Associated Posts