A FORMER UFC fighter who was tipped for stardom is now serving out a 25 year prison sentence for his role in the biggest cash robbery in British history.
Lee Murray, who learned to fight on the mean streets of south London,stormed the UFC scene with his speed and punching power.
But when the hard man was stabbed during a brawl at Lauren Pope's birthday party at Funky Buddha nightclub it terminated his UFC career.
The Londoner, once described as a "scary son of a b****" by UFC president Dana White, once turned up for an MMAfight dressed up as the notorious Hannibal Lecter.
But five months after Murray was nearly stabbed to death in a London nightclubhe pulled off the biggest cash raid in British history, when a heavily armed crew stole £53,116,760 from a Securitas depot in Tonbridge, Kent.
Members of the crew impersonated police officers to kidnap the depot manager and his family.
The heavily armed group then travelled to the depot, where 14 members of staff were bound by the balaclava-clad gang.
The crew, armed with handguns, shotguns, Skorpion machine pistols and AK-47 assault rifles, left staff locked in cash cages.
The crew managed to get the bulk of the haulin the back of a lorry.
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A new documentary from Showtime called Catching Lightning, charts Murray's spectacular decline and fall .
Speaking from prison, Murray said: 'I didn't have control over it.
"I weren't the one to come up with the idea, I weren't the one who knew where the depot manager lived.
"I weren't the one who knew what car he drove. I wasn't the one who had someone who worked on the inside.
"You know? How can I be the mastermind? It was never my idea."
Murray one his debut against Jorge Rivera but later lost a narrow points decision to UFC legend Anderson Silva.
Murray was also associated with a street fight against light heavyweight hulk Tito Ortiz, when the Londoner is said to have battered the much bigger man.
The UFC starsare said to have fought after a trouble flared after an MMA event in London.
Murray has also said that his dream is to open up his own MMA gym when he is eventually released from prison.
"It depends obviously when I get out of here. If I can’t fight then I’m obviously going to still be involved in MMA.
"There is no way I could live outside and not be involved in MMA.
"Fighting’s my life. Fightings in my blood. If I’m not in there fighting myself I’m going to be taking people in there.
"One way or another I need to win that UFC title. My story isn’t finished. This isn’t the end."
As police closed in the gang after the Securitas heist in February 2006 Murray, along with his number two Paul Allen, fled to Morocco. Murray's father was from Morocco, granting him citizenship.
Murray spent almost £1million buying and refurbishing a house that included marble floors and a fully equipped gym.
A giant mural depicting his UFC victory was painted on a wall, while he commissioned a statue of himself.
On 25 June 2006 the two men were arrested at a shopping mall in Rabat by Moroccan police.
In 2010 Murray was sentenced to ten years in prison , to be served in a Moroccan jail, for his part in the Securitas heist.
The sentence was increased to 25 years in November 2010.
Speaking after the case senior detectives welcomed the jail term handed down to Murray.
Det Supt Mick Judge said: "I'm pleased Murray will now begin serving a significant prison sentence for his part in the Tonbridge robbery."
Murray, who has reportedly fathered a child while incarcerated, remains in a Moroccan prison.
Paul Allen was extradited back to the UK and later jailed for 18 years.
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