Lee Murray only competed in the UFC one time in 2004 but his infamy for exploits outside the cage will live in infamy forever.

A new four-part documentary headed to Showtime on April 7 titled Catching Lightning will detail Murray’s wild story how he transformed from a highly touted MMA fighter to pulling off the largest heist in the history of the United Kingdom.

The series directed by two-time Emmy winner Pat Kondelis will seek to explore Murray’s background, which included a notorious interaction with Tito Ortiz following UFC 38 in 2002 where the heavy-handed Brit allegedly knocked out the former light heavyweight champion during a street fight.

Two years later, Murray made his octagon debut where he walked to the cage clad in a prison uniform and a mask over his face similar to the one worn by Anthony Hopkins when he played Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs.

Murray would go onto finish Jorge Rivera by submission in the first round but legal issues prevented him from ever traveling into the United States again. He only fought one more time when he lost a decision to future UFC champion Anderson Silva.

It wasn’t until a few years later when Murray’s name hit the headlines again after he helped orchestrate the largest cash heist in U.K. history after robbing the Securitas depot in Tonbridge, England. The robbers made off with a haul totaling just over $92 million — and the crew responsible for the theft left more than triple that behind because they ran out of room to transport the cash.

Murray was eventually arrested and tried for the crimes, which led to a 25-year sentence in prison.

“The story of Lee Murray and the Securitas Depot heist is the stuff of Hollywood heist movies: full of fascinating characters, thrilling action and shocking plot twists,” Showtime Sports president Stephen Espinoza said in a press release.

“I can’t think of anyone better suited to weave this cinematic page-turner than Pat Kondelis and his team at Bat Bridge Entertainment. This series is the epitome of what we aim to deliver: a captivating story about larger-than-life personalities and characters told through a relatable, human lens.”

The documentary will feature numerous interviews including Silva, who still stands as Murray’s last opponent in MMA, as well as UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell after he witnessed the street fight with Ortiz.

The four-part documentary will debut on April 7 with streaming on Paramount+.

Author: Staff

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