After a fight with Movsar Evloev that had been brewing for months fell through ahead of July’s UFC Abu Dhabi, Bellator star Aaron Pico regrouped and was booked into the co-main event of UFC 319 in Chicago, where he faced off with Lerone Murphy.
Pico had long been considered a future title challenger in Bellator, but the death of the promotion and the PFL’s inability to get the featherweight fights facilitated his move to the UFC.
The first round of the UFC 319 co-main event opened with Aaron Pico pressing forward aggressively, working behind his jab and ripping vicious hooks to the body. He landed another heavy shot downstairs before Murphy fired back with a sharp counter elbow, which set up a quick Pico takedown— though he briefly had to fend off a ninja choke. When the fight returned to the feet, Pico scored another takedown, but Murphy quickly scrambled free. Reading the entries well, Murphy timed the next shot with a knee. Pico kept charging forward, but once again Murphy met him with a counter: this time a spinning elbow that landed flush and put Pico out cold.
That put an early end to Pico’s debut, and extended Lerone Murphy’s impressive unbeaten streak to 18 — 17 victories and a lone draw.
Official Result: Lerone Murphy def. Aaron Pico by knockout (spinning back elbow), Round 1, 3:21
