Murphy (17-0-1 MMA, 9-0-1 UFC) was tasked with welcoming Bellator and PFL veteran Pico (13-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) to the octagon in the co-headliner at United Center in Chicago. Just like every other time in his career, he refused to lose and emerged with a first-round knockout triumph to further elevate his own profile in the 145-pound title picture.

UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev headline an overall entertaining UFC 319 fight card

Lerone Murphy stops Whittier’s Aaron Pico with a first-round spinning elbow as Chimaev wins a 50-44 unanimous decision.

Undefeated Lerone Murphy meets a debuting Aaron Pico in what has been rumored to be a featherweight title eliminator. Who takes it?

Lerone Murphy's spinning-elbow knockout of Aaron Pico at UFC 319 may have just earned him a shot at featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski.