Alexander Volkanovski has insisted that Lerone Murphy is a “no-brainer” as his next challenger for the UFC featherweight title, after the Briton’s stunning knockout of Aaron Pico. In the co-main event of UFC 319 on Saturday (16 August), Murphy finished Pico with a spinning back elbow in the first round, brutally ending the latter’s UFC debut.

However, it was the co-main event between Lerone Murphy and UFC debutant Aaron Pico that stole the headlines after the Brit scored Knockout of the Year in the first round. Despite his strong start, Pico was met with a vicious spinning back elbow that instantly put his lights out and left him stiff on the canvas.

CHICAGO – Lerone murphy sure made a compelling case to be the next in line for a shot at the UFC featherweight title.

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It took just seconds for the pair to each land big right hands, with Aaron Pico stumbling Lerone Murphy and making him take a knee in the early exchange. The ex-Bellator star flew out of the traps looking for the knockout shot but was caught in a choke that forced him to reconsider.

Lerone Murphy stakes his claim for a title shot with a sensational knockout of Aaron Pico, while Khamzat Chimaev dominates Dricus du Plessus to win the middleweight belt at UFC 319.