SPORTS TODAY
Aaron Pico’s long-awaited UFC debut came with the possibility of an immediate title shot with a win. Instead, the former uber prospect and Bellator MMA star was knocked out cold in spectacular and violent fashion at UFC 319 in Chicago.
Lerone Murphy (17-0-1) took one massive step closer to a shot at featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski’s title by making Pico (13-5) pay for his overaggressiveness. The 34-year-old native of England delivered the 10th spinning back elbow knockout in promotional history (one fight after welterweight Carlos Prates finished Geoff Neal with the same strike) to bring an end to Saturday’s co-main event at 3:21 of Round 1 inside the United Center.
“This sport is all about moments and I just created one,” Murphy said. “I needed something like this. I took the fight on three weeks’ notice, I believed in myself and now I’m next in line. Let’s go, Volkanovski.”
Volkanovski (27-4), the 36-year-old two-time champion at 145 pounds who recaptured his title by defeating Diego Lopes for the vacant belt in April, spent the past week exchanging trash talk with Pico. But the Australian champion took to social media after Murphy’s win to write, “See you in December @LeroneMurphy congrats #UFC319.”
Pico, 28, a former Bellator MMA star who was granted his release from PFL earlier this year, was aggressive off the jump as he backed Murphy up with combinations and briefly stumbled him with a body shot. Pico continued to hammer Murphy with power shots before he got clipped by a short left hook while attempting a takedown.
Moments later, Pico scored a perfect double-leg takedown and began to rein down sharp elbows from top position. But after Murphy worked his way to his feet, he began to pickup the timing of Pico’s aggressive pursuits.
With his back to the cage, Murphy unleashed a perfect spinning elbow that left Pico motionless on the ground as referee Herb Dean immediately called a halt to the bout.
“Pico is good, hats off to Pico,” Murphy said. “That was the hardest first few minutes I ever had. He was dangerous but I knew he was going to walk into something. I was getting his timing down. He was too aggressive. I said in my prefight interview that I would use his aggression against him.”
