Lerone Murphy got the highlight moment he was hoping for, while spoiling the debut of Aaron Pico in the UFC 319 co-main event.

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 .

In a 3-round featherweight bout on the main card, Lerone Murphy and Aaron Pico meet Saturday at UFC 319 at United Center in Chicago.

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.

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.

The UFC main card was one of the best of the year, with two spinning back elbow finishes and a dominant performance by new middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev.

LERONE MURPHY insists a win over Josh Emmett will be his ticket to a crack at UFC featherweight gold. Seven wins in a row have firmly established the Manchester mauler as one of the elite in the ...

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.