Lerone Murphy brutally knocked out Aaron Pico in the first round with a spinning elbow in the co-main event of UFC 319.

Round One

Pico with a jab. There’s an exchange in close initiated by Pico as he lands a flurry and knocks Murphy off-balance. Pico digs to the body and clinches up.

Left hook for Pico and Murphy lands a good elbow. Murphy trying to drop down with a guillotine choke, but Pico gets out and is now on top.

Murphy able to work back to his feet and get to striking range. Pico stalking him immediately. He is able to get a takedown and works a couple of elbows before Murphy stands against the cage.

Murphy gets away. Spinning body kick from Murphy lands. Head kick attempt from Pico. Pico closes the distance to clinch up, but eats a knee to the chest while doing so.

Body shot from Pico before they separate. More pressure from Pico, but Murphy suddenly uncorks a spinning elbow strike with perfect timing that knocks Pico out cold!! That’s the second spinning elbow KO finish in a row tonight after Carlos Prates one, and this was even more brutal, with the end coming at 3.21mins of the first round.

Pico is out for quite some time afterwards, but thankfully does comes too eventually. Tough loss for him in his UFC debut, while the undefeated Murphy gets his most impressive win to date, enhancing his chances of a title shot at 145lbs.