Daniel Cormier: UFC 319 knockout loss to Lerone Murphy 'very concerning for Aaron Pico'
Pico (13-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) fell short in his octagon debut when he was knocked out by Lerone Murphy in Round 1 of Saturday's UFC 319 co-main event at United Center in Chicago. Pico has been finished in all five of his professional losses, four of them by knockout.
After Pico was caught by Murphy's spinning back elbow, he remained out cold for a short while before regaining consciousness.
"He hurt Pico bad," Cormier said of Murphy on his YouTube channel. "He used Pico's aggressiveness against him. I'm a wrestler, so I've known Aaron Pico since he was a little boy. That was a bad knockout. His teeth were clenched together. They couldn't get the mouthguard out.
"That's very concerning for Aaron Pico. He's been knocked out now multiple times, and when he's gotten knocked out, he's gotten knocked out really bad. So there's a little concern on the Pico side, but hats off to Lerone Murphy for coming through in his biggest spot ever."
Cormier says Murphy rightfully earned UFC title shot
As for Murphy (17-0-1 MMA, 9-0-1 UFC), the Brit was recognized for his performance by UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski (27-5 MMA, 14-4 UFC), and Cormier agrees.
"Lerone Murphy was undefeated in the UFC, he had not gotten beat, he had beaten everybody put in front of him, and he still felt like he was getting overlooked," Cormier said. "You can't overlook him after what he did (to Pico) because he had a game opponent, an opponent that fought hard, an opponent who had an undying belief that he was going to beat him, and he knocked him out. And he knocked him out cold. We talk about sports moments and memories, and a lot of times when you're trying to earn something, you need that memory. ... Lerone Murphy had that moment that's going to earn him a championship opportunity.
"And to his credit, he went out in the biggest moment of his career, and delivered better than he had ever delivered before in his career. Then the champ texts him and goes, 'I'll see you in December, Lerone.' We don't know what's happening in December for the year-end card, but it sounds like Volkanovski wants to fight against Lerone Murphy, and I'll tell you one thing: If anybody deserves a title fight like Magomed Ankalaev did before his last fight, like Khamzat (Chimaev) did before his last fight, it's Lerone Murphy. He deserves an opportunity to fight the champion for the belt. He earned that with what was one of the greatest knockouts we've seen in a long time."
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