Aaron Pico recently broke his silence following his devastating knockout loss to Lerone Murphy at UFC 319. Murphy finished Pico with a spinning elbow that dropped him instantly.
UFC 319 marked Pico’s promotional debut after a strong run in Bellator. He had plenty of hype and vowed to make a statement in his first octagon appearance. A win could have been significant, as it could have fast-tracked him to title shot against Alexander Volkanovski.
The UFC matchmakers didn’t give him an easy welcome. Pico was originally set to face No.1 ranked Movsar Evloev. When that fight fell through, undefeated No.6 ranked Murphy stepped in instead. He took full advantage of the opportunity.
Pico started strong. He landed some heavy shots and even dropped Murphy in the early moments of the fight. However, the Englishman remained composed and eventually landed a spinning elbow that ended the fight.
Pico, 28, released a statement on Instagram. He thanked his team and expressed gratitude toward his supporters.
“Last night wasn’t my night, that’s the fight game,” Pico wrote. “I’m grateful for my team, my family, and everyone who continues to support me. The supporters that have been there from day one and my new supporters, I see you! Thank you.”
He continued by taking accountability for the loss and promised a strong return in his next outing.
“Wins and losses both teach lessons and I’ll come back sharper, stronger, and better prepared,” Pico wrote. “My story is not over.”
Daniel Cormier Describes Scenes After Aaron Pico’s Knockout Loss
Daniel Cormier witnessed the aftermath of Pico’s knockout loss firsthand, as he called the action on the UFC 319 broadcast. He was cageside with Joe Rogan and Jon Anik, and all three were stunned by the finish.
Cormier spoke about the aftermath on his YouTube channel after the event. The former two-division UFC champion described the scenes and shared concerns for Pico’s condition following the fight.
He revealed there was trouble removing Pico’s mouthpiece, which is often a bad sign.
“One of the greatest knockouts we’ve seen in a long time. [Murphy] hurt Pico bad. He used Pico’s aggressiveness against him,” Cormier said. “That was a bad knockouts. [Pico’s] teeth were clenched together, they couldn’t get the mouthguard out. That’s very concerning for [Pico].”
Cormier also pointed out Pico’s growing list of knockout losses:
“[Pico’s] been knocked out now multiple times, and when he’s gotten knocked out, he’s gotten knocked out really bad.”
How Many Times Has Pico Been Knocked Out?
Murphy’s knockout was not the first time Pico has been finished in his MMA career. The former Bellator star faced some early career setbacks before bouncing back and turning things around.
UFC 319 marked Pico’s 4th KO/TKO loss. In 2019, he suffered back-to-back KO/TKO losses to Henry Corrales and Adam Borics respectively.
Pico lost again in 2022 via TKO Jeremy Kennedy, snapping his six-fight winning streak. That loss, however, came after Pico dislocated his shoulder and could not continue despite his best efforts.
Despite his struggles, Pico remains a promising talent in the UFC featherweight division. Now, he’ll have to likely string together a few wins to get back into the title picture.
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