Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight contender Lerone Murphy put his name into the ‘knockout of the year’ conversation when he iced UFC rookie Aaron Pico in the first round with a brutal spinning elbow in the co-main event of UFC 319 last night (Sat., Aug. 16, 2025) from inside United Center in Chicago, Illinois (watch highlights).
During his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Murphy called for a Featherweight title shot.
“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. I knew the opportunity was there. I’m next in line. Let’s go, Volkanovski.”
It did not take Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski long to respond to “The Miracle.”
“See you in December, Lerone Murphy. Congrats,” Volkanovski wrote on social media.
UFC CEO Dana White even seemed into a potential Volkanovski-Murphy matchup, saying “I love it” when asked his thoughts on Volk accepting the callout.
Obviously, the elephant in the room is No. 1-ranked (and disliked) Featherweight Movsar Evolev still floating out there, but with him pulling out of the fight against Pico, for the time being, a title shot will not be in his future.
Murphy (17-0) has nine wins inside the Octagon and is tied with Evolev with the longest winning streak in the promotion. His last three wins before tonight were Josh Emmett, Dan Ige, and Edson Barboza.
What say you, Maniacs? Are you into a Volkanovski-Murphy title fight in December?
For more UFC 319 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.
