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4d ago

Pico Favored in UFC Debut Against Lerone Murphy at UFC 319

It is shaping up as a featherweight title eliminator after Movsar Evloev’s injury forced a rebooking.

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(via Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC
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Overview

  • Aaron Pico will make his UFC debut against undefeated Lerone Murphy in the co-main event of UFC 319 at Chicago’s United Center on August 16.
  • Major sportsbooks list Pico as a slight favorite at roughly –150 to –158 with Murphy as the underdog at +124 to +125.
  • Lerone Murphy says harder weight cuts have eroded his knockout power and that he plans to finish Pico to strengthen his title-shot case.
  • Pico highlights his wrestling credentials and 11 stoppages in 13 professional wins and has set his sights on champion Alexander Volkanovski.
  • Insiders including Arnold Allen frame the matchup as a de facto title eliminator that could leapfrog the sidelined Movsar Evloev for a shot at Volkanovski’s belt.