It wasn’t the finish Aaron Pico, or any of his fans, would have envisioned. The 28-year-old California native entered UFC 319, headlined by Khamzat Chimaev vs. Dricus Du Plessis, carrying big expectations. But his long-awaited UFC debut turned into a nightmare. Facing Manchester’s Lerone Murphy, Pico’s night ended in the worst possible way: a spinning elbow knockout in the opening round.

According to one commentator, the strike knocked the air out of Pico before he even hit the ground! Concern spread quickly as footage showed him lying motionless, with cage side officials rushing to his aid. Reports later confirmed that the UFC’s medical team transported Pico to the hospital. Some clarity finally emerged when Dana White addressed the situation at the post-fight press conference.

Dana White speaks out after Aaron Pico’s scary KO

Asked about Pico’s condition, the UFC president replied, “Pico was transferred, and I haven’t heard anything about Geoff. I think he’s okay.” White was referring to Geoff Neal, who also suffered a brutal first-round KO via spinning elbow, this one delivered by Carlos Prates.

Offering a bit more detail on Pico, White added, “I’m no doctor, but I’m gonna say he has a concussion for sure. But we haven’t heard anything back that anything bad has happened. He’s getting checked for his head and face.” A standout at Bellator, Aaron Pico joined the UFC ranks in April with a 13-4 record. His last fight had taken place over a year ago in Riyadh, where he knocked out Henry Corrales.

Though initially scheduled to face featherweight’s top contender Movsar Evloev at UFC Fight Night in May, Pico eventually settled for unbeaten Lerone Murphy on the stacked UFC 319 card. Ahead of the fight, Pico had declared that one of his main goals was a clash with champion Alexander Volkanovski.

But before that, he had to get through ‘The Iceman’s’ fort. And as it turned out, he couldn’t break through.

Murphy turns the tide with a brutal elbow

Stepping into the cage, the 34-year-old Lerone Murphy looked to extend his eight-fight win streak. He was met by a determined Aaron Pico, who had been sharpening his skills at the legendary Jackson Wink MMA. Targeting the body, the American managed to put his English counterpart briefly on the back foot.

Though rattled at first, Murphy didn’t lose his composure. Just as Pico appeared to move in for a takedown, Murphy turned with sublime timing, landing a spinning right elbow flush above Pico’s temple. The debutant was out cold before he even hit the canvas.

With the tables turned, it was Lerone Murphy, and not Aaron Pico, who punched his ticket to a Volkanovski face-off. “Let’s go, Volkanovski,” he shouted in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. The callout quickly caught the champion’s attention. The Australian belt holder fired back with a tweet: “See you in December, @LeroneMurphy. Congrats #UFC319.”

For Aaron Pico, it’s back to the drawing board. He’ll need to regroup with his team and craft a strategy for an effective comeback. With featherweight among the UFC’s most stacked divisions, he’ll have to move wisely. One more misstep, and his dream of building a UFC legacy could derail entirely.

What do you think Pico should do to get his career back on track?