Henry Cejudo is convinced that the next champion featherweight will be in action on UFC 319.
The next pay-per-view offer from the UFC takes place on August 16, when the United Center in Chicago organizes a line-up with a long-awaited collision of the middleweight title.
Before Khamzat Chimaev Drus Du Plessis challenges the UFC 319 Main Event, a co-headliner who came about in the short term could determine the future opponent for featherweight King Alexander Volkanovski.
For example, a former two-division UFC champion has predicted that 'Alexander the Great' will fall, regardless of who wins in the 'Windy City'.
Henry Cejudo says that the winner of Lerone Murphy vs Aaron Pico Alexander Volkanovski will beat
Ex-Bellator Striking Aaron Pico would fight against Movsar Evloev on July 26 on July 26 in his debut at the UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi, but the Russian was forced to withdraw due to injury.
Fortunately, the promotion wasted little time to book his arrival. Instead, Pico will be confronted with Lerone Murphy on UFC 319, which means that the American will still fight against an undefeated feather -weight competition when he first enters the Octagon.
For many, Evloev's injury gave the UFC the opportunity to remedy what many saw as a mistake when he was not placed against Volkanovski. Cejudo, however, expects that the winner of the Co-Main event of 16 August will not only deduct the Russian leap, but also Volkanovski.
“The winner of this fight is going to fight Alexander Volkanovski, and I also feel that the winner of this fight will be our next champion,” said Cejudo on his 4 pounds next to Kamaru Usman.
“All the respect for people, but guy, these young weapons. Lerone Murphy is fighting Aaron Pico. Aaron Pico is in his F-Prime, Bro. Power, struggling; he has been a manchild since he was a child, competing at the highest level while he was in high school, throbbing world champion.
“And then Lerone Murphy, which he was able to do with many of these hunters, man,” Cejudo continued. “Unbeaten, very difficult, brings a lot of struggling into; he is different, he is like Merab (Dvalishvili).
“I am enthusiastic about this Co-Main event. I think that in my opinion this Co-Main event is the most competitive fight on this entire (UFC 319) fight card.”
Aaron Pico was questioned for accepting UFC 319 Fight
Although Cejudo believes that a victory over Murphy will be enough to find Pico a first UFC title and eventually set up his crown as a champion, not everyone is on board with the matchup.
Former StrikeForce champion and UFC Geddering Josh Thomson wondered why Pico accepted the UFC 319 fight during an episode of his ways in Podcast with John McCarthy.
“I have no idea why you took this fight,” said Thomson about Pico. “You went from Evloev, who is in fact considered the number one competition … Stilistic, this (Murphy) is a tough fight.
“I am not saying that Aaron cannot win this fight. This is a more difficult fight for him than the Evloev fight. I wanted to see the Evloev fight because they can struggle two. The boxing grants a bit for the favors.
“That is the fight I always wanted to see, so I'm sour now,” Thomson added.