For a long time UFC Feedweight Prospect Lerone Murphy scored one of the craziest knockouts of all time last Saturday.
On Saturday, the Premier promotion returned to the Windy City for UFC 319 for the first time since 2019, led by a middleweight title fight between Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev.
However, it was the CO-Main event between Lerone Murphy and UFC debutant Aaron Pico that stole the headlines after the Brit scored knockout of the year in the first round.
Despite his strong start, Pico was met with a vicious rotating elbow who immediately pulled out his lights and left him stiff on the canvas.
Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC
Murphy explains why he practiced a spinning elbow before Pico Clash
Following what is probably the biggest victory of his career so far, 'The Miracle' called for a featherweight title shot against Alexander Volkanovski, and his wish was immediately granted as Volkanovski replied.
Despite the fact that it still had an unbeaten record, Murphy's victory was explained as a 'coming party' by UFC boss Dana White, who seemed open to the idea that he fought for the title.
And although the technique that Murphy used to score the knockout may seemed like a coincidence, the Brit has explained why he continuously practiced the technique before the fight.
“I did it much more than that, I just thought where he shoots and puts his head and he often leads his head, as if he jumped in, and I knew it would work,” Murphy told Ariel Helwani.
“I actually knew it would work, I knew that the technique would be the one who finished him and that is why I started with a rotating kick because I knew he had viewed my previous fights and knew that that is what I would like to throw.
“I started with one of them and when he came in, you can see that he is scrapping, thinking that a rotating kick is coming and the elbow caught him,” Murphy explained.
Lerone Murphy when repeated rehearsing the rotating back elbow before UFC 319:
“He often leads his head and jumps a bit in reach. I knew it would work. I actually knew it would work.
I knew that the technique would be the one who finished him. That's why I started with a … pic.twitter.com/l5q9Rearxn
– Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) 19 August 2025
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Murphy believes that he will eliminate Volkanovski after he has received the taste of it
During his unbeaten run in the UFC, Murphy only picked up two finishes outside last Saturday, when he eliminated Ricardo Ramos and Makwan Amirkhani.
And now, after having received the taste of the knockout, Murphy believes that he will eliminate Volkanovski when they eventually fight for the title.
“Volkanovski is one of the best to do it ever, but I think I'm going to make it to the finish, I think that just stimulated something in me where I want to kill again,” Murphy added.