Alexander Volkanovski Wants UFC 319 Knockout Artist As His Next Opponent

Volkanovski took to YouTube to share his thoughts on the card and potentially his next opponent. He said, “Lerone Murphy congratulations well done. Happy to see someone that I believe deserves it anyway and to get a big finish like that I think you’ve made it pretty clear. I tried to make that happen (vs Evloev), but it does not look like its going to be Movsar. Now it looks like it’s Lerone Murphy and it makes a lot of sense.”

Lerone Murphy Makes a Big Statement at UFC 319

Lerone Murphy walked into UFC 319 riding an impressive eight-fight win streak, sitting comfortably at sixth in the featherweight rankings. But despite all that success, he never quite got the same shine as some of his louder, flashier peers. Part of it came down to his style—steady, consistent, but without those viral highlight-reel moments. That all changed the second he faced Aaron Pico.

Pico, making his UFC debut after a strong Bellator run, came out firing, pressing forward with combos and takedowns that had Murphy on the back foot early. But Murphy weathered the storm, and in one slick, perfectly timed move, he spun and landed a razor-sharp elbow that sent Pico crashing to the mat. Just like that, Murphy had the moment he’d been waiting for.

Calling Pico the toughest opening minutes he’s ever faced, Murphy said he turned his opponent’s aggression against him. Dana White clearly approved, handing Murphy a $50k performance bonus, while Daniel Cormier went a step further—suggesting Murphy might just be ready for a title shot.