Britain's Murphy Stakes Title Claim With Sensational Knockout

Britain's Lerone Murphy thrust his sanction into nan featherweight title image by knocking Aaron Pico retired successful sensational manner astatine UFC 319 successful Chicago, Illinois.

The 34-year-old, who took nan conflict connected 3 week's notice, ended nan bout pinch a stunning spinning backmost elbow successful nan first round.

Victory extended Murphy's winning commencement to his profession to 17 arsenic he called for a title bout pinch Australian champion Alexander Volkanovski.

"This sport's each astir moments and I conscionable created one," said Murphy.

"I needed thing for illustration this. I took nan conflict connected 3 weeks' notice, I believed successful myself, I knew nan opportunity was there. I'm adjacent successful statement – let's spell Volkanovski."

Murphy's triumph followed chap Briton Michael 'Venom' Page's triumph complete middleweight Jared Cannonier earlier connected nan card.

Page, nicknamed MVP, outpointed Cannonier successful trademark manner pinch nan American incapable to woody pinch his velocity and elusiveness.

In nan main event, Russia's Khamzat Chimaev delivered 1 of nan astir ascendant performances successful UFC history arsenic he hit South Africa's Dricus du Plessis for nan middleweight title.

Chimaev landed a singular 529 strikes to Du Plessis' 45 and controlled complete 21 minutes of nan bout connected nan crushed arsenic each 3 judges scored it 50-44 successful his favour.

Manchester's Murphy came into nan bout pinch Pico sixth successful nan UFC's featherweight rankings aft winning 8 successive fights successful nan promotion.

Despite his winning streak, Murphy's reserved characteristic successful comparison to immoderate of his brash peers intends he has sometimes grounded to get nan in installments he deserves for his activity successful nan octagon.

A deficiency of item reel moments, pinch Murphy earning 5 consecutive determination wins earlier facing Pico, besides affected his prima power.

But that each changed pinch his stunning knockout of Pico.

The American, who was making his UFC debut aft building a daunting estimation successful Bellator wherever he won 13 of 17 bouts, started strongly.

He applied nan early pressure, landing combinations and takedowns pinch Murphy struggling to get disconnected nan backmost foot.

But aft navigating nan first 3 minutes, Murphy utilized Pico's guardant mobility against him arsenic he span around, landing a crisp elbow to present nan knockout and nonstop nan American crashing to nan floor.

"Pico is good, that's nan hardest first minutes I've ever had. But he was excessively fierce and I utilized his aggression against him," said Murphy.

UFC president Dana White often praises fighters who measurement up connected short announcement and he showed his appreciation instantly aft nan title by granting Murphy a $50,000 (£36,900) performance-of-the-night bonus.

UFC commentator and erstwhile heavyweight and light-heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier later tipped Murphy for a title shot.

"It's Lerone Murphy adjacent because of what he did, landing nan spinning elbow for illustration that. Everyone other tin hold successful line," said Cormier.

Page's triumph complete Cannonier represented nan 38-year-old's 2nd successful a statement astatine middleweight and 3rd successful 4 UFC bouts since joining nan promotion astatine nan extremity of 2023.

Page knocked down Cannonier successful nan first and 2nd information successful a typically entertaining display, combining speed, footwork and region guidance pinch showboating.

The crowd shouted 'MVP' arsenic he taunted Cannonier passim and nan judges scored nan title 29-28 successful Page's favour.

Page said pre-fight he was connected his "last thigh successful MMA" and targeting an elusive world title, and triumph complete ninth-ranked Cannonier moves him a measurement person to his goal.

Chimaev, 31, is 1 of nan UFC's astir breathtaking talents and agelong been predicted to go a champion.

He came into nan bout pinch Du Plessis, who was making nan 3rd defence of his belt, unbeaten aft winning nan first 14 fights of his profession but his momentum had been stifled complete nan past 2 years.

Chimaev fought conscionable erstwhile successful 2023 and erstwhile again successful 2024 aft unwellness and injuries led to a number of cancelled fights.

He besides suffered visa issues, owed to his ties to arguable Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, which prevented him from fighting successful nan United States.

After crediting President Donald Trump for securing his visa, he returned to nan US arsenic nan favourite to hit Du Plessis but fewer could person predicted really ascendant it would be.

Chimaev took Du Plessis down each information astatine will, pinch nan South African having nary reply to his grappling.

Such was Chimaev's supremacy, his 529 strikes marked a UFC grounds for a azygous fight.

His 21 minutes and 40 seconds of power time, meanwhile, was nan 2nd astir successful a UFC bout aft Sean Sherk recorded 22 minutes and 18 seconds against Hermes Franca successful 2007.