Aaron Pico wants Lerone Murphy rematch despite knockout: 'I was beating him up'

Manchester's Murphy knocked Pico out in his UFC debut, but Pico says 'a little bit smarter' would have won it and that he can beat the No. 3 featherweight.

By Combat Sports UK Staff · Published Wed 4 Nov, 01:55 UK · AI-assisted reporting

Aaron Pico and Lerone Murphy in the octagon — Photo: UFC

Aaron Pico wants a rematch with Manchester's Lerone Murphy, who knocked him out in his UFC debut, and says he was winning the first time round.

"I want that fight and people have been asking me like, oh, why do you want that fight? I mean, I'm a competitor. I want to fight and get that one back," Pico told MMA Junkie. Asked whether the UFC would consider running it back, he said: "I don't know."

"Obviously you watch the fight, I was beating him up," Pico said. He said he would have won had he been "a little bit smarter", but that "there's a lot of blessings that came because of the loss".

"And why, why wouldn't I? I mean, he's, he's top 5 in the world, so it just puts me closer to, you know, fighting for a title," he said. "And I know I can beat him. So yeah, I would love to fight him for sure."

Murphy is No. 3 in the UFC featherweight rankings and has not fought since he lost a majority decision to Movsar Evloev, the first defeat after 18 unbeaten fights. Patricio Freire has called him out as well, writing on X: "I'm the one that makes sense now."

Pico stopped Losene Keita at 1:14 of the first round at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi to move to 15-5, and called for the rematch after the win. At the post-fight press conference he named Murphy among the fighters he wants and said ranked fighters who protect their spots have a "weak mentality".

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Aaron Pico Lerone Murphy Movsar Evloev Losene Keita