LERONE MURPHY admits he’ll have to be the “BEST” he’s ever been against Aaron Pico to convince Dana White and Co. that he deserves a shot at the featherweight title.
The Manchester ‘Miracle’ returns to the cage early on Sunday morning in the co-main event of a stacked UFC 319 card in Chicago.
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Murphy will put his eight-fight win streak, unbeaten record and his No.6 ranking on the line when he welcomes the Bellator veteran to mixed martial arts’ premier promotion.
And he knows he needs to make a statement against the former super-prospect to make himself the undeniable next contender for Alexander Volkanovski‘s 145lbs strap.
In an exclusive interview with SunSport, he said: “It’s a massive spot, UFC 319.
“You’ve got Khamzat Chimaev in the main event against Dricus Du Plessis, which is a big fight as well.
“All eyes are going to be on the card. The whole main card is stacked, the whole card is stacked!
“I’m looking forward to performing on that. And now, I have to let it all go, be myself and show everybody that I’m title worthy.”
Pico was initially set to face the undefeated Movsar Evloev in a No.1 contender’s match before the Russian was forced to withdraw from their showdown.
And Murphy reckons it only makes sense for him to be Volkanovski’s next assignment if he gets the job done in style this weekend.
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“Him [Pico] versus Movsar was a No.1 contender fight, which the UFC themselves said so,” he said. “And if I’m the replacement and I go out and beat Aaron Pico, it only makes sense.
“I’ll be 17-0 and will have overlapped Movsar because he didn’t take the fight when he could have taken the fight. So all fingers point in the direction of the champion from there.”
Even if he doesn’t get his hand raised after a viral stoppage, Murphy believes matchmakers should reward his near-perfect octagon run with the chance to become the UK’s fourth-ever UFC champion.
“If you don’t win the fight [by finish], it shouldn’t mean you don’t get a title shot,” he said. “There have been plenty of guys who have done that.
“The Max Holloways [of the world], they didn’t always finish fights.
“Volkanovski didn’t always finish fights. It’s only once they became champions that they started to finish fights.
“I’m not a casual, I like to watch pure MMA. So if somebody is good, is going to look good and is entertaining to watch, then why can’t they be champion?”
Murphy may believe he’s in the ideal spot to stake a claim for a title shot, but the risk-to-reward ratio for his short-notice Chi-Town clash with Pico is incredibly high.
A maiden defeat will see the Manchester Top Team standout go back to the drawing board and start his pursuit of UFC gold all over again.
A sensational stoppage or a one-sided display, meanwhile, will prompt the often vocal minority of fans to claim he “fraud checked” long-hyped prospect Pico.
But Murphy could care little about the outside noise, unless it’s fans clamouring for him to get a crack at 145lbs gold.
He said: “The casuals are always going to find something to say, regardless of anything.
“I could go out there and KO Volkanovski in ten seconds, and they’re going to say, ‘He’s past his prime.’
I have to let it all go, be myself and show everybody that I’m a title worthy.”
Lerone Murphy
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“There’s always something that they’re going to pick at. So I don’t watch anything like that.”
He added: “People are always going to create narratives that they’re going to follow.
“I never look at that, I just follow in my journey and do my thing.”
California clubber Pico was once one of the hottest prospects in MMA before vicious back-to-back knockout losses to Henry Corrales and Adam Borics derailed his hype train.
The 28-year-old former Junior Golden Gloves champion has done a brilliant job rebuilding himself, losing just one of his last ten fights.
“I think I’m fighting the best Aaron Pico there has been,” Murphy said of his latest challenge. “Obviously, in the early days, that was him transitioning into MMA from wrestling and boxing.
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“So he was still putting it together.
“Right now, he’s got the experience, and I’m fighting the best Aaron Pico.”
He added: “It’s going to be a full MMA match. I’ve got to be dangerous everywhere and be aware everywhere. Obviously, he can wrestle and he can box.
“I’m going to be looking for submissions, I’m going to be looking to time him on the way in.
“There is plenty of opportunity which comes with his style and plenty of dangers, obviously.
“So I’ve got to the best version of me.”
