Aaron Pico’s UFC debut ended poorly, but he’s already looking ahead to his next opportunity. The former Bellator star co-headlined UFC 319 opposite top featherweight contender Lerone Murphy and though he had a few bright moments, Pico ultimately found himself on the wrong end of a spectacular spinning back elbow knockout.

Dustin Poirier believes Aaron Pico’s debut at UFC 319 did not go to plan because the newcomer “got in his own way.” Chicago hosted a busy 12-fight card, headlined by Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev.

Aaron Pico's long-awaited UFC debut came with the possibility of an immediate title shot with a win. Instead, the former uber prospect and Bellator MMA star was knocked out cold in spectacular and violent fashion at UFC 319 in Chicago .

Among the most prominent to send Pico a message was former lightweight and pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev, who had words of encouragement for the newcomer after a devastating first outing under the UFC banner. “Head up champ,” Makhachev commented.

The UFC paid out more than $300,000 in Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay to the veteran-heavy UFC 319 lineup.

During several heated UFC 319 exchanges, Chimaev also announced himself ready to dethrone the UFC middleweight king permanently – “Africa is never going to see the belt again” – and despite his rival’s insistence that he would kill to retain.

UFC 319 was a dramatic affair from Chicago, Illinois, with a 12-fight card headlined by Dricus du Plessis and the newly-crowned champion Khamzat Chimaev. The main card saw back-to-back knockouts come by spinning elbow as Carlos Prates KO’d Geoff Neal, and the undefeated Lerone Murphy spoiled Aaron Pico’s UFC debut in brutal fashion.

UFC 319 is built around a middleweight title bout with Dricus Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) and Khamzat Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC), who meet at the top of the card.