UFC commentator Daniel Cormier has given his thoughts on Aaron Pico's nasty knockout defeat in the co-main event of UFC 319 last weekend.

This was certainly the case after Lerone Murphy knocked Aaron Pico out cold in the first round with a devastating spinning elbow. Along with immediately receiving praise from Dana White, Murphy’s win also attracted the attention of Volkanovski, who appeared to zero in on the undefeated Brit as his next challenger.

UFC featherweight champion Volkanovski (27-5 MMA, 14-4 UFC) was zoning in on numerous opponents for his next title defense. At one point it appeared to be Yair Rodriguez, then the champion shifted his focus to the winner of the originally scheduled bout between Movsar Evloev and Aaron Pico at UFC on ABC 9 in July.

Aaron Pico is already looking beyond his UFC debut, setting his sights on Alexander Volkanovski and the featherweight belt. Pico, the former Bellator and PFL fighter, will make his UFC debut at UFC 319 on Saturday against Lerone Murphy.

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.

UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski warns Aaron Pico that he's a different level. Pico (13-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) said he's confident that he has the skillset to knock out Volkanovski (27-5 MMA, 14-4 UFC), and that the champion has never faced anyone with his wrestling caliber.

Alexander Volkanovski recently fired back at Aaron Pico after he made bold comments about a hypothetical fight between them.

Lerone Murphy's spinning-elbow knockout of Aaron Pico at UFC 319 may have just earned him a shot at featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski.