Aaron Pico Releases Statement on Loss in UFC Debut

Aaron Pico's night ended abruptly at UFC 319. | Getty/UFCFor Aaron Pico, everything was going well — until suddenly it wasn’t.

The former Bellator MMA standout had a strong start in the UFC 319 co-main event, but his night ended abruptly when Lerone Murphy rendered him unconscious with a spinning back elbow 3:21 into the opening round of their featherweight bout at the United Center in Chicago on Saturday night.

While a victory might have propelled Pico into immediate title contention, the 28-year-old Jackson-Wink MMA representative is taking his defeat in stride.

Pico: ‘My Story is Not Over’

“Last night wasn’t my night, that’s the fight game,” Pico wrote on his Instagram account. “I’m grateful…