Lerone Murphy stops Whittier’s Aaron Pico with a first-round spinning elbow as Chimaev wins a 50-44 unanimous decision.

Murphy (17-0-1 MMA, 9-0-1 UFC) was tasked with welcoming Bellator and PFL veteran Pico (13-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) to the octagon in the co-headliner at United Center in Chicago. Just like every other time in his career, he refused to lose and emerged with a first-round knockout triumph to further elevate his own profile in the 145-pound title picture.

CHICAGO – Lerone murphy sure made a compelling case to be the next in line for a shot at the UFC featherweight title.

In the UFC, timing is everything. When opportunity knocks, you’ve got to not only answer but slam the door shut with authority. That’s exactly what Lerone Murphy did at UFC 319. Originally slotted in as a replacement opponent for Aaron Pico after Movsar Evloev pulled out, Murphy wasn’t expected to steal the spotlight.

The UFC handed out four bonuses after Saturday's card in the “Windy City,” and all four went to fighters on the main card. After UFC 319, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances at United Center in Chicago. Check out the winners below.

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