Pico (13-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) took the fight against featherweight replacement opponent Lerone Murphy (17-0-1 MMA, 9-0-1 UFC), who stepped in for Movsar Evloev on just about three weeks' notice. He had won nine of his past 10 Bellator fights before that promotion was shuttered by the PFL, and the one loss was from an injury.

UFC 319’s main card opener saw ex-Rizin champ Kai Asakura fall to 0-2 in the UFC. His submission defeat to Tim Elliott came after his failed attempt at immediately dethroning champion Alexandre Pantoja last December, marking another example of a new signing perhaps being thrown to the wolves.