Aaron Pico already checked off one of the major boxes towards his goal of becoming a UFC world champion. On Saturday, he tries to add another. The longtime Bellator standout signed with the UFC shortly before UFC 314 in April,

A aron 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 .

Lerone Murphy kept his unbeaten record intact and further established himself as a featherweight contender with a first-round knockout win over Aaron Pico in the co-main event of UFC 319.

Ever since Aaron Pico signed with Bellator as a blue-chip prospect in 2014, it seemed inevitable that he would fight in the UFC. It comes Saturday.

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.

Aaron Pico has not wasted any time making his intentions clear in the UFC. The former Bellator standout enters the promotion with a decorated wrestling pedigree and wants to test it against divisional champion Alexander Volkanovski.

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.