Aaron Pico is the real deal.
There's a reason why Aaron Pico is the most hyped prospect in MMA history.
Bob Cook didn't label him "the greatest MMA prospect I've ever seen" for nothing. He didn't sign a lucrative sponsorship deal with Nike at the age of 18 solely because of the hype. And, of, course, it's the same reason why so many people were rubbing their hands together when he lost his professional debut in devastating fashion.
The sky really appears to be the limit for Pico. Having won a FILA national championship in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling and a Junior Golden Gloves championship as a teenager, Bellator snapped him up on a long-term deal. It's early days, but that investment appears to have already paid off for the promotion.
At 1-1, the 21-year-old stepped in to fight 15-fight veteran Shane Kruchten at Bellator 192. 37 seconds into the opening round, it was all over. A thunderous punch to the liver completely shut down the man who is 12 years his senior.
Kruchten is no bum. He entered into the bout with a 12-3 professional record and was coming off a win over Jeremy Mahon. Prior to the fight, he had only lost one of his past 13 bouts. Pico made it two in his last 14.
Pico put the pressure on Kruchten with forceful shots before dropping his opponent with a digging body shot. Kruchten showed serious gameness to stand back up, but that only gave Pico enough time to recharge and wind up the finishing strike.
With just two victories to his name, Pico already has a highlight reel better than fighters who've had 10 times as many fights. His first knockout win against Justin Linn was one of the greatest finishes of 2017.
https://twitter.com/BellatorMMA/status/911768355572391936
The hype train will continue to speed down the track following this win, but for now, Pico has vowed to remain humble.
“I’m not the one to talk shit and do all that stuff, that’s petty. I’m a professional, I show up. I fight guys with winning records. I do my talking with my fists."
When Pico's fists start talking, the MMA community all gathers around to listen. If he keeps doing what he's doing, his future will be astonishingly bright.
