Aaron Pico: ‘I Want To Be The Best Fighter In The World And That’s Scary To Think About’
Aaron Pico had a mixed 2017 after losing his pro debut at Bellator NYC, but then bouncing back with a super knockout win against Justin Linn at Bellator 183 in September.
Tomorrow, Pico takes his third professional MMA bout under the Bellator MMA banner when he fights Shane Kruchten at Bellator 192 in Los Angeles. For the third fight running, Pico will be taking on a man with significantly more experience than he has entering the cage. Speaking to MMANytt.com this past week, Pico said he would never be one to turn down a fight and that he was confident enough in his own abilities to take on any man.
“I want to fight as much as possible and get as much cage time as I can,” Pico said. “As long as I’m healthy, I’m going to fight. I keep my body in great shape, I eat the right things, I stretch, I workout, I get massages, everything I do is stay in great condition. I want to fight as many times as I can.
“My job is to fight. This is fun to me. Nothing beats being in front of the crowd. I’m on a journey to be a world champion and there’s nothing that’s going to stop me doing that. I’m telling you, I’m coming.”
Pico will be cornered this weekend by his head coach, Antonio McKee who he trains with at Bodyshop MMA. With McKee’s help preparing for the fight, Pico sees the fight going only one way and he’s foreseeing a similar finish to the he finished Linn in devastating fashion last year.
“I know I have the skillset in the world and I have trust in my own ability and in my team,” Pico said. “Antonio [McKee] is the most meticulous guy I’ve ever worked with for watching tape. He knows everything, and I mean everything about my opponents. I don’t fear anyone I have to fight.
“This is what I’m doing for a living. I will never turn down a fight because of this or that. I’m a fighter, that’s what I’m supposed to do. I know if I just graze him with my hands, he’s going down.”
With Pico now solely focused on MMA and making moves in Bellator, he’s starting to see the benefits of his labour. The 21-year-old believes he’s on the path to greatness and that no man can stand his way.
“I’m confident in my grappling and my kicks now. I’m starting to put this all together and it’s because I’m doing this full time. I wake up every single day now and I only think about how I can improve as a mixed martial artist.
“I want to be the best fighter in the world and that’s scary. Even just thinking about wanting to be the best fighter in the world, it’s scary, but I’m on my way.”
