Whether it was boxing, wrestling, or then MMA, Pico has had eyes on him and hype around him. He’s been that good. But sometimes, being good isn’t enough, and he found that out when dealing with fluke losses, injuries, and plain ‘ol bad luck. So while the former Olympic wrestling hopeful found his home in MMA, the road through the sport hasn’t been easy.
How tough was it? Try being the most heavily hyped prospect to hit the sport in years, only to lose your pro debut. Pico would win his next four, but then lose two in a row, leaving him with a 4-3 record. But through the ups, downs and sideways, Pico persisted. Not for the fame, not for the glory, but for the love of the game.
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“Fighting is very, very scary and nerve wracking, but I thoroughly enjoy that and it’s a challenge,” he said. “And I love the lifestyle. I love training hard, I love thinking, okay, what’s the game plan this guy’s going to use against me? And figuring out what my coaches are game planning and pushing my body to the limits. I just love everything about that. And, at the end of the day, too, I love being in an arena with thousands of fans and fighting on TV and fighting for the fans. It’s something that I’ve always enjoyed.”
The true fans stayed in Pico’s corner through the ups and downs, and when everything finally clicked in early 2020, he’s been tough to beat. Starting with his second-round knockout of Daniel Carey in Bellator, the 28-year-old has been on a tear to the tune of nine wins, one loss due to injury, and seven finishes. And in April, he signed a UFC contract.
