Aaron Pico has been fighting at a high level long before joining the UFC. But climbing the octagon for the first time had a special meaning for a family member.
Before his debut against Lerone Murphy this Saturday at UFC 319 in Chicago, Pico spoke with journalists on media day on Wednesday And he remembered a moment of humility that his own son transmitted and that summed up what finally meant Bellator to UFC.
“It is always fun to explain to someone who simply does not understand. I have a funny anecdote: my son is four years old And we see the fights all the time, and when I said: 'Dad is going to fight at the UFC on television,' he said: 'Wow, dad, you are finally professional!’”.
I said: 'Yes, Dad is finally professional.' It's curious, but now … the truth is that I don't tell people when I am in public; They always ask me: 'What do you do?' I just say: 'I am an artist', without going into details. If they investigate, I say: 'Yes, I'm a fighter.' Then I tell them that at that time I fought for this organization and they tell me: 'Well, one day you will be in the UFC'. I say: 'Yes, one day I will be in the UFC'. Now, if they ask me that, I simply say: 'Yes, I am a fighter of the UFC'. The conversation is like: 'wow, you are a great and blah, blah, blah', but it feels good.
Pico's story has been told innumerable times since he debuted as a professional at age 20, without any amateur experience and with a great expectation that promoted him as the next star of the MMA. His first fight ended in an impressive defeat by submission in 24 seconds, and since then he has worked hard to straighten the course, with a general record of 13-4 in his career with Bellator, which includes several victories by memorable knockout.
