MMA's Top Prospect Found Out What Happens When You Get A Little Too Reckless In The Pocket This Weekend

At just twenty-two years old, Aaron Pico – a world-ranked freestyle wrestler and Golden Gloves boxing champion – is inarguably mixed martial arts’ top prospect at the moment, and arguably the best prospect the sport has ever seen.

Since starting his professional career off on the wrong foot (getting caught in a flash-guillotine choke and getting finished in just 24 seconds by underdog Zach Freeman) he’s earned himself four brutal first-round stoppage wins in a row over some serious competition, proving that he’s worth his own hype, and he’s climbed Bellator’s Featherweight ranks way faster than he was ever expected to.

To give you an idea of just how incredible an all-around talent he is – Freddie Roach actually claims that although wrestling is the youngster’s strong-suit, if he were to step into the squared circle right now, he could be a world champion. Pico’s knockouts speak for themselves, too. This kid hits HARD.

This Saturday night, Pico faced his toughest test yet in Henry Corrales, and it was going all too well for Aaron…until it wasn’t.

Pico dropped Corrales early in the first, immediately got overconfident and over-aggressive in looking for a finish, and decided to fight ‘em phonebooth-style which proved to be his demise after just a few seconds, when Corrales launched a right hook from hell through Pico’s jaw, completely flatlining him for a KO finish.

As crazy as this may sound, I think this brutal knockout will prove to be a blessing in disguise for Pico. His first loss completely showed that he implements the John Kavanagh “Win or Learn” mentality into his game, and it helped his growth tremendously, so I expect nothing but the same here. I mean, hell. The kid is twenty-two and has just six pro fights. He’s got a lot to figure out still, and he was the first one to admit that in his phenomenal, very professional post-fight presser after the event.

Rogan and the Fight Companion Crew reacting to the flatlining KO is still pretty must watch stuff, though.