Aaron Pico is looking to kickstart his UFC career at the second time of trying.
The Octagon is back in Miami this Saturday for UFC 327, where a number of prominent names will set the stage for Jiri Prochazka’s title clash with Carlos Ulberg in the main event.
Among them is a pair of ex-Bellator standouts, as the legendary Patricio Pitbull and highly touted Pico look to advance their featherweight title hopes.
For the American 29-year-old, a victory is crucial after what transpired in his UFC debut.
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Aaron Pico happy UFC debut loss forced him to ‘look in the mirror’
Pico was knocked out by Lerone Murphy at UFC 319 last August. After entering the Octagon for the very first time, the decorated wrestler was put out cold by a spinning back elbow in round one.
Ahead of his return at Miami’s Kaseya Center, the featherweight newcomer admitted it was hard to move past what he described as an ’embarrassing’ setback in the cage.
But having returned to the gym and had the chance to fill some of the holes in his game that were exposed by Murphy, Pico is actually thankful the brutal KO happened.
“I’m not going to lie, after the last loss, I took it a little bit hard,” Pico said at UFC 327 media day. “I was really embarrassed and had some down days. It’s just part of the game, especially when you put a lot of work into it.
“I took it really, really hard. It was OK, though… It was very difficult, but I’m back now, so all good… It sounds weird, because in a way I’m actually—I don’t like to say this—but I’m happy that it kind of happened.
“I really had to take a good look in the mirror and assess my game, especially fighting in the UFC. Sometimes you can get away with it with guys who are not skilled,” he continued. “You can just go in there and bulldoze guys over… When you’re fighting Lerone Murphy, he’s No. 2 in the world, fighting any guy really in the UFC, you have to be very smart.
“I had to really work on a few things, fight IQ, movement, footwork, just all-around things. I did that, I’ve been training the last three months and working on a new style and just different things and I’m excited on Saturday night to show it.”
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Pico will be hoping to bounce back and avoid the 0-2 start in the UFC that spelled the end of another ex-Bellator star’s time with the promotion last year.
After losing both of his outings, Patchy Mix was cut by the UFC, bringing an end to the former Bellator champion’s botched signing.
At UFC 327, Pico will plan to follow in the footsteps of his opponent in Miami. After a defeat to Yair Rodriguez in his first Octagon assignment, Pitbull beat Dan Ige last time out to enter the winners’ circle on MMA’s biggest stage for the first time.