Joe Rogan, like several others, was riding high on the Aaron Pico hype train. The wrestler turned MMA fighter was buildup like the next big thing.
Even though he lost his MMA debut at Bellator 180 in June 2017, fans let it pass since it was his first fight and there was a lack of experience.
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Expectations rocketed sky high when Pico garnered four straight knockout victories; moreover, they all came in the first round. The fighter was inching close towards a megastar status and even the UFC commentator, Joe Rogan, tuned in for his fight against Henry Corrales.
Joe Rogan and company lose their minds over the KO
While doing a live watch along, Rogan was singing praises of the Bellator featherweight. As the fight began Rogan said, “Right now he’s 22, he’s making money, he’s a f*cking savage. He’s something special.”
The comedian then went on to commend Pico’s technique and fighting style. He applauded the fighter’s defense and striking.
The podcaster said, “he does everything so well, everything. From his defense to his striking. He looks like a champion boxer when he gets his hands up.”
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Eddie Bravo and Brendan Schaub, who were also present with Rogan during the watch-along, also exalted Pico’s power and body shot.
Schaub said, “dude his (Pico) body shots are ridiculous,”. To which Rogan replied, “his left hook is one of the best left hooks in the business”
‘The group roared in excitement when Pico landed a devastating uppercut to Corrales, furthermore, knocking him down in the process. Brendan Schaub even claimed that the fight was close to getting finished in the wrestler’s favor.
Joe Rogan and Co.'s reaction to Aaron Pico's stunning KO loss at Bellator 214 is worth your time https://t.co/slfZikZ1ws pic.twitter.com/TH9LXNtQX2
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) January 28, 2019
However, to everyone’s astonishment, Pico took a devastating right hook on his chin and instantly got knocked out. Joe Rogan jumped off of his chair and screamed his lungs out. Eddie Bravo, on the other hand, went completely speechless and Brendan Schaub fell from his chair.
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Rogan kept screaming, “He’s out cold! Oh my Goodness, Oh my Goodness, Oh my Goodness. That was crazy.” Rogan described the fight on the replay. He said, “body shot, body shot. Hammer! Head snaps back out cold. Two big bombs”
Pico went on to lose another bout after this. He lost the fight against Adam Borics via TKO that came out of a flying knee.
Why did so much hype surround Aaron Pico?
Pico was a wrestling prodigy and had a number of accolades and championships to his name. He was placed second in the 2016 US Olympic trials. He was also training at AKA, with Khabib Nurmagomedov.
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His hype train started way before his professional debut. Bellator signed Aaron Pico right after high school in 2014. After 3 years of his signing, he made his debut, however; he lost that bout and with two more TKO losses coming later in his career; the world witnessed the derailment of one of the hottest prospects in MMA.
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However, Pico did not let those losses stop him and at just 25 he currently sits on a six-fight winning streak, moreover, the wrestler is in the top five of Bellator and it’s safe to say the best of him is yet to come.
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