The Bellator MMA Featherweight World Grand Prix kicks off this September with sixteen of the best featherweights competing for the right to be called the best in the world.
One fighter who isn’t a part of the grand prix is Aaron Pico and Bellator MMA President Scott Coker explains why.
“With Aaron, we’re going to meet with his manager either this weekend or next week," Coker said at the featherweight grand prix media day (via Nolan King & Dave Mandel of MMA Junkie). “I always felt like after his last fight in New York, let’s take a beat back. He’s a great kid. We have a lot of respect for him.”
Pico has spent his entire professional MMA career in Bellator MMA and has a 4-3-0 record, with notable wins over Shane Kruchten and Leandro Higo.
Coker knows that Pico is going to be back in the cage soon, as its just a matter of time before the fighter gets back on the proverbial horse.
“We think he’s going to still come back and be great, but I think it’s time to take a beat,” Coker said. “Let him train and let him get through this process. He would be fighting as early as Sept. 7 in eight weeks coming off that fight in New York. I think he’ll be back, it’s just a matter of time.”
Of the three fighters who defeated Pico, two of them in Henry Corrales and Adam Borics will compete in the featherweight grand prix.
