ABU DHABI — Aaron Pico isn’t the UFC featherweight champion. He isn’t even fighting for the championship at UFC 333. But he’s preparing as if he might have to.Pico plans to weigh in at the 145-pound championship limit ahead of his October 24 matchup against Losene Keita at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, positioning himself to potentially answer the call if anything happens to the scheduled title fight between champion Alexander Volkanovski and challenger Movsar Evloev.
“Yeah, for sure,” Pico told MMA Junkie Radio when ask ed about making championship weight. “I want to be championship weight in case anything happens. My last fight, I weighed in at 145. So, we’ll just keep it going.”
It’s another indication of how Pico views this stage of his career. He’s no longer interested in being described as a prospect. He wants to become a champion.
From Sterling to Allen to Keita
Pico’s road to UFC 333 has already required plenty of adjustments. After returning to the win column with a decision victory over Patricio Freire at UFC 327, Pico believed he would be matched against former UFC champion Aljamain Sterling.
That fight never materialized. Instead, the UFC booked Pico against No. 5-ranked Arnold Allen, providing him with an opportunity to make a significant jump in the featherweight rankings.
Then Allen was injured. Enter Losene Keita. For some fighters, going from the possibility of facing a former champion to a top-five opponent and ultimately an unranked replacement could be frustrating.
Pico doesn’t see it that way. “If I’m not champion, I’m not really focused on that,” Pico said. “I’m not really one of those guys that’s like, ‘Well, I need to protect my ranking and not fight, or I need to fight this guy.’”
Pico’s philosophy is considerably simpler. Fight. Improve. Become champion. “All that matters to me is to get better, and sitting around and waiting for a ranked guy is not in my agenda,” Pico said. “I just want to fight, get experience, and ultimately become a champion.”
Keita Presents a Different Problem
Pico’s willingness to accept different opponents is important because Keita doesn’t necessarily present the same challenge as Sterling or Allen. Keita enters UFC 333 with a 17-2 MMA record and a reputation for explosive striking and significant punching power.
Pico understands the danger. “The obvious is he’s a power puncher, swings really, really hard, and he’s very, very good,” Pico said. “He’s a dangerous opponent.” But Pico believes becoming a complete fighter means learning to solve completely different problems.
One night that might mean dealing with a wrestler. Another could require adjusting to Muay Thai. Against Keita, Pico may have to deal with a heavy-handed striker looking to turn the fight into a firefight. That’s exactly the type of experience Pico believes he needs.
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