Leandro Higo fought for Bellator’s bantamweight title not too long ago. On Saturday night at Bellator 206, the hottest prospect in MMA, Aaron Pico, made him look like just another fighter.
Bellator 206 offered a lot on its stacked main card in San Jose, CA on Saturday night. Along with the champ vs. champ headliner, and grudge match between Rampage Jackson and Wanderlei Silva, was another chance for the youth movement in Bellator MMA to shine. That opportunity came when Aaron Pico, considered a big part of Bellator’s future, took on former bantamweight title challenger Leandro Higo, part of the six-fight main card Saturday night. Higo moved up to featherweight for the bout.
All eyes were on Aaron Pico in San Jose, but it would be dangerous to write Leandro Higo off. And for a while, it seemed Higo had a chance. Off the opening bell, Pico backed his opponent up, flashing a few kicks, before coming in with the first combination of the battle. Higo slipped away, but Pico walked him down and went to the body. Soon enough they were trading, with Higo hammering Pico’s lead leg and landing a few punches of his own. Pico would soon rock Leandro Higo, and move in for the kill, landing bomb after bomb! But Higo kept his composure, covered up and survived. Not for long, however.
Pico would drop Higo moments later, a right hand that snapped Higo’s jaw to the side. Pico then dropped hammer fist after hammer fist, and Higo was helpless. The ref however, decided to let things go. For far, far too long. Higo made it up, on instinct, eating more damage, unable to fire back. Pico connected again and again, with multiple chances for the ref to end it. Finally, dropping Higo again, the ref decided to wave it off. Late stoppage, but a great win by Aaron Pico.
If there was any question remaining about whether Pico was a legit threat to anyone at 145lbs in Bellator, it was answered in San Jose. Pico has certainly earned his prodigy label, and the scary thing is, at just 22, he has years left to develop.
Aaron Pico def. Leandro Higo by TKO, Round 1, 3:19
