This was a sickening blow and the fight was over as soon as the connection landed flush.
You simply don’t rally when you get caught like this. Aaron Pico was done the moment he got clipped.
In the past six months, two of the top, young Bellator prospects have been savagely starched.
Back in August, James Gallagher was KO’ed in the first round of his clash with Ricky Bandejas. Then, on Saturday at The Forum in Inglewood, California, Aaron Pico was sparked by Henry Corrales.
Pico, a former Olympic wrestler with the USA, was 4-1 going into his fight with Corrales and was fancied to add to his burgeoning record. He rocked his opponent after only 50 seconds of action, in the first round, but perhaps let his guard slip in going for the kill.
As Pico tried to finish the fight early, he left his chin exposed and Corrales connected with a right cross that hit the target with devastating effect.
The blow caused Pico’s two arms to slump and he lulled momentarily before Corrales followed with a combination and mounted to rain down more before the referee jumped in to end the fight.
https://youtu.be/HfMLA8xLfx0
Following his loss, Pico was brave enough to front up for media duties. He told reporters:
“I know I’m going to hear a lot of shit on the internet, people saying I need to do this and do that, but I just go back and figure out what I need to do with my family.
“I’m not done. I’ll be back, and I’ve just got to take some time.”
Elsewhere on the Bellator 214 card, former WWE star Jake ‘Jack Swagger’ Hager claimed a debut MMA win and Ryan Bader became the promotion’s ‘Champ Champ’ after knocking out Fedor Emelianenko in the final of the heavyweight contest.
Bader, a former UFC fighter, now holds the light heavyweight and heavyweight belts for Bellator.
