Aaron Pico accepts Losene Keita fight after missing out on ranked opponents
The American contender is set to face an unranked opponent at UFC 333 after Aljamain Sterling turned down a matchup and Arnold Allen withdrew.
Aaron Pico will face Losene Keita at UFC 333 on Saturday, but the matchup is not what the No. 14-ranked featherweight initially expected. The American was first set to face Arnold Allen, who was forced to withdraw from the matchup due to health issues. Later on, the fight was offered to Aljamain Sterling, who declined the opportunity, leaving Keita as Pico's new opponent.
Aaron Pico is Ready to Fight Anyone in the UFC
Set to face an opponent who currently sits outside the featherweight rankings, Pico will not have the opportunity to move up the division by defeating a ranked opponent. Despite that, the American appears to have made peace with the situation, claiming he is prepared to face whoever the promotion puts in front of him.
"At the end of the day, this is what I do for a living," Pico told MMA Junkie. "I'm a warrior, and I've got to fight anybody that they put in front of me."
Pico also expressed confidence ahead of Saturday's matchup, saying he believes a victory will bring him one step closer to competing for a championship. The American acknowledged that anything can happen in MMA, but said he is prepared for the challenge against Keita.
"I do, but you know what? Saturday is going to be a good night for me," Pico said. "I feel very confident, not overly. If I just do my job and be smart, I think it's going to be a good night for us. But in MMA, anything can happen. But I'm very prepared for this, confident, one step closer to winning a championship with this victory."
Aaron Pico is Focused on the Next Fight
Although Pico spent more than six years competing in Bellator and put together a six-fight winning streak, he never received a title shot in the promotion. Now competing in the UFC, Pico hopes to get his first opportunity to fight for a belt. However, he is not rushing the process, choosing instead to focus on one fight at a time.
"I think when I was younger, I felt a lot of pressure," Pico said. "But as I've gotten older and a little bit wiser – I just turned 30 in September – I've learned that, in life, it's best to just take each day as it comes. I can't really look too far ahead, can't look back in the past. That's in the rearview mirror. So, the title will come when the title comes. I say it all the time: the most important fight is the one that's next, so this is the most important fight."
Pico enters UFC 333 after earning his first UFC victory with a unanimous decision win over Patricio Pitbull at UFC 327 in April. Keita, meanwhile, is coming off a first-round knockout victory over Muhammadjon Naimov at UFC Paris in September. The two featherweights will meet on the main card in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
