A lifelong martial artist, Pico was a standout athlete as a junior competitor, making waves in both wrestling and boxing before ultimately turning his attention to mixed martial arts. However, the highly touted prospect suffered a shocking submission loss in his professional debut and stood at a rather pedestrian 4-3 after his first two years in the sport.
Undeterred, Pico remained steadfast in his chase of championship gold and has since rattled off six consecutive victories, including three knockouts and two submissions.
On Saturday, Pico (10-3 MMA, 10-3 BMMA) meets fellow contender Kennedy (17-3 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) on the Showtime-broadcast main card of Bellator 286 (10 p.