Aaron Pico vs. Shane Kruchten slated for Bellator 192

[AGEZ909]

Aaron Pico vs. Shane Kruchten slated for Bellator 192
By MMAjunkie Staff December 21, 2017 9:45 am Follow @MMAjunkie

Aaron Pico’s early MMA career remains void of cupcake gimme fights.

Pico (1-1 MMA, 1-1 BMMA), one of Bellator’s highest-profile blue-chip prospects, is slated to fight featherweight Shane Kruchten (12-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) at Bellator 192.

Krutchen today announced the fight (via Twitter), which mymmanews.com reported, though MMAjunkie could not immediately reach Bellator officials for confirmation:

Bellator 192 takes place Jan. 20 at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., and the main card airs on Paramount (formerly Spike) following prelims on MMAjunkie.

Pico, a 21-year-old standout amateur wrestler, made his heavily promoted MMA debut in June and suffered a loss to underdog Zach Freeman via 24-second submission. However, he rebounded in his next bout and scored a dazzling first-round knockout of RFA vet Justin Linn in September.

Here it is (via Twitter):

He now meets Kruchten, a 33-year-old military vet who made his pro debut in 2007. The former WSOF fighter most recently earned a decision victory over Jeremy Mahon at WSOF 34. It marked his 12th win in 13 fights following a 0-2 start to his career. He has nine stoppages in 12 career victories.

The latest Bellator 192 card includes:

• Champ Douglas Lima vs. Rory MacDonald – for welterweight title
• Quinton Jackson vs. Chael Sonnen – heavyweight grand prix opening round
• Michael Chandler vs. Goiti Yamauchi
• Henry Corrales vs. Georgi Karakhanyan
• Khonry Gracie vs. Devon Brock
• Cooper Gibson vs. Jacob Rosales
• Noah Tillis vs. Jalin Turner
• Shane Kruchten vs. Aaron Pico

http://mmajunkie.com/2017/12/aaron-pico-shane-kruchten-slated-bellator-192

 

[Meathead Jock]

Stipe vs Francis is an awesome fight I'm interested in but i'm not going to do PPV if I can stay in and watch this card for free at home.

Hell of a night to be a fight fan though!

 

[AGEZ909]

Stipe vs Francis is an awesome fight I'm interested in but i'm not going to do PPV if I can stay in and watch this card for free at home.

Hell of a night to be a fight fan though!

Buddies and I are getting together to try and watch both events, but I can’t really justify paying 60 when there is a damn good free mma card at the same time.

No knock on the ufc event, but 60 is a ton to drop every month.

 

[EndlessCritic]

Same night as UFC 220? Are they fucking kidding? That's a fantastic card by Bellator standards too.

 

[AGEZ909]

Pico being fed to the wolves. It’s been sink or swim for him since day one.

I really like this event.

 

[CC27]

Same night as UFC 220? Are they fucking kidding? That's a fantastic card by Bellator standards too.

Yeah that sucks, good card though. Will be DVRing it and watching it after UFC. Rory/Lima is awesome, also like Goiti/Chandler.

 

[CC27]

Dont know this dude but he's got 15 fights, Bellator is really trying to give Pico guys with alot of experience, I guess to maybe move him up the ranks quicker?

 

[AGEZ909]

Dont know this dude but he's got 15 fights, Bellator is really trying to give Pico guys with alot of experience, I guess to maybe move him up the ranks quicker?

Or it might be that less experienced fighters don’t want to face Pico. I remember reading that a lot of fighters were turning a fight with Pico down. Idk if it’s true or not though.

 

[SalvadorAllende]

Or it might be that less experienced fighters don’t want to face Pico. I remember reading that a lot of fighters were turning a fight with Pico down. Idk if it’s true or not though.

I dont think that.

I would jump on the opportunity to stop the hypetrain and make a name for myself if I were a 2-3 bum or something. Specially considering how flagged Pico is.

 

[EndlessCritic]

Yeah that sucks, good card though. Will be DVRing it and watching it after UFC. Rory/Lima is awesome, also like Goiti/Chandler.

I'll never forget... November 19, 2011... Ryan Bader finished Jason Brilz in 77 seconds, allowing me to flip the channel, and watch epicness unfold in Alvarez vs Chandler 1.

 

[Meathead Jock]

Dont know this dude but he's got 15 fights, Bellator is really trying to give Pico guys with alot of experience, I guess to maybe move him up the ranks quicker?

I think Pico just doesn't want to waste time and would rather find out he is champion material or instead crash and burn and return his focus to wrestling.

 

[GueseGuy]

Stipe vs Francis is an awesome fight I'm interested in but i'm not going to do PPV if I can stay in and watch this card for free at home.

Hell of a night to be a fight fan though!

Stipe vs Francis is a hell of a fight and so is DC vs Volkan but the rest of the card sucks. Not sure I’d be so willing to drop $60 when there’s a card like this on free tv.

 

[007]

Same night as UFC 220? Are they fucking kidding? That's a fantastic card by Bellator standards too.

and it is not tape delay for once

 

[AronaBeatsJones]

They gotta put Zach Freeman on this card to continue Freeman's "bitter ex stalker (even though I won)" gimmick.

 

[FKA]

Pico is CHOOSING to fight guys with winning records and that are experienced.

He isn't a noob to fighting it' a waste of time having him fights cans he wants real comp.He is one of my favorite up and comers and it' partially his attitude the guy us a real humble guy.

 

[CC27]

Stipe vs Francis is a hell of a fight and so is DC vs Volkan but the rest of the card sucks. Not sure I’d be so willing to drop $60 when there’s a card like this on free tv.

Stipe/Ngannou is worth the PPV alone for me but yeah it could use one more main card fight, good 3rd fight on the card.

 

[tehMoose]

He's fighting now an even taller fighter than Freeman...

 

[TMAN29]

Pico is CHOOSING to fight guys with winning records and that are experienced.

He isn't a noob to fighting it' a waste of time having him fights cans he wants real comp.He is one of my favorite up and comers and it' partially his attitude the guy us a real humble guy.

I like that about him!

 

[Fluffernutter]

They gotta put Zach Freeman on this card to continue Freeman's "bitter ex stalker (even though I won)" gimmick.

They should always be on the same card together.

 

[A.S. Deep]

Will watch UFC 220 for Stipe/ Ngannou and DC/ Oezdemir, but I'm definitely watching the Bellator event later for Rampage/ Sonnen, Rory, and now Pico.