Aaron Pico gives credit to Diego Lopes for his toughness but was expecting a better performance from him at UFC 314.
Lopes (27-6 MMA, 6-1 UFC) suffered a unanimous decision loss to Alexander Volkanovski (27-5 MMA, 14-4 UFC) in their featherweight title fight at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
“After the fight, it’s clear that he is incredibly tough,” Pico told Submission Radio about Lopes. “He has a solid chin, but in all honesty, I felt he was a bit sloppy. It wasn’t his best showing, but what stood out was his toughness and relentless forward pressure.”
Pico confesses that he initially predicted Lopes to win and was taken aback by Volkanovski’s performance.
“I have to admit, he proved me wrong,” Pico said. “I had Lopes winning before the fight. Volkanovski may not be young, but in MMA years, he’s considered older. Yet, he showed that age is just a number and showcased improvement. After studying him closely, I see him as a formidable opponent. It would be an honor to face him someday.”
Looking ahead to his UFC title aspirations, Pico is eyeing Brian Ortega for his debut fight, a matchup he believes makes perfect sense.
For more details on the event, you can find additional information on MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.
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