Aaron Pico is just as prepared for what will come after a win at UFC 319 as he is for the fight itself.
Before Khamzat Chimaev challenges Dricus du Plessis for the middleweight title in the main event, Saturday’s UFC 319 pay-per-view lineup at Chicago’s United Center boasts a number of other exciting matchups.
That includes the late-notice co-headliner, which will see Lerone Murphy welcome Pico to the UFC following his rise to prominence under the Bellator MMA banner.
The decorated wrestler is looking to make a splash in an Octagon debut that he has long wished for. And more than just the fight itself, Pico has been envisioning another part of the UFC experience…
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UFC 319 debutant Aaron Pico has been practicing his Octagon interview with Joe Rogan
Pico spent his entire MMA career from 2017 to 2023 in Bellator, competing 16 times in the now-defunct promotion. After one outing in the PFL, the 28-year-old joined the likes of Patchy Mix and Patricio Pitbull in jumping ship to the UFC.
While Saturday’s event marks his first fight under his new banner, Pico has been preparing for the moment his whole life — and that includes his maiden interview with commentator Joe Rogan.
“I didn’t have an easy path to get here,” Pico told ESPN MMA regarding his UFC 319 arrival. “Quitting was never an option.
“I am not taking this for granted. I really want to put on a good show and become a world champion.
“After I took a hard loss, people asked me all the time, ‘How did you keep going?'” Pico continued. “One big thing is I would go to the gas station, get a cup of coffee…just drive, play my favorite songs, and practice my post-fight interviews with Joe Rogan.
“I would do it over and over again. I honestly have probably done it a thousand times. Sometimes the post-fight interview would go on for 45 minutes. That really kept me going.”
To put his practice to good use, Pico must first end Murphy’s undefeated run in MMA. From there, an interview with Rogan and a potential immediate shot at UFC title glory could await.
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Aaron Pico draws fiery response from Alexander Volkanovski ahead of his UFC debut
He may not have won a fight in the UFC yet, but that has not stopped Pico from confidently proclaiming his advantages over Volkanovski. Appearing on Fox Sports’ mainevent, the newcomer went as far as to predict he would knock the current featherweight king out.
Those remarks drew some rarely seen trash talk out of the Australian, as Volkanovski fired back at Pico by promising to “mop the floor with him” should their matchup come to fruition down the line.
“You’ve gotta think that. That is perfectly fine,” Volkanovski said of Pico’s remarks. “Everyone has a puncher’s chance.
“He is an all-American wrestler, but I’ll tell you right now, what’s the bet if we were to wrestle, I’d embarrass him there anyway. A lot of people want to be like, ‘I did this, I did that,’ like I haven’t faced them guys in the gym. I’ve faced really good wrestlers much heavier than him, and trust me, I do alright.
“He’s gotta have that confidence, right?” Volkanovski continued. “I am not gonna really take it seriously until he goes and shows me something. You’ve done stuff in your other promotions…come over here, do it here, and alright, I’ll look into it more.
“He’s only got a puncher’s chance, I’ll leave it at that. … I reckon I would honestly — it excites me because I reckon I’d crumble him in the wrestling department…I mop the floor with him.”