How Manny Pacquiao impacted UFC’s Aaron Pico

‘His fights were never boring,’ says mixed martial artist Aaron Pico of Manny Pacquiao. ‘That’s what I’m trying to do, too, here in the UFC.’

MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao’s influence stretches far beyond boxing, reaching athletes across combat sports. 

Among them is UFC featherweight Aaron Pico, who once came close to sharing the ring with the Filipino boxing legend.

Pico, known for his elite freestyle wrestling, trained with Pacquiao’s longtime coach Freddie Roach at the renowned Wild Card Boxing Club in California, where he sharpened his striking skills.

In 2017, the highly touted American prospect even had a chance to travel to the Philippines and serve as Pacquiao’s sparring partner ahead of his bout against Australian boxer Jeff Horn. 

But the plan fell through because Pico had a professional fight scheduled around the same time.

“The first time I sparred at Wild Card, or during one of the few times I sparred there, Freddie was watching,” Pico told Rappler.

“When he was preparing for the fight against Jeff Horn, Freddie asked me, ‘Do you want to go to the Philippines and be a sparring partner for Manny? I think you’d be a good look for Manny in preparation for Jeff Horn.’”

Looking back, Pico wishes he had taken the opportunity to work with Pacquiao, who went on to lose to Horn by controversial unanimous decision in Brisbane.

The chance would have been about more than just a sparring session for Pico. For him, it would have meant learning from a living legend whose intensity and passion made him one of the most exciting fighters of his generation.

“Looking back, I probably would have just said, ‘Hey, I’ll go and spar Manny,’ because he’s a living legend. It would have been a great experience for me,” Pico said.

“His intensity was something I could really pick up. It’s just unfortunate it did not happen, but I got a taste of that passion from Freddie.”

Pico returned to the UFC spotlight on Sunday, October 25 (Manila time), needing just over a minute to TKO Guinea’s Losene Keita in their featherweight fight, an event made available in the Philippines via ESPN on Disney+.

Pico improved his MMA record to 15-5, winning back-to-back fights. Keita, who previously split his last four, slipped to 17-3.

The 30-year-old American was originally scheduled to fight Arnold Allen, who withdrew because of an injury, paving the way for Keita to step in on short notice.

Even without getting the chance to spar with Pacquiao, Pico has carried fond memories of watching the Filipino icon fight.

Growing up in California, Pico experienced the same fight-night tradition familiar to many Filipino families. Whenever Pacquiao competed, relatives and friends gathered to watch, turning his bouts into major occasions.

As Pacquiao took on some of the best Mexican and American fighters of his era, his relentless pace and explosive style captivated a young Pico.

“He didn’t really influence my fighting style, but as a fan, I enjoyed watching him,” Pico said. “Whenever Manny fought, my family would get together for big barbecues, and everyone would get really excited, especially me.”

“He was such an exciting fighter to watch.”

As Pico looks to establish himself among the UFC’s top featherweights, he hopes to deliver the same kind of excitement that made Pacquiao a global attraction. 

He knows the sports are different, but the goal remains the same: give fans a fight worth watching.

“His fights were never boring. You knew that when you paid for the pay-per-view, you were going to get your money’s worth,” Pico said. “That’s what I’m trying to do, too, here in the UFC.” – with a report from Drew Lo/Rappler.com

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