SAN JOSE, Calif. – Aaron Pico keeps rolling.
On the Bellator 277 main card Friday at SAP Center, Pico (10-3 MMA, 10-3 BMMA) put on a technically-sound battering of short-notice foe Adli Edwards (9-2 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) en route to a TKO stoppage at 0:55 of Round 3.
From the opening bell, Pico mixed up his tools. When the striking did damage and Edwards covered up, Pico took the fight to the ground. Once Edwards worked his way back to the feet, Pico made him pay with punches to the head and body.
Tougher than many, Edwards hung in there. He largely absorbed visibly-hurting damage, but was not seemingly rocked until the final barrage. An overhand right to the head started things off, followed by a left hook to the body. Edwards crumpled up and referee Mike Beltran dove in to save him.
That's all she wrote! 👀
A pitch-perfect @AaronPicoUSA performance, scoring the TKO in Round 3.#Bellator277 is LIVE on @SHOsports. pic.twitter.com/afmYQlrt7y
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) April 16, 2022
With the victory, Pico adds another win to the longest streak of his career at six. A fighter who has spent his entire MMA career under the Bellator banner, Pico had a rocky start to his mixed martial arts career. But since a 4-3 start, Pico has continually shown signs of improvement, as he continues to craft himself into an elite fighter. Other victories on his current streak include Justin Gonzales, Aiden Lee, John De Jesus, Solo Hatley Jr., and Daniel Carey.
Pico was originally supposed to fight fellow contender Jeremy Kennedy at Bellator 277. However, less than two weeks prior to Friday’s card, Kennedy withdrew due to injury and was replaced by Edwards.
As for Edwards, the defeat snaps a seven-fight winning streak. Edwards fought just 13 days ago, when he defeated 10-pounds-over Josh Harvey at XMMA 4.
The up-to-the-minute Bellator 277 results include:
- Aaron Pico def. Adli Edwards via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 0:55
- Linton Vassell def. Tim Johnson via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:21
- Tyson Miller def. Khalan Gracie via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 1, 5:00
- Tyrell Fortune def. Rakim Cleveland via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:38
- Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov def. Rafael Carvalho via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:04
- Bobby Seronio III def. Calob Ramirez via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 2:14
- Gaston Bolanos def. Daniel Carey via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:59
- Kyle Crutchmer def. Michael Lombardo via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Edwin De Los Santos def. Alberto Martinez Mendez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Rogelio Luna def. Socrates Hernandez via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 4:48
- Laird Anderson def. J.T. Donaldson via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:44
- Theo Haig def. Alan Benson via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:08
