Former Jackson Wink general manager Mikhail Lyubimov has described Aaron Pico as an extraordinarily dangerous sparring partner who regularly injured training partners, leaving some with broken ribs, fractured orbital bones, and knockouts during sessions. Sparring partners frequently refused to return after sessions with Pico, and some demanded extra payment just to work with him. Lyubimov says Pico eventually had to travel to different gyms — including camps in Morocco funded by the royal family — because partners at Jackson Wink became unwilling to spar him, and that his relationship with teammate Steve Garcia deteriorated after Pico repeatedly injured him.
Former Jackson-Wink general manager Mikhail Lyubimov has gone on record to describe Aaron Pico as one of the most physically punishing sparring partners he witnessed during his time at the renowned Albuquerque gym, detailing a pattern of injuries that left training partners broken and, in some cases, unwilling to ever return.
Lyubimov recounted incidents in which Pico sent sparring partners to the sidelines with broken ribs, fractured orbital bones, and outright knockouts during training sessions. The situation reportedly became severe enough that partners began demanding additional payment simply to step into the gym with him. Eventually, according to Lyubimov, the pool of willing partners at Jackson-Wink dried up almost entirely, forcing Pico to seek out training at outside facilities — including camps in Morocco funded by the royal family.
Pico, now 29, carries a 14-5 professional record and competes out of Jackson-Wink MMA. Standing five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach, the American has built a reputation as a ferocious offensive wrestler, averaging nearly nine takedowns per 15 minutes in competition — a figure that reflects the relentless pressure his teammates would have faced in training.
The fallout extended to teammate Steve Garcia, nicknamed "Mean Machine," whose relationship with Pico reportedly soured after repeated injuries sustained in their shared sessions. Garcia, 34, holds a 19-6 record and is himself a high-output striker, averaging 5.39 significant strikes per minute with 49 percent accuracy. The six-foot, southpaw veteran brings a 75-inch reach to the equation, making the stylistic collision between the two a genuinely volatile one inside the gym.
Why it matters
- The account raises questions about training culture and partner safety at one of MMA's most prominent gyms
- Pico's elite wrestling volume and evident power made finding willing sparring a logistical challenge that altered his fight camp structure
- The breakdown with Garcia signals lasting personal friction between two Jackson-Wink teammates
- Sourcing training camps abroad reflects the real-world cost of a fighter whose intensity exceeds what a single gym can accommodate
