Mikhail Lyubimov, former general manager of Jackson-Wink MMA, has described Aaron Pico as one of the most destructive sparring partners he has ever witnessed, with training partners leaving sessions with broken ribs, fractured orbital bones, and knockouts. Lyubimov recounted that Pico eventually had to travel to different gyms and camps in Morocco because partners at Jackson-Wink refused to work with him. He also noted that a conflict developed between Pico and teammate Steve Garcia after Pico repeatedly injured him, eventually leading the two to train separately.
Mikhail Lyubimov, the former general manager of Jackson-Wink MMA, has spoken publicly about the sheer physical toll Aaron Pico inflicted on training partners during sparring sessions at the renowned Albuquerque gym, describing the scenes as some of the most destructive he has ever witnessed.
Lyubimov recounted that Pico's training partners were leaving sessions with broken ribs, fractured orbital bones, and knockouts. The situation grew so severe that partners at Jackson-Wink eventually refused to work with Pico altogether, forcing him to travel to outside gyms and camps as far as Morocco simply to find willing sparring opponents.
Pico, now 29, carries a professional record of 14-5 and competes out of Jackson-Wink under an orthodox stance. At five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach, he generates 3.88 significant strikes per minute at 44 percent accuracy, and his wrestling credentials are reflected in a remarkable 8.96 takedowns per 15 minutes — a figure that underscores why opponents inside and outside the cage treat him as a serious threat on all fronts.
The sparring tension did not stop with anonymous training partners. Lyubimov also described a conflict that developed between Pico and teammate Steve Garcia after Pico repeatedly injured him during shared sessions, ultimately leading the two to train separately. Garcia, nicknamed "Mean Machine," is a 34-year-old southpaw standing six feet tall with a 75-inch reach and a 19-6 record. He lands 5.39 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy, making him one of the more active strikers on the roster — which may have made the repeated sparring damage all the more notable.
Why it matters
- The account raises questions about how elite gyms manage physical risk when a fighter's training intensity exceeds what teammates can absorb.
- Pico's combination of high-volume wrestling and striking power appears to translate directly from competition into the gym.
- The reported rift with Garcia is a rare glimpse into internal friction at one of MMA's most prominent training facilities.
