Former Jackson Wink general manager Mikhail Lyubimov has described Aaron Pico as one of the most physically devastating sparring partners he ever witnessed, with partners routinely leaving with broken ribs and orbital bones. Multiple training partners refused to continue sparring with Pico even for payment, and many simply stopped returning to the gym. The situation became so extreme that Pico began traveling to other gyms to find willing partners, eventually beginning to train in Morocco where local partners are flown in for him. Pico's relationship with fellow Jackson Wink standout Steve Garcia deteriorated after Pico injured him multiple times, leading the two to train separately.
Former Jackson-Wink general manager Mikhail Lyubimov has gone on record describing Aaron Pico as one of the most physically punishing sparring partners he ever witnessed during his time at the renowned Albuquerque gym, with the damage inflicted on training partners reaching a level that eventually forced Pico to seek partners elsewhere.
Lyubimov detailed a pattern in which sparring partners regularly walked away from sessions with Pico suffering broken ribs and fractured orbital bones. The situation escalated to the point where multiple partners declined to continue sparring with him even when offered financial compensation, and many simply stopped coming back to the gym altogether. Pico eventually had to travel to other facilities to find willing partners and has since begun training in Morocco, where sparring partners are flown in specifically to work with him.
Pico, 29, carries a 14-5 professional record and competes out of Jackson-Wink MMA. The American stands five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. His takedown rate of 8.96 per 15 minutes underscores a physically dominant wrestling game that, combined with his striking output of 3.88 significant strikes per minute, makes him a handful at any level of competition.
The fallout also touched his relationship with Jackson-Wink teammate Steve Garcia. According to Lyubimov, Pico injured Garcia on multiple occasions, and the two eventually separated their training routines as a result. Garcia, nicknamed "Mean Machine," is a 34-year-old southpaw with a 19-6 record. Standing six feet tall with a 75-inch reach, he is one of the more active strikers on the roster, landing 5.39 significant strikes per minute at a 49 percent accuracy rate.
Why it matters
- The account raises questions about long-term training sustainability for Pico given his difficulty retaining sparring partners
- The rift with Garcia affects the internal dynamic at one of MMA's most prominent gyms
- Pico's relocation of training camps to Morocco signals a significant logistical shift in his fight preparation
