Nikolai Kiosse, who has sparred with both Petr Yan and Aaron Pico, described the two fighters as being on completely different levels. He noted that Pico's distance-closing is readable and predictable, pointing to the stepping pattern that Cody Murphy exploited with an elbow — a movement Kiosse believes Pico picked up from training with TJ Dillashaw. By contrast, Kiosse praised Yan as a uniquely gifted fighter, highlighting his seamless footwork, defensive wrestling, and ability to continuously chain attacks after committing, referencing his performances against Cory Sandhagen and Merab Dvalishvili as prime examples.
A sparring partner who has shared the gym with both Petr Yan and Aaron Pico has offered a stark assessment of the two fighters, describing them as operating on entirely different levels.
Nikolai Kiosse, who has trained alongside both men, offered the comparison in a recent interview. He pointed to Pico's distance-closing as a specific technical weakness, calling the movement readable and predictable. Kiosse identified the stepping pattern that Cody Murphy exploited with an elbow as a habit Pico may have absorbed from training with TJ Dillashaw. The implication was that a borrowed technique, poorly integrated, has become a liability.
Pico, 29, carries a 14-5 record and competes for the American fighter out of Jackson-Wink MMA. Standing five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach, he is a prolific takedown threat, averaging 8.96 takedowns per 15 minutes, though his striking accuracy sits at 44 percent and he generates 3.88 significant strikes per minute.
Yan drew far warmer words from Kiosse, who highlighted the former bantamweight champion's footwork, defensive wrestling, and capacity to chain attacks together without losing position. Kiosse cited Yan's performances against Cory Sandhagen and Merab Dvalishvili as the clearest evidence of those qualities in action.
Sandhagen, who appears in the matchup landscape at bantamweight, holds an 18-6 record and is currently ranked third in the division at 34 years old. He averages 4.86 significant strikes per minute — one of the higher output figures in the weight class — which makes Yan's defensive composure against him all the more notable in Kiosse's framing.
Why it matters
- Kiosse's critique puts a specific technical flaw on record for Pico ahead of any future high-level matchups
- Yan's praise centers on attributes — chain wrestling defense, continuous offense — that matter most at championship level in bantamweight
- The comparison, coming from someone with direct sparring experience, carries more weight than outside analysis alone
