The coach of Consensus Goat Jon Jones has a lot of praise for one of his hunters who arrive at MMA's largest stage at UFC 319.
After he had completed a stint of two weeks in the Apex on Saturday with the dominant victory of Anthony Hernandez on Roman Dolidze on UFC Vegas 109 on Saturday, the Octagon goes to Chicago for the latest pay-per-view of the promotion.
UFC 319 is covered by Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev's title collision, but a number of intriguing and important matchups are also planned for the Undercard.
In particular, the stage for the main event of the middleweight championship will be an important co-headliner with 145 pounds between Lerone Murphy and Aaron Pico. The last debut in the UFC after he has made his name as a Bellator -striking.
Pico is highly regarded by many, no longer by the trainer of him and Jones …
The coach of Jon Jones calls Aaron Pico the 'most disciplined athlete' with which he has ever worked
After the planned debut of Pico against Movsar Evloev fell from the ABU DHABI card in July, the UFC wasted little time in booking the American featherweight for the 16 August numbered event in the 'Windy City'.
He will be confronted with a heavy test in his first assignment, because Pico meets a puzzle that nobody has worked out in the unbeaten Murphy. But the team of the former caller candidate is trust in their husbands, who was mentioned in one specific area in one specific area by coach Brandon Gibson while talking to Mike Owens for Inside Fighting.
“Probably the most disciplined athlete I have ever trained,” said Gibson, who coached Jones, Carlos Condit, John Dodson, Cub Swanson, Tim Kennedy and Alistair Overeem
“You know, I have trained a lot of UFC Hall of Famers, so that's – it's not a small explanation.
“He is just an impressive young man,” Gibson continued. “His ability to stay focused for this duration, to stay focused on his goal, it is really impressive.
“He is a well -completed striker, great wrestler, great grappler, and we have just kept cleaning all those areas.”
Aaron Pico tipped to become UFC champion if he beats Lerone Murphy
Despite calls for EVLOEV to get the next recording and a potential title eliminator between Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho in Paris, a former two-division UFC champion elsewhere is looking for the next challenger of Alexander Volkanovski.
Henry Cejudo believes that the winner of the Co-Main event of UFC 319 should get a chance. And more than that, Cejudo tips Pico or Murphy to escape Volkanovski along the line.
“The winner of this fight is going to fight Alexander Volkanovski, and I also feel that the winner of this fight will be our next champion,” said Cejudo on his 4 pounds next to Kamaru Usman.
“All the respect for people, but guy, these young weapons. Lerone Murphy is fighting Aaron Pico. Aaron Pico is in his F-Prime, Bro. Power, struggling; he has been a manchild since he was a child, competing at the highest level while he was in high school, throbbing world champion.
“And then Lerone Murphy, which he was able to do with many of these hunters, man,” Cejudo continued. “Unbeaten, very difficult, brings a lot of struggling into; he is different, he is like Merab (Dvalishvili).”