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#4. Bellator MMA's Aaron Pico
Even before Aaron Pico was signed to become a pro, he was already being pegged as the next big thing in the sport. Some saw him as the "next Jon Jones," and looking at his high school credentials, it's easy to see why. If you go into a lab and create the perfect athlete out of the best martial arts for MMA, you get Aaron Pico.
Pico was an Olympic Freestyle Wrestling Team Trials silver medalist, two-time junior world championship medalist, and a multi-time national and international champion. When it comes to wrestling, Pico is at the top of the food chain. Not only that, but the teenage sensation was also a national Junior Golden Gloves champion boxer and a national and international Pankration champion. The kid was such a hot prospect that he made a multi-year deal with Nike even before signing his first pro MMA contract.
At 18, Pico signed an unprecedented long-term contract with Bellator and its parent company Viacom as a blue-chip prospect. Alas, the surging featherweight couldn't live up to his initial hype as he got dropped and choked out in his pro debut in 2017.
Not to be deterred, the American prodigy bounced back with four straight wins (all by knockouts). After back-to-back losses in 2019, the now-25-year old Pico is on a five-fight winning streak and could be next in line for the title.
By learning from his past mistakes and understanding the sport's nuances on a more holistic level, Pico could finally live up to the hype that may have put unnecessary pressure on him as a teen. With that said, 2022 might be the year of Aaron Pico.
#3. Asian MMA sensation Christian Lee
At 17, Christian 'The Warrior' Lee signed with Asian MMA giant ONE Championship and ran roughshod in its lightweight division. Yes, you read that right. Lee was barely an adult when he started fighting for one of the biggest MMA promotions in the world and compiled a 5-0 record in his first year.
He didn't start with the smaller, regional circuit. Lee went straight to the big leagues. After compiling a 9-1 record, the then-19-year-old Lee challenged Martin Nguyen for ONE's 155-pound strap but came up short via split decision.
Almost exactly a year after that loss, Lee went up a weight class and won the lightweight (170lbs) belt by knocking out MMA legend Shinya Aoki inside two rounds. At just 20 years old, Lee became the youngest male athlete to win a major MMA world title. His combination of frantic, fast-paced grappling, powerful straight punches and looping right hands has allowed him to finish 14 of his 15 wins either by KO or submission.
At the tender age of 23, Lee has achieved more than most fighters could ever dream of in their entire careers. Who knows what else this young world champion is capable of doing. Something tells us he will be drenched with more gold.
