UFC 333: Aaron Pico vs Losene Keita Preview & Prediction
by Owen Liao ·
A featherweight firefight between a former Bellator and Okatgon champion at UFC 333, Aaron Pico looks to build on his breakthrough win over Patricio Pitbull against the explosive Belgian KO artist Losene Keita.
Aaron Pico vs Losene Keita facts
What time are Aaron Pico and Losene Keita expected to walk out?
Where is UFC 333: Volkanovski vs Evloev? Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Where can I get tickets for UFC 333: Volkanovski vs Evloev? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC 333
What TV channel is UFC 333: Volkanovski vs Evloev on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount
Where can I stream UFC 333: Volkanovski vs Evloev? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC 333: Volkanovski vs Evloev main card
Alexander Volkanovski vs Movsar Evloev (Featherweight)
Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili (Bantamweight)
Lone’er Kavanagh vs Ramazan Temirov (Flyweight)
Alexander Volkov vs Rizvan Kuniev (Heavyweight)
Aaron Pico vs Losene Keita (Featherweight)
UFC 333: Volkanovski vs Evloev prelims
Azamat Murzakanov vs Dominick Reyes (Light Heavyweight)
Nikita Krylov vs Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev (Light Heavyweight)
Abusupiyan Magomedov vs Cameron Rowston (Middleweight)
Grant Dawson vs Nurullo Aliev (Lightweight)
Colby Thicknesse vs Asaf Chopurov (Bantamweight)
Abubakar Vagaev vs Jacob Malkoun (Middleweight)
Bolaji Oki vs Daniel Santos (Lightweight)
Kody Steele vs Noah Gugnon (Lightweight)
Iasmin Lucindo vs Nicolle Caliari (Women’s Strawweight)
Aaron Pico: Supremely talented, dangerously fragile
Aaron Pico (14-5) arrived in combat sports with enormous expectations and the talent to match, but his UFC run started badly. Lerone Murphy knocked him out on debut, catching him coming forward recklessly with poor defensive awareness and his feet crossed with a spinning elbow. He rebounded in April with the best performance of his career, dominating Patricio Pitbull over the later rounds once he’d figured him out and taking a clear unanimous decision. Pico is powerful and aggressive early, throws with bad intentions and cuts the cage off well. His boxing is sharp and high-volume, and he mixes to the body nicely. He also has excellent wrestling to fall back on. The problem is the glass chin.
Losene Keita: “Black Panther” loading up for another highlight
Losene Keita (17-2) is a coiled spring who stalks opponents before exploding with devastating counters. The former two-division Oktagon champion dropped a split decision to Nathaniel Wood on his UFC debut in March, then bounced back with a first-round knockout of Muhammad Naimov in Paris. He dropped Naimov with a jab before putting him out with a looping right hand. Keita carries raw power, is at his most dangerous with opponents backed onto the fence, and keeps his volume low, picking his moments rather than sustaining output. He fights from a wide stance with his front foot planted, and his power can fade later on. Regional opponents have dragged him to decisions before.
Aaron Pico vs Losene Keita prediction
This fight could go either way, and the betting reflects that, with the two priced almost dead even. Both men like to fight on the front foot and neither will want to give up ground. That means somebody’s chin is getting tested.
Keita’s best chance is catching Pico in the first two rounds with something explosive, like a leaping hook or a straight on Pico’s entry. Pico’s habit of digging the left hook to the body could also open him up for a counter offer to the chin. Wood survived Keita’s power for fifteen minutes, but Wood has a much sturdier chin than Pico, who has shown he can be put away.
If Pico fights smart, he wins this convincingly. He holds a clear edge in wrestling, and the blueprint is obvious – wrestle early, make Keita burn energy getting back up, then switch to boxing later once Keita’s mind is on the takedowns. Keita’s wide, planted stance should also leave his lead leg open, though Pico is predominantly a boxer on the feet. Keita isn’t the most technical fighter. He relies on the knockout, and Naimov isn’t on Pico’s level.
The worry is that Pico leans too heavily on his boxing early and walks straight onto something. I can see Keita making him pay before the wrestling ever becomes a factor.
Prediction: Losene Keita to win by KO/TKO in round one
Upcoming Events
Abubakar Vagaev vs Jacob Malkoun (UFC 333)
Grant Dawson vs Nurullo Aliev (UFC 333)
Abusupiyan Magomedov vs Cameron Rowston (UFC 333)
Nikita Krylov vs Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev (UFC 333)
Azamat Murzakanov vs Dominick Reyes (UFC 333)
Aaron Pico vs Losene Keita (UFC 333)
Alexander Volkov vs Rizvan Kuniev (UFC 333)
