Earlier this week, Bellator announced a featherweight grand prix that will tip off at Bellator 226 this September, with 16 of the promotion’s best featherweights featured in the tournament. One of the biggest names in the promotion, Aaron Pico was conspicuously or inconspicuously, depending your perspective, absent from the tournament.

For those who did not notice the omission, it is likely because they are well aware that the man is 4-3 in his professional career and has lost two consecutive fights, by TKO/KO at that. But for others who wonder why Aaron Pico was not given a chance to redeem himself in this tournament, Bellator President Scott Coker recognizes that now is the time to pump the brakes and manage Pico’s career development more gradually, a decision many believe is being made belatedly:

“With Aaron, we’re going to meet with his manager either this weekend or next week.", Coker said during a recent media scrum. “I always felt like after his last fight in New York, let’s take a beat back. He’s a great kid. We have a lot of respect for him.

“We think he’s going to still come back and be great, but I think it’s time to take a beat,” Coker said. “Let him train and let him get through this process. He would be fighting as early as Sept. 7 in eight weeks coming off that fight in New York. I think he’ll be back, it’s just a matter of time.”