Chris Weidman wants to see Tommy McMillen get a big step up in competition after UFC Fight Night 281.
McMillen (11-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) earned another $100,000 bonus after finishing Alberto Montes by third-round TKO this past Saturday at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. Michael Bisping dubbed the 28-year-old a future star after he broke Nate Diaz’s record for most significant strikes landed in a three-round fight.
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Weidman sees no incentive in McMillen fighting another name like Montes (12-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) and wants him tested against a more experienced opponent with name value.
“I would like to see him fight Aaron Pico,” Weidman said on “Deep Waters.” “I think you throw a guy like this into the fire because Aaron Pico is not the best at controlling with takedowns. He’s got nasty standup, but his chin is a little suspect. This guy is going to walk down Aaron Pico, who usually walks other people down, and if he does get taken down, he’s right back to his feet in his face again.
“I could see it being potentially a really good fight, and I think with this guy because he’s already got the stardom, he’s going to put himself in the fight every single time. Why not put him against big names? Because he’s going to have a chance to lose on the prelims against these up-and-comers anyway. Put him against big-name guys and throw him into the fire right away because he’s not afraid to get punched. He’s going to fight his fight regardless of who he’s in there with. If he’s going to lose, let it be against a good guy.”
Pico (14-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC) once was one of the most highly touted prospects in MMA. He didn’t quite live up to that hype after going through some ebbs and flows in his career, but he managed to notch his first octagon win after defeating former Bellator champion Patricio Freire at UFC 327.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Chris Weidman suggests Tommy McMillen fight a big name next
