Bellator NYC results: Huge underdog Zach Freeman chokes out Aaron Pico in 24 seconds

Heavily-hyped Aaron Pico is still a work in progress.

Zach Freeman (9-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) brought that fact into stark relief with an uppercut and guillotine choke that had Pico (0-1 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) tapping quick.

The lightweight bout opened up the main card of today’s Bellator NYC event at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It aired on pay-per-view following the Bellator 180 card on Spike with prelims on MMAjunkie.

It was over just 24 seconds into the fight when Pico tapped and briefly went unconscious as Freeman modified his choke and squeezed with a D’Arce.

Pico handed him the opportunity. Perhaps anxious to put a knockout on the board after promising one at the event’s weigh-ins, Pico immediately closed the distance and fired off an overhand right. Unfortunately for him, Freeman beat him to the punch with an uppercut.

Pico’s knees buckled and Freeman grabbed the neck. Pico tried to get free, but was quickly forced to tap.

The 33-year-old Freeman, who’d been 1-2 in his previous three outings, scores a huge upset. Pico, 20, goes back to the drawing board having learned a painful lesson.

Up-to-the-minute Bellator NYC results include:

• Zach Freeman def. Aaron Pico via submission (D’Arce choke) – Round 1, 0:24
• Douglas Lima def. Lorenz Larkin via unanimous decision (50-45, 48-47, 48-47) – to retain welterweight title
• Ryan Bader def. Phil Davis via split decision (49-46, 47-48, 49-46) – to win light heavyweight title
• James Gallagher def. Chinzo Machida via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:22
• Heather Hardy def. Alice Yauger via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 4:47
• Ryan Couture def. Haim Gozali via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
• Bradley Desir def. Nate Grebb via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 2:54
• Anthony Giacchina def. Jerome Mickle via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 3:40
• Matt Rizzo def. Sergio da Silva via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 3, 3:48
• Hugh McKenna def. John Salgado via submission (kimura) – Round 1, 4:06

For complete coverage of Bellator NYC and Bellator 180, check out the MMA Events section of the site.

(MMAjunkie’s Matt Erickson and Mike Bohn contributed to this report on site in New York.)