Miami — If you don’t know Aaron Pico yet, do yourself a favor and get acquainted with the talented featherweight.
Pico (13-4) was a big signing for the now defunct Bellator MMA when he inked a deal with the promotion back in 2017. A freestyle wrestler who went to the U.S. Olympic Trials, as well as a Golden Gloves boxing champ, the California-born talent (he’s in New Mexico these days, training with Jackson-Wink) looked like the complete package: stifling on the mat, deadly on the feet, and well-spoken on the mic.
Pico might have stumbled out of the gate, losing his first pro fight, but he became exactly the stud Bellator talent scouts believed he would be. He spent his entire career there, his final appearance coming at the PFL Champions vs. Bellator Champions show in 2024. A title shot against Patricio Pitbull should have followed, but never materialized. Both are now fighting for the UFC.
Despite his talent, and perhaps in part due to his soft-spoken nature, Pico has flown under the radar with fans who still think the sport of mixed martial arts is abbreviated UFC. Hence the promotion introducing him at a Q&A in Miami on Friday, where Pico made a bold prediction.
“I think I can be champion within a year,” stated Pico. “I truly feel it. Ask Freddie Roach. Ask Miguel Cotto. Ask Jose Ramirez, Ryan Garcia. They all know I can box. [Ilia] Topuria has really really good hands, but I don’t think it’s at my level if I’m just being completely honest.”
Known for his devastating body shots, Pico is a welcome addition to the UFC’s 145lb ranks. The question now is, who will he debut against? Talk of a fight with Movsar Evloev was real, Pico confirmed on Friday, with both men agreeing to the fight. When Jon Anik suggested Evloev was neither ready nor willing to take the fight, Pico revealed that the Russian had been on board.
“Both Movsar and I agreed to fight, and he’s a very good fighter. I was really excited for that. A lot of people don’t realize, I grew up wrestling. I spent a lot of time in Dagestan and Chechnya, all over the world wrestling. I was ready to fight Movsar and it didn’t happen for whatever reason, but hopefully in the near future I can fight.”
Despite his loyalty to Bellator (which, if we’re being honest, might have ended with the exit of Scott Coker and the purchase of the promotion by the PFL), Pico also revealed that he always had a desire to sign on with the UFC.
“The end goal was always to be in the UFC. I think for any fighter starting out, this is where they want to end up. They’ve got the best fans in the world. Just look around at everybody here,” said Pico. “I’m just so excited to have the platform to show I’m the best fighter in the world. You guys are in for a treat. Let’s get something booked real soon.”
Watch Aaron Pico’s full UFC Q&A session above.
