Aaron Pico has signed with the UFC.
The former Bellator standout Pico (13-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has spent recent months campaigning for a full release from the PFL so he could make his way to the octagon. He’s now struck a deal, his manager Ali Abdelaziz, of Dominance MMA, confirmed Tuesday with MMA Junkie after an initial report by ESPN.
Pico, 28, has long been an combat sports prodigy. Before he even stepped into an MMA cage, Pico had a decorated resume of accomplishments. Accompanying a host of national and international wrestling competition, Pico was a golden gloves boxing and PAL champion.
His highly-anticipated MMA debut in June 2017 was a 24-second submission loss to Zach Freeman. Despite the early stumble in the bright lights, Pico rebounded with four consecutive brutal knockouts before he was finished in a wild affair by Henry Corrales. A loss to Adam Borics set him back further.
After the Borics loss, however, Pico turned a corner. He won nine fights out of 10, with the lone loss a shoulder injury suffered against Jeremy Kennedy.
Pico enters the UFC on a three-fight winning streak consisting of victories over James Gonzalez, Pedro Carvalho, and Corrales. He will look to shake up the 145-pound title picture in his first octagon appearance. It’s unknown when his debut will be. The American hasn’t competed since the first-round TKO of Corrales in February 2024, and has just two professional bouts in the past two years.
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