After months of pushing for his release, former Bellator standout Aaron Pico has officially left the PFL and landed a new home in the UFC.
The move didn’t come as much of a surprise. Following the PFL’s announcement of Bellator’s dissolution, several fighters have been released, and Pico was among those granted an exit. Wasting no time, the 28-year-old quickly secured a UFC contract, marking a major step forward in his MMA career.
Pico has long been considered one of the brightest prospects to transition into MMA. With an elite background in wrestling and boxing, he signed with Bellator while still in his teens. At the time, he was pursuing Olympic wrestling, narrowly missing a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic team before turning his full focus to mixed martial arts. His debut, however, didn’t go as planned, as he suffered a loss in his first professional bout.
Luckily, Pico bounced back by teaming up with renowned coaches Brandon Gibson and Greg Jackson, leading to a dominant 9–1 run over his next 10 fights across Bellator and the PFL. He second loss came in a bout against Jeremy Kennedy, where Pico suffered a freak shoulder injury that forced a first-round stoppage. Undeterred, he returned stronger than ever, stringing together three more wins, including a statement knockout over Henry Corrales in early 2024.
“After years of hard work, dedication, and unwavering belief, I’ve officially signed with the @UFC!” Pico announced on Instagram. “This is more than just a dream come true; it’s the beginning of a new chapter. Thank you to my family, my manager @aliabdelaziz, coaches, training partners, and everyone who has supported me on this journey. Your belief in me has fueled my fire. The ultimate goal? To become the UFC champion. I’m ready to work harder than ever before to make that a reality.”
Pico enters the UFC with a three-fight winning streak over James Gonzalez, Pedro Carvalho, and Corrales and plans to make a name for himself in the UFC, although a debut date has yet to be announced.
