Former Bellator star Aaron Pico has signed with the UFC, as he revealed in a social media post this week.
Pico (13-4) was a decorated amateur boxer and freestyle wrestler before transitioning to MMA. He made his professional debut in the Bellator cage back in 2017.
Every fight of his career to date has taken place under the Bellator/PFL banner. However, after securing his release from his PFL contract, the Jackson-Wink MMA standout announced that he will be competing in the UFC's featherweight division moving forward.
“After years of hard work, dedication, and unwavering belief, I’ve officially signed with the UFC!” Pico wrote 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 managerAli Abdelaziz, 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.”
It had been speculated earlier this week that Pico would be facing unbeaten contender Movsar Evloev (19-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) at the UFC Apex on May 17th, and while that fight isn't happening, it seems the fight was certainly being discussed behind the scenes.
"Yeah, it was real", Pico said during an interview with MMA Junkie on Wednesday. "I mean, I got a phone call from (Pico's manager) Ali saying, 'Hey, can you fight April 17th?' And I said, 'Of course'. And then I just said, 'Who am I fighting against?' And he said, 'Movsar', and I said, 'Of course, that's a great fight for me...you know, I don't think he knows how good my wrestling is'. And he said, 'OK, I agree too'.
"So I don't know. It was pretty close. I was a little bit surprised, but ultimately it's not happening. But it was a good sign that they were entertaining the idea of fighting a guy so highly ranked. For him, it was kind of hard because, you know, he's number four. I'm just coming in. I can understand why he probably got advice not to ultimately take it. But he did say yes, but I'm sure he got with his team and they said, 'What are you doing? Just wait.' So nothing but respect".
