Aaron Pico
| Aaron Pico | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Pico in 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | September 23, 1996 Whittier, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 145 lb (66 kg; 10.4 st) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Division | Lightweight (155 lbs) (2017) Featherweight (145 lbs) (2017–present) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reach | 70+1⁄2 in (179 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Style | Wrestling, Boxing, Pankration | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fighting out of | Whittier, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | American Kickboxing Academy (2014–2017)[1] The Body Shop MMA (2017–2019)[1] Jackson Wink MMA Academy (2019–present)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trainer | Greg Jackson (Head Coach) Valentin Kalika, Sazhid Sazhidov (formerly) (Wrestling) Sam Calavitta (Strength and Conditioning) Roberto Alencar (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) Freddie Roach (Boxing) Brandon Gibson (MMA trainer) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | Blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Roberto Alencar[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wrestling | Freestyle wrestling[4] Greco-Roman wrestling[5] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 2017–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mixed martial arts record | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wins | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By knockout | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By submission | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By decision | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Losses | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By knockout | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By submission | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Aaron Pico (born September 23, 1996) is an American mixed martial artist and freestyle wrestler. He currently competes in the featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Pico started out his career in Bellator MMA, where he fought his first 17 bouts.[6] As of September 19, 2026, he is #14 in the Meta UFC featherweight rankings.[7]
He is currently signed to the Lightweight division of Real American Freestyle (RAF).[8] In freestyle wrestling, Pico competed at 65 kilograms, where he was notably an Olympic alternate in 2016, as well as a U17 World champion in 2013.[9]
Early life
[edit]Pico was born September 23, 1996, in Whittier, California. He is a seventh-generation Californio and a member of the Pico family of California, as great-great-great-great-grandson of Pío Pico, the last governor of California under Mexico rule and the 10th Governor of Alta California.[10] Pico started wrestling at the age of four, and competed in multiple other combat sports.[11] At age ten, he began boxing and competing in Pankration tournaments.[11]
Wrestling career
[edit]High school
[edit]During his freshman year of high school, Pico capped off a perfect 42–0 season at St. John Bosco High School and won the CIF state championship at 132 pounds.[12][13] Afterwards, Pico would compete in freestyle, claiming the U17 World title at 63 kilograms over Japan in the title match.[14] He made his senior freestyle debut at age 18, defeating Alibeggadzhi Emeev in a lopsided decision in a dual meet against Russia.[15]
The top-ranked high school wrestler in the country in 2014, he signed major endorsement contracts with Dethrone Royalty, an MMA lifestyle apparel company, and a multi-year shoe endorsement with Nike, Inc., turning into a professional athlete and making him ineligible to compete in collegiate wrestling under NCAA rules.[16] Pico stated he intended to focus solely in freestyle to continue a mixed martial arts career after a 2016 Olympic run, foregoing further education.[17] Before his MMA debut, Pico explained:[18]
"I always had it in mind that I would be an MMA fighter. I'm not going to waste my time with four, five years of college and get my MMA career started. I said I'm going to be in MMA so, I want to try and make this Olympic team, win a gold and then become a MMA fighter."
Post-high school career
[edit]2014
[edit]In 2014, Pico claimed the U20 US National Championship in April by defeating Penn State's Zain Retherford in the finals, and went on to defeat him two more times in June for the U20 US World Team spot.[19]
In July, Pico competed in the senior level, claiming a silver medal from the Grand Prix of Spain, only falling to World medalist from Italy Frank Chamizo.[20] In August, he competed at the U20 World Championships, where he notably defeated Daichi Takatani from Japan in the first round, and went on to defeat four more foreign opponents by technical fall before facing eventual 2016 Olympic Gold medalist from Iran Hassan Yazdani, whom he lost to on points.[21]
In October, Pico placed third at the prestigious Soslan Andiev International in Russia.[20] In November, he claimed his first senior level gold medal, winning the Henri Deglane Grand Prix, earning the biggest win of his career over 2013 World Champion from Armenia David Safaryan in the finals.[22]
2015
[edit]To start off the year, he competed at the Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin in January, placing 21st after a first-round loss to Akhmed Chakaev.[23] In February, he claimed the Cerro Pelado International title, defeating Pan American champions from Cuba Franklin Marén and Alejandro Valdés, as well as two-time US World Team Member Reece Humphrey.[24]
In April, Pico fell to Dan Hodge Trophy winner Brent Metcalf in a dual meet against Iowa.[25] He then went back to the U20 level to claim the US National Championship in May and the US World Team spot in June, defeating Zain Retherford three times in the process.[26] In August, Pico placed third at the U20 World Championships, bringing a bronze medal to the United States.[27]
Back to the senior level, Pico placed fifth at the Intercontinental Cup, third at the Bill Farrell International and fourth at the US National Championships (qualifying for the 2016 US Olympic Team Trials) before the year ended.[28][29]
2016
[edit]To open up the year, Pico moved up to 70 kilograms for two tournaments, placing fifth at the Ukrainian International Open and third at the Alexander Medved Prizes, compiling notable victories over three-time NCAA DIII champion Nazar Kulchytskyy, 2010 Asian Games Gold medalist from Mongolia Ganzorigiin Mandakhnaran and 2015 U23 European Continental medalist from Belarus Andrei Karpach.[30][31]
At the US Olympic Team Trials, Pico defeated 2010 NCAA champion Jason Ness, two-time NCAA champion and US National finalist Jordan Oliver and three-time US National champion Reece Humphrey to make the best-of-three finals, where he would face reigning Pan American champion and 2012 NCAA champion Frank Molinaro, whom he was 2–1 against.[32] After defeating Molinaro first round, Pico was defeated twice in closely-scored matches, losing in the best-of-three format and becoming the alternate.[33] This was Pico's last wrestling match before transitioning into MMA.[34]
2026
[edit]Pico signed with Real American Freestyle (RAF) on April 30, 2026.[8]
He defeated Lance Palmer by technical fall at RAF 10 on June 13, 2026.[35]
Boxing and pankration
[edit]In addition to wrestling, Pico also competed in boxing and Pankration. Pico won the national PAL championship in 2008 and was national Junior Golden Gloves champion in 2009, he won 'most outstanding boxer' at both tournaments. In Pankration, Pico also was a national champion in 2008. In addition, Pico went to Ukraine in 2010, and won the golden cup European Pankration championship. During this time Pico also won the California state championships in both sports.[36]
Mixed martial arts career
[edit]Pico signed an endorsement contract with Dethrone Royalty[when?], an MMA lifestyle apparel company owned by Nick Swinmurn, founder of Zappos and ownership partner of the Golden State Warriors.[citation needed]
In April 2014, Aaron signed a multi-year shoe endorsement with Nike.[16][37]
Bellator MMA
[edit]In early November 2014, Aaron signed a long term unprecedented contract with MMA promoter Bellator MMA and its parent company Viacom, as their new blue chip prospect.[38] Bellator MMA President, Scott Coker stated, "Simply put, Aaron has all the makings of MMA's next great superstar, and to have him here at Bellator MMA is something special. Like many of us in the MMA community, Aaron is someone we've been watching closely over the last few years, and after sitting down with Bob Cook and his team, getting a chance to meet Aaron, and hearing his long-term aspirations, the fit became very obvious."[39]
Pico made his professional MMA debut at Bellator NYC on June 24, 2017, at the Madison Square Garden. He lost to Zach Freeman via submission just 24 seconds into the first round in an upset.[40]
After his upset loss to Freeman, Pico moved down to the featherweight division and faced Justin Linn at Bellator 183 on September 23, 2017.[41] He won the fight via knockout in the first round.
Pico faced Shane Krutchen at Bellator 192 on January 20, 2018.[42] He won the fight via TKO in the first round.[43] with a brutal left to Krutchen's body.[44]
Pico faced Lee Morrison at Bellator 199 on May 12, 2018.[45] He won the fight via TKO in the first round.[46]
Pico faced Leandro Higo at