Tag: Aaron Pico

Aaron Pico: Diego Lopes ‘looked very sloppy’ in UFC 314 title loss to Alexander Volkanovski

Aaron Pico credits Diego Lopes for his toughness, but expected more out of him at UFC 314.

[autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] credits [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag] for his toughness, but expected more out of him at UFC 314.

Lopes (27-6 MMA, 6-1 UFC) lost a unanimous decision to Alexander Volkanovski (27-5 MMA, 14-4 UFC) in their vacant featherweight title fight, which headlined Saturday’s event at Kaseya Center in Miami.

“Now that the fight is over with, he just showed that he’s very, very tough,” Pico told Submission Radio on Lopes. “He has a great chin, but I’ll just be very blunt: I think he looked very sloppy. I don’t think it was his best performance, but what I took away from it – he’s got a granite of a chin, and he just keeps coming forward.”

Pico admits he initially picked Lopes to win, and was surprised with Volkanovski’s performance.

“I mean, he proved me wrong, to be honest with you,” Pico said. “I was saying before the fight I thought Diego Lopes was going to win. Alexander Volkanovski is not old, but in MMA years, he’s getting on the older side. But he just proved that age is just a number, and he’s getting better. And on the flip side, I got to see him live and study him as best as I can, and he’s a very good fighter. I look to fight him one day, and it would be an honor.”

As Pico looks to contend for the UFC title someday, the former Bellator standout is still eyeing Brian Ortega for his debut fight – a fight he sees making perfect sense.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.

MMA Junkie Radio #3557: UFC 314 fallout, PFL guest Impa Kasanganay, more

Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”

Monday’s episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.

On Episode 3,557, the fellas welcome in guest [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag], the 2023 PFL middleweight champion who goes after a second title starting this week. Plus, they look back at the biggest results from Miami, where UFC 314 went down. The lads also discuss the UFC’s broadcast situation, preview this week’s PFL event and more. Tune in!

MMA Junkie Radio #3556: UFC 314 preview, PFL preview, Aaron Pico signs with the UFC, more

Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”

Thursday’s episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.

On Episode 3,556, the guys preview the big pay-per-view event going down in Miami, UFC 314. The fellas also discuss 2025 PFL World Tournament 2 also taking place in Florida and talk other big news such as [autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag]’s signing with the UFC. Tune in!

‘Aaron Pico’s a problem’: UFC 314 featherweights react to newest addition to division

The six prominent featherweights at UFC 314 media day had only positive reviews of Aaron Pico joining the division.

The news of [autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] joining the UFC was not lost on prominent featherweights.

Saturday’s UFC 314 features Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes fighting for the vacant divisional title, as well as another key matchup at 145 pounds, including Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva, Yair Rodriguez vs. Patricio Freire, and Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson.

Just days prior to the event, former Bellator standout Pico was confirmed to have signed a contract to join the UFC roster, and told MMA Junkie in his first interview afterward that he is eager to face all the elite in the weight class, and hear what they have to say about his signing.

The reviews were overwhelmingly positive, with Volkanovski, Lopes, Mitchell, Silva, Rodriguez and Freire all sharing positive reviews about him coming in, and Silva event describing him as “a problem” for everyone.

Check out the video above to hear all the UFC 314 featherweights react to Pico’s signing.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.

Now signed to UFC, Aaron Pico reveals just how close he came to fighting Movsar Evloev

Aaron Pico confirmed that he was indeed in talks to face Movsar Evloev in his UFC debut, and it was “pretty close” to coming to fruition.

[autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] confirmed that he was indeed in talks to fight top featherweight contender [autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag] in his UFC debut.

The former Bellator featherweight got his wish of signing with the UFC after spending months campaigning for a full release from the PFL. Prior to his UFC signing becoming public, Pico was linked to a matchup with Evloev in the UFC Fight Night 256 headliner May 17 at The UFC Apex (ESPN+), which Evloev also hinted at.

Pico (13-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) addressed those rumors.

“Yeah, it was real,” Pico told MMA Junkie. “I mean, I got a phone call from Ali (Abdelaziz) saying, ‘Hi, can you fight on May 17?’ And I said, ‘Of course.’ And then I just said, ‘Who am I fighting against?’ He said, ‘Movsar.’ And I said, ‘Of course. That’s a great fight for me. I don’t think he knows how good my wrestling is.’ And he said, ‘OK, Movsar agreed, too.’ So, I don’t know. It was pretty close.”

Pico understands why Evloev backed out

The fight with Evloev (19-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) didn’t end up materializing but Pico understands why.

“I was a little bit surprised, but ultimately it’s not happening,” Pico said. “But it was a good sign that they were entertaining the idea of (me) fighting a guy so highly ranked. For him, it was kind of hard because he’s No. 4, and I’m just coming in.

“I can understand why he probably got advised not to ultimately take it, but he did say yes. I’m sure he got in with his team, and they said, ‘What are you doing? Just wait.’ So, nothing but respect.”

Pico shifts attention to two top-10 UFC featherweights

Instead, Pico has shifted his focus to two other featherweight contenders he hopes to draw in his octagon debut.

“I’m looking at it like this: I was supposed to fight Movsar. Who is he supposed to fight and who has he fought last?” Pico said. “He fought Aljamain (Sterling) last. Let’s fight Aljamain. I believe he was supposed to fight Brian Ortega, don’t quote me on that, (but) if Brian Ortgea’s ready to go, then let’s fight. That’s how you make money.”

Ortega is No. 6 in the official UFC rankings, while former bantamweight champ Sterling is No. 9 at 145 pounds.

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UFC signs Aaron Pico after PFL departure

Former Bellator star Aaron Pico is officially headed to the UFC, according to manager Ali Abdelaziz.

(Editor’s note: This story was updated with Pico’s statement at 7:20 p.m. ET)

[autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] 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.

“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 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.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DINBQIOp4pn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 256.

Free agent frenzy: Where should Holly Holm, Patricio ‘Pitbull,’ Aaron Pico go next?

Big names Holly Holm, Patricio ‘Pitbull,’ and Aaron Pico have hit the free agent market. We discuss their future on “Spinning Back Clique.”

Well, the free agent market in MMA is the hottest it’s been for a while.

Some big names, including two former champions from major organizations, are no longer under contract with their respective promotions and are looking to continue their fighting careers elsewhere.

Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] has been granted her release from the UFC and is looking to return to boxing while also continuing MMA. Former two-division Bellator champion [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] has also been granted his release and is no longer with PFL. Lastly, [autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag], a top contender at featherweight and considered, at one point, as the best prospect in MMA, is also no longer competing under the PFL banner.

Who should these big names sign with? How much value do they still hold in the sport?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Mike Bohn, Danny Segura and host Gorgeous George discuss the potential future of these free agents.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube or in podcast form.

https://youtube.com/live/xkFxuHJDreg

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Overreaction Time: Islam Makhachev and Merab Dvalishvili in control? Jiri Prochazka is back? More!

Check out the latest episode of “Overreaction Time” on the fallout from UFC 311, Jon Jones’ negotiations with the UFC, and more.

The time for overreacting is here!

Check out the latest episode of “Overreaction Time” at noon ET/9 a.m. PT as host Simon Samano and MMA Junkie reporter Farah Hannoun debate these “overreactions” on the following topics in mixed martial arts:

  • Now is the PERFECT time for [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] to leave the UFC lightweight division.
  • [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] is primed to remain UFC bantamweight champion for all of 2025.
  • [autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag] has new life as a UFC title contender, but it’s over for [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag].
  • If the UFC signs only one of these guys, it should be [autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] over [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag].
  • There’s no way the UFC pays [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] $30 million to fight Tom Aspinall.
  • [autotag]Mackenzie Dern[/autotag]’s chances of being UFC champion are still alive.

Watch the full episode in the video above.

Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Islam Makhachev, Merab Dvalishvili defend titles at UFC 311, Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev, more

On “Spinning Back Clique,” our panel discusses the results from UFC 311, including Islam Makhachev and Merab Dvalishvili’s big wins, and much more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Mike Bohn and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] and [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] retained their championship belts Saturday in the headlining bouts of UFC 311. Makhachev submitted [autotag]Renato Moicano[/autotag] to defend his UFC lightweight belt for a fourth time, and Dvalishvili outpointed [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag] to complete his first title defense. We react and discuss what’s next for the four men involved in the main and co-main event of UFC 311.
  • Plenty happened at UFC 311 outside the two championship fights. [autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag] knocked out fellow former champion Jamahal Hill to bounce back from his stoppage loss to Alex Pereira; [autotag]Reinier de Ridder[/autotag] quickly submitted Kevin Holland; and [autotag]Payton Talbott[/autotag] suffered his first professional loss to veteran [autotag]Roani Barcelos[/autotag]. We review some of the key results at UFC 311.
  • UFC 313 has its main and co-main event fights. The promotion announced on Saturday the booking of [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag], and [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag]. We react to these bookings and give our early pcisk for the bout.
  • The free agent market got a lot more interesting this past week. Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] was granted her release from the promotion and is looking to keep fighting in MMA – while also picking back up boxing. Additionally, ex-Bellator champion [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] and top Bellator contender [autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] were let go from the PFL. We discuss the potential future for these stars.

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Manager reveals Aaron Pico’s free agent status, comments on potential UFC move

Aaron Pico, once regarded as perhaps the biggest prospect in MMA history, could soon be on the move.

[autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag], once regarded as perhaps the biggest prospect in MMA history, could soon be on the move.

At 20, Pico made his MMA debut in 2017 under the Bellator banner. There was some turbulence in the early portion of his career, but he has currently won nine of his past 10 fights, with the lone defeat in that stretch coming as the result of an in-fight shoulder dislocation.

Pico (13-4) hasn’t seen action since a first-round TKO of Henry Corrales at February’s PFL vs. Bellator: Champions event in Saudi Arabia, however, and has only competed three times in the past two years overall. Inactivity has caused some frustration with several notable Bellator fighters since the promotion was acquired by PFL in late 2023, and according to his manager [autotag]Ali Abdelaziz[/autotag] of Dominance MMA, the only reason he hasn’t spoken out among that group is because of his contract status.

Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie on Monday that Pico is currently a free agent, and once his exclusive matching period with PFL expires in January, he will be open to negotiate with any organization.

“Pico was supposed to fight (Patricio) ‘Pitbull’ in December, but RIZIN (co-promotion with Bellator/PFL) got cancelled – (now) Pico’s contract ran out,” Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. “Pico right now is a free agent. I’m going to do everything I can to help these guys become successful, but I’m also going to do everything I can to make sure my fights stay regularly competing and have fights, because if they do not have fights, they cannot buy that time back.

“Pico didn’t say nothing because he’s a free agent. He can shop here very soon, after 90 days (of exclusive negotiation period). Maybe before the 90 days PFL make him a deal he cannot refuse, I don’t know.”

Abdelaziz did not close the door on Pico, 28, returning to PFL under a new deal, also noting that the there is a matching period after the exclusive negotiation window ends. However it shakes out, Abdelaziz said it is his duty to find the best terms for his client, both from an activity and financial standpoint.

“Pico right now is a free agent,” Abdelaziz said. “I’m sure the UFC wants him. I’m sure PFL wants to keep him. … Pico’s a businessman. Pico likes money. UFC, of course he would love to become a UFC champion, but if PFL can offer me a deal I can’t refuse, then he’s going to take it. But if he said, ‘I want to go to the UFC,’ I have to go get an offer from the UFC and PFL can have the right to match it.”

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