Aaron Pico greatly valued his time competing for Bellator MMA. However, he always understood that to be truly considered the best globally, he needed to compete in the UFC.
After one fight in the PFL following their acquisition of Bellator`s assets, the 28-year-old featherweight became a free agent when his contract expired. He immediately focused on joining the UFC. Following public discussions that led to the PFL relinquishing their matching rights, Pico officially signed with the UFC on Tuesday. Now, the real challenge begins.
“It’s the biggest organization worldwide, and I don’t see anyone overtaking them,” Pico said about the UFC before signing. “It’s simply the highest level. Let’s be realistic. While there might be fighters in other organizations who can compete and win titles, you don`t get genuine respect unless you`re a UFC champion. Why else would Patricio Pitbull be so eager to move to the UFC?”
“Many people want to join because it is the premier organization in the world, and you can see the intensity. You see the amount of effort they invest. Not to say other organizations don’t work hard, but it’s clear that everyone at the UFC is constantly working hard. That’s who I want to fight for. I want to focus on my job, they focus on theirs, and I believe we`ll have a very successful partnership.”
Of course, Pitbull was the reigning Bellator featherweight champion before also securing his release and signing with the UFC. His debut is scheduled for Saturday against Yair Rodriguez.
Pico desired similar opportunities, particularly as he enters his prime career years, hoping to contend for a UFC title sooner rather than later.
“I’m constantly improving,” Pico stated. “It’s incredible to reflect on my first fight and compare my mindset and knowledge then to now. It’s truly astonishing to me. I think, how did I even compete back then? The skills I`m developing now, and with ongoing learning from all my coaches, I’ve finally reached a mental point where I`m willing to fight anyone on any given day at 145 pounds. I genuinely believe I can defeat anyone on the planet at 145 pounds. That mental confidence feels amazing.”
“Because in the early years, when I first started, there was always that feeling of willingness to fight, I`ve always had that drive, but there was still a bit of hesitation. Doubts would creep in. But since I’ve been working with Brandon Gibson and coach Greg Jackson, and invested a lot of time and effort with them, I’ve finally reached a stage in my life where I feel ready to fight any 145-pounder, or anyone in the world. Now is the time to act on it.”
Similar to Michael Chandler and Kayla Harrison before him, Pico is joining the UFC roster with significant hype and expectation, but none greater than his own personal ambitions.
Pico may not be a widely recognized name yet, but he always felt that would change once he was in the UFC. Now, he finally has the opportunity to prove it.
“UFC fans haven’t seen me yet,” Pico said. “I believe it’s a completely different level. I’m excited.”