Longtime Bellator prospect Aaron Pico enters free agency, interested in UFC signing: “I’m sure they want him”

Bellator featherweight contender Aaron Pico is officially a free agent.

The 28-year-old featherweight has had an interesting career since signing with Scott Coker a decade ago. At just 20 years old, Aaron Pico made his professional debut on the Bellator 180 main card in June 2017. Despite a lot of pre-fight hype, Zach Freeman wound up scoring a first-round submission win over the prospect.

The loss was one of four that Aaron Pico suffered in his first seven appearances inside the Bellator cage. However, starting in 2020, the featherweight went on an absolute tear. Over the next four years, Pico went 9-1, with stunning knockout wins over longtime contenders such as Pedro Carvalho and Henry Corrales.

With his first-round stoppage victory over ‘OK’ on the PFL vs. Bellator card in February, Aaron Pico secured a title shot. However, a rumored matchup with featherweight champion Patricio Pitbull never came to fruition. While the two hoped to lock horns at RIZIN: Decade this month, Bellator’s partnership with the Japanese promotion expired.

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Longtime Bellator featherweight contender Aaron Pico enters free agency

Speaking in a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Ali Abdelaziz revealed the 28-year-old is now a free agent. While Aaron Pico didn’t request a release from the PFL like so many, he entered free agency this month due to his canceled bout against Pitbull. The featherweight is also interested in a move to the UFC, but only if the price is right.

“[Aaron] Pico was supposed to fight Pitbull in December, but RIZIN [co-promotion with Bellator/PFL] got canceled, now Pico’s contract ran out.” Ali Abdelaziz stated in the interview. “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.” (h/t MMA Junkie)

He continued, “…I’m sure the UFC wants him. I’m sure the PFL wants to keep him… Pico’s a businessman. Pico likes money. UFC, of course, he would love to become UFC champion, but if PFL can offer me a deal I can’t refuse, 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.”

What do you make of this Bellator news? Do you want to see Aaron Pico join the UFC?