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Aaron Pico has established himself as a prominent figure in mixed martial arts, transitioning from a highly decorated amateur wrestling career to competing in both Bellator MMA and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
World of Tanks Blitz and the team supported Pico in his fights, with Pico taking to the cage in specially branded shorts as part of an advertising campaign.
Pico signed an endorsement contract with Dethrone Royalty, an MMA lifestyle apparel company.
Pico signed a multi-year shoe endorsement deal with Nike.
Aaron Pico was born on September 23, 1996, in Whittier, California, as a seventh-generation Californio and a descendant of Pío Pico, the last governor of Alta California under Mexico. His athletic journey began early, wrestling at age four, boxing at ten, and competing in Pankration tournaments. In his freshman year of high school at St. John Bosco, Pico achieved an undefeated 42-0 season, winning the CIF state championship at 132 pounds. He continued his wrestling success by becoming a U17 World champion in 2013 at 63 kilograms. His early career also saw him sign endorsement deals with Dethrone Royalty and Nike, which meant he transitioned directly to professional freestyle wrestling and later mixed martial arts, foregoing collegiate wrestling eligibility under NCAA rules.
Pico’s post-high school wrestling career was marked by significant international achievements. In 2014, he won the U20 US National Championship and earned a silver medal at the Grand Prix of Spain, losing to World medalist Frank Chamizo. He also secured a silver medal at the U20 World Championships, competing against future Olympic gold medalist Hassan Yazdani. The same year, he earned his first senior-level gold medal at the Henri Deglane Grand Prix, defeating 2013 World Champion David Safaryan. In 2015, he claimed the Cerro Pelado International title and a bronze medal at the U20 World Championships. His freestyle wrestling culminated in 2016 when he reached the finals of the US Olympic Team Trials at 65 kg, becoming an alternate for the Olympic team before fully transitioning to mixed martial arts.
His professional MMA career began with Bellator MMA in 2017. Despite an initial setback, a submission loss at Bellator NYC, Pico quickly rebounded with a series of first-round knockouts and TKOs against opponents like Justin Linn, Shane Krutchen, Lee Morrison, and Leandro Higo. He accumulated a record with Bellator MMA, including significant wins by knockout, submission, and decision. After a successful run, Pico transitioned to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), with his debut in 2025. He trains with teams such as Jackson Wink MMA Academy, American Kickboxing Academy, and The Body Shop MMA, honing his skills under various renowned coaches.
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