Former Bellator MMA Featherweight prospect Aaron Pico has reportedly signed with the UFC and is now scheduled to face #4 ranked Featherweight Movsar Evloev at the UFC APEX on May 17, as announced by Red Corner MMA. To have the 19-0 undefeated Featherweight, who is ranked #4 to face a newcomer may seem very odd to many people. Evloev is known for his relentless wrestling, but he will go up against a prospect who also has high-level wrestling.
🚨 Undefeated UFC featherweight Movsar Evloev is set to face Aaron Pico on May 17th in a high-stakes clash of elite prospects! 🦅🔥 pic.twitter.com/d72dCZq3mV
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) April 6, 2025
Pico started wrestling at the age of four and was his main sport growing up. He also started training in boxing and pankration at the age of ten, where he had many competition wins in those sports as well. He has been on multiple world teams for the United States and at three world championships as a cadet and junior. In 2013, he won the Cadet World Championships and was a silver and bronze medalist at the 2014 and 2015 Junior World Championships. Despite never wrestling in college, he holds victories over many world-class wrestlers including NCAA Division I Champions Zain Retherford, Jordan Oliver, and Frank Molinaro as well as World Champion David Safaryan.
Pico is currently 28 years old and made his professional MMA debut at 20 in Bellator. He was a heavy favorite going into his first fight but lost in 24 seconds to a guillotine choke. He would then end up obtaining a record of 13-4 with a promotion which included Pico winning nine of his last ten fights. His only loss was to Jeremy Kennedy, where he suffered a shoulder injury in the first round.
Evloev, on the other hand, who has never been defeated in his professional MMA career is closer than he has ever been to a UFC title shot. His most recent victory was over former UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling at UFC 310 in December. The bout was back and forth with both fighters exchanging grappling positions, but Evloev managed to edge out a decision over the former UFC champion to keep his undefeated record.
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