Aaron Pico

To start off the year, he competed at the Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin in January, placing 21st after losing first round to Akhmed Chakaev.

In February, he claimed the Cerro Pelado International championship, defeating Pan American champions, Franklin Marén and Alejandro Valdés, and two–time US World Team Member Reece Humphrey.

In April 6, Pico fell to Dan Hodge Trophy winner Brent Metcalf in a dual meet against Iowa.

He then went back to the junior level to claim the US National Championship in May and the US World Team spot in June, defeating Zain Retherford three times in the process.

In August, Pico placed third at the Junior World Championships, bringing a bronze medal to the United States.

Aaron Pico (born September 23, 1996) is an American mixed martial artist and former freestyle wrestler who currently competes in the featherweight division of Bellator MMA.

Pico won the national PAL championship in 2008 and was national Junior Golden Gloves champion in 2009, he won 'most outstanding boxer' at both tournaments.

In Pankration, Pico also was a national champion in 2008.

Pico is a seventh-generation Californio and a member of the Pico family of California, as great-great-great-great-grandson of Pío Pico, 10th Governor of Alta California.

He started boxing at the age of ten and also competed in Pankration tournaments.

Pico started wrestling at the age of four, while also competing in multiple other combat sports.

During his freshman year of high school, Pico capped off a perfect 42–0 season at St. John Bosco High School and won the CIF state championship at 132 pounds.

Afterwards, Pico would compete in freestyle, and after making the US Cadet World Team, he claimed the Cadet World Championship at 63 kilograms.

He would also make his senior freestyle debut at age 18, defeating Alibeggadzhi Emeev in a lopsided decision in a dual meet against Russia.

To open up the Olympic year, he moved up to 70 kilograms for two tournaments, placing fifth at the Ukrainian International Open and third at the Alexander Medved Prizes, compiling notable victories over Nazar Kulchytskyy, 2010 Asian Games Gold medalist from Mongolia Ganzorigiin Mandakhnaran and 2015 U23 European Continental medalist from Belarus Andrei Karpach.

At the US Olympic Team Trials, Pico defeated 2010 NCAA champion Jason Ness, two–time NCAA champion and US National runner–up Jordan Oliver and three–time US National champion Reece Humphrey to make the best–of–three.

In addition, Pico went to Ukraine in 2010, and won the golden cup European Pankration championship.

During this time Pico also won the California state championships in both sports.

Pico signed an endorsement contract with Dethrone Royalty, an MMA lifestyle apparel company owned by Nick Swinmurn, founder of Zappos and ownership partner of the Golden State Warriors.

In the finals, he faced reigning Pan American champion and 2012 NCAA champion Frank Molinaro, whom he was 2–1 against.

After defeating Molinaro first round, Pico was downed twice in razor close matches, losing his opportunity of becoming an Olympian at age 19.

This was Pico's last wrestling match before transitioning into MMA.

Molinaro went on to place fifth at the Olympics.

In addition to wrestling, Pico also competed in boxing and Pankration.

In November, he claimed his first senior level gold medal, winning the Henri Deglane Grand Prix, earning the biggest win of his career over 2013 World Champion from Armenia David Safaryan in the finals.

In a surprising turn of events, Pico, the top–ranked high school wrestler in the country, signed major endorsement contracts with Dethrone Royalty, an MMA lifestyle apparel company, and a multi–year shoe endorsement with Nike, turning into a professional athlete in 2014.

In 2014, Pico claimed the US Junior National Championship in April when he flawlessly defeated outstanding NCAA All–American from Penn State Zain Retherford in the finals, and went on to defeat him two more times in June for the US Junior World Team spot.

In July, Pico competed in the senior level, claiming a silver medal from the prestigious Grand Prix of Spain, falling to Yasar Dogu International champion Frank Chamizo.

In April 2014, Aaron signed a multi-year shoe endorsement with Nike.

In early November 2014, Aaron signed a long term unprecedented contract with MMA promoter Bellator MMA and its parent company Viacom, as their new blue chip prospect.

Bellator MMA President, Scott Coker stated, "Simply put, Aaron has all the makings of MMA's next great superstar, and to have him here at Bellator MMA is something special. Like many of us in the MMA community, Aaron is someone we've been watching closely over the last few years, and after sitting down with Bob Cook and his team, getting a chance to meet Aaron, and hearing his long-term aspirations, the fit became very obvious."

As a freestyle wrestler, Pico competed at 65 kilograms, where he placed second at 2016 US Olympic Team Trials and holds multiple national and international championships.

In the age–group, he was a two–time Junior World Championship medalist and a Cadet World Champion.

As of September 26, 2023, he is #2 in the Bellator Featherweight Rankings.

This led him unable to compete in collegiate wrestling as per the rules of the NCAA, but Pico announced he intended to focus solely in freestyle to continue a mixed martial arts career after a 2016 Summer Olympic run, foregoing further education.

Before his MMA debut, Pico explained:

"'I always had it in mind that I would be an MMA fighter. I'm not going to waste my time with four, five years of college and get my MMA career started. I said I'm going to be in MMA so, I want to try and make this Olympic team, win a gold and then become a MMA fighter.'"

In August, he competed at the Junior World Championships, where he defeated the eventual accomplished Daichi Takatani first round, and went on to defeat four more points by technical fall before facing eventual 2016 Olympic Gold medalist from Iran Hassan Yazdani, whom he lost to on points.

In October, he placed third at the prestigious Soslan Andiev International in Russia.

Back to the senior level, Pico placed fifth at the Intercontinental Cup, third at the Bill Farrell International and fourth at the US Nationals (qualifying for the 2016 US Olympic Team Trials) before the year ended.