“I’ll say this—I wrote down a goal about eight or nine months ago. I said I want to be UFC champion by 2026. That’s what I wrote. And I truly believe I can do it. If they give me the fights, I’ll go in there and handle my business.” Aaron Pico stated this on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, making serious noise after his UFC signing. Pico, once dubbed the hottest MMA prospect, has made his ambitions clear. And to achieve that, the Whittier native is calling out only the top-level fighters.

The Californian was a decorated wrestler before making the leap to MMA. At just 19, he came incredibly close to earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, finishing as the runner-up in the 2016 Olympic Trials at 65 kg after a hard-fought series with Frank Molinaro. Naturally, Pico leans on his wrestling as the foundation of his fight game. However, he’s confident that his striking has already surpassed some of the division’s best. In fact, Pico has called out Ilia Topuria multiple times, most recently during a Q&A session after the UFC 316 presser. Speaking candidly, he said, “Topuria has really, really good hands, but I don’t think it’s at my level if I’m just being completely honest.”

Despite believing his hands are sharper than the ex-featherweight champ, Pico is also excited about Topuria potentially facing Islam Makhachev now that the Spaniard-Georgian has moved up into 155lbs. Still, the 28-year-old couldn’t help but sneak in a few takes of his own. Boasting his elite wrestling background, Pico believes he’s more than equipped to go toe-to-toe with either Topuria or Makhachev, if they ever cross paths inside the Octagon.

On the Pound 4 Pound podcast with Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo, Pico said, “Yeah. It was like I can beat these guys. Especially Ilia Topuria, and he’s going up to 155, and I think he and Islam. I think that’s going to be a great fight. But, I feel like I can beat them, I know there are some holes, especially in wrestling, that a lot of people can’t see. They haven’t seen wrestling, kinda like how I see it. I have my own thoughts when I watch fights. But, I was like, I can beat these guys.”

He added, “I know certain areas, you know, with my hands, my wrestling, and grappling. Like I said, I just want the opportunity to be able to do that. So, now the fun starts. I have my work cut out for me. It’s good to have this media, and everybody’s excited. But, at the end of the day, you gotta get in there and knock people’s heads off. So, that’s what I’m here to do.”

Not many featherweights are really leaning on their grappling these days. Movsar Evloev does it well. Aljamain Sterling, too, now that he’s moved up. Volkanovski also mixes it in here and there, but that’s about it. Compare that to a few years ago, when guys like Chad Mendes, Frankie Edgar, and Ricardo Lamas used wrestling to shut people down. But now, it’s a different picture. That wasn’t always the case. So, considering the present scenario, Pico could have an edge. His wrestling background is elite, and in a division where fewer fighters lean on that base, it sets him apart.

The real test, though, would come against guys like Ilia Topuria, who brings a tough Greco-Roman style, or Islam Makhachev, whose sambo-freestyle game is next level. If Pico ever moves to lightweight, we might get those answers. Until then, it’s all speculation. However, a fight with Diego Lopes or even Volkanovski could be in the cards down the line. Pico recently gave high praise to the newly crowned 145lbs champ, crediting Volkanovski for his performance at UFC 314. As for the challenger, though, he didn’t hold back.

Aaron Pico calls Diego Lopes sloppy for his performance at UFC 314

UFC 314 was a real treat for the fans, especially with the return of Alexander Volkanovski. The main event had everyone on their feet—every small mistake was punished with a vicious counter. In the end, the Aussie claimed the title once again, but Diego Lopes gave him one heck of a fight. He even managed to drop Volkanovski at the end of the second round, making it clear that he was no easy opponent. The Brazilian was even more forward in the fourth round. Despite the excitement surrounding UFC 314, newly signed Aaron Pico wasn’t overly impressed with Lopes’ performance.

In an interview with Submission Radio, the 28-year-old prospect gave his take, saying, “Now that the fight is over with, he just showed that he’s very, very tough. He has a great chin, but I’ll just be very blunt. I think he looked very sloppy. I don’t think it was his best performance, but what I took away from it he’s got a granite of a chin, and he just keeps coming forward.”

Aaron Pico needs to prove himself against some really tough challenges if he wants to get his hands on the title. But do you think his experience at Bellator is enough to fight the best UFC contenders? Please let us know your thoughts by commenting below.