31 months before when Aaron Pico had not even made his MMA debut, Bellator MMA president Scott Coker was told by his longtime MMA manager Bob Cook to sign Pico, “I’ve got him. I’ve got the next kid. His name is Aaron Pico. You need to sign him now.” Coker wouldn’t dare pass on Cook who has long established him to gather new talents at Coker’s doorstep, including a completely inexperienced heavyweight named Daniel Cormier in 2009. Pico was just 17 at the time but 2014 saw Bellator, now a defunct promotion, sign him in a jiffy, just months after his 18th birthday, paying him even before he stepped into the cage for the first time. But not everyone was so lucky—Dana White, the UFC owner, still kicks himself for missing out on securing the prized prospect.

Well, you must ask what was so special about a 17-year-old kid. “I’ve been around a lot of great prospects,” Cook said. “But I’ve never had someone at this high of a level who is so young. From everything I’ve seen and heard, Aaron Pico may be the greatest prospect in the history of MMA.”The UFC’s failure to sign Pico back then was a missed opportunity that could have changed the landscape of the sport. 10 years later, with Pico entering free agency, the UFC has a rare second chance—and none other than Joe Rogan is making sure White does not forget this time.

Following its late 2023 acquisition of Bellator, the PFL quickly recognized the promotion’s limited long-term potential and announced its shutdown. Consequently, some Bellator fighters transitioned to the PFL, while others, such as Joe Duarte, Alexander Volkov, Fabrício Guerreiro, and several others, opted for free agency. Among the standout names to emerge from this shake-up is former Bellator featherweight contender Aaron Pico (13-4-0). A truly dynamic young MMA fighter, ‘Cheeks’ excels in wrestling and grappling and boasts an impressive 9 wins by knockout.

In his latest podcast episode, Joe Rogan made sure to voice his strong recommendation, urging Dana White not to overlook such a promising talent. Speaking on JRE Fight Companion on YouTube last week, Matt Serra, former UFC fighter Brendan Schaub, and Bryan Callen joined Rogan as they watched UFC 312.

During their discussion, Brendan Schaub pointed out how Bellator-PFL was releasing fighters “like a f—ing Sunday sale.” The podcaster quickly expressed his desire to see Aaron Pico in the UFC, saying, “I hope they get Aaron Pico…. I hope we get Aaron Pico. He’s wasted all this time. Yeah, these other organizations—people don’t know how good that kid is.”

Now, at 28 years old, the Whittier native has the potential to be the next big star in the UFC’s featherweight division. Currently, the division is largely defined by reigning champion Ilia Topuria, while Max Holloway, following his loss to ‘El Matador’ last year, declared, “I’m done with 145.” Meanwhile, former champion Alexander Volkanovski is approaching the twilight of his career, leaving room for new talent to make a significant impact. Aaron Pico might be the ideal addition to the UFC’s featherweight division. But what is his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, saying about his possible UFC debut?

What does Ali Abdelaziz have to say about Aaron Pico’s UFC move?

Aaron Pico, who has been a force in professional MMA since his debut in 2017, has long been a standout in Bellator. Throughout his career, he displayed impressive skills, knocking out and submitting opponents, with only one loss in his last 10 fights. That solitary defeat came in 2023 against Jeremy Kennedy when Pico suffered a shoulder dislocation injury. However, with Bellator now absorbed into the PFL, Pico is now weighing his options, particularly with the PFL, and if they are prepared to offer him a deal he “can’t refuse” in the exclusive 90-day negotiation period.

Pico’s manager recently spoke with MMA Junkie, and while ‘Team Khabib’ manager Ali Abdelaziz didn’t rule out the possibility of Pico joining the PFL, he also acknowledged the UFC’s interest in the fighter. Abdelaziz commented, “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 says ‘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.”

Initially, Pico was set to return in December 2024 to face Patrício Pitbull, but the fight was canceled, leading to the expiration of his contract. Despite his age and impressive win streak, Pico has only fought three times in the last two years—a situation that has also affected other Bellator fighters since the promotion was acquired by the PFL.

With all that in mind, do you think Dana White and the UFC should sign this rising MMA star? Could Aaron Pico be the next big name in the UFC’s featherweight division? Let us know your thoughts below!