A UFC newcomer claims he has better hands than Ilia Topuria.
Of course, we’re not just talking about any debutant from the regional scene— this is Aaron Pico.
The 28-year-old Bellator star is the UFC’s newest signing and boasts quite the combat sports resume outside the Octagon. Pico’s a former Golden Gloves amateur boxing champion and medalist in freestyle wrestling with a 13-4 pro MMA record.
Pico started wrestling at the age of 4 and laced up his first boxing glove at 10.
In 2017, Pico was considered ‘the greatest prospect in MMA history’ before he lost his pro debut in 24 seconds to Zach Freeman. Down but not out, Pico bounced back with four first-round knockouts in a row, building his star in Bellator.
Eight years later, Pico is part of the UFC featherweight division after a split with the PFL. The UFC matchmakers already tried to give Pico the #4-ranked contender Movsar Evloev but to no avail.
Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
With the UFC looking to throw Pico into the deep end of the pool, the blue-chip prospect was asked how soon we could see him fighting for the world title.
The vacant featherweight belt is up for grabs in the UFC 314 main event between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes this weekend.
“I think I could be champion within a year,” Pico said at a UFC Q&A on Friday.
“I know that’s a bold prediction, but I truly feel it,” Pico continued.
All of Pico’s fights have come under the Bellator and PFL banners. The knockout artist has slept opponents with 7X or 8X more MMA experience than him. All but two of Pico’s wins have come inside the distance.
His Bellator highlight reel one to watch, Pico believes he possesses better boxing skills than UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria, who is of a similar background, having wrestled from a young age before transitioning into boxing.
“Ask Freddie Roach,” Pico referenced the legendary boxing coach.
“Ask Miguel Cotto. Ask Jose Ramirez, Ryan Garcia…
“They all know that I can box,” Pico said.
“Topuria has really, really good hands, but I don’t think it’s at my level if I’m just being completely honest…”
“I think I can become a champ in a year… Topuria has good hands, but I don’t think it’s at my level.”
Aaron Pico is feeling very confident ahead of his UFC Debut! pic.twitter.com/TlwDLZLMgy
— UFC (@ufc) April 11, 2025
Ilia Topuria quickly became recognized as one of the UFC’s best boxers, if not the best, for his brutal knockouts of former champions Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway.
Holloway long-claimed he was the promotion’s best boxer, that is, before the Hawaiian tasted his first KO defeat to Topuria at UFC 308.
Topuria and Pico are in separate weight classes now that Topuria has moved up to the lightweight division but who knows? Maybe a fight between the two isn’t so far from reality especially if Aaron Pico is who he says he is.
Unlike Diego Lopes on the Mexican scene, Pico did not defeat any UFC veterans during his time in Bellator. Pico’s last loss is to former UFC fighter Jeremy Kennedy, by shoulder injury, who Patricio Pitbull beat in his final Bellator fight.
Pico suffered a couple of nasty KO losses early on to his pro career but he bounced back from them like they were nothing.
