Between the accomplishments and accolades, Aaron Pico is renowned for his combat sports talent.
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Ten years ago, Pico came within a few points of making the 2018 U.S. Olympic freestyle wrestling team.
Coaches, from boxing icon Freddie Roach to MMA legend Greg Jackson, rave about his skills, improvements and work ethic.
Yet for nearly every three or four of his highlight-reel finishes in the cage, there is an equally devastating knockout loss – a Hail Mary right, a flying knee, a spinning back elbow.
“I really had to tell myself, if I want to be the best fighter in the world, if I want to be a UFC champion, I need to be a smart fighter,” Pico said in an exclusive interview on Thursday.
Pico continues that pursuit Saturday when he takes on featherweight Losene Keita on the UFC 333 main card Saturday in Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates.
The line between all-out aggression and greatness is so fine, it takes a few seconds to turn a fight in Pico’s favor into punishing misfortune. He had seemed to be cured of that all-offense recklessness after a 2019 TKO loss via a crushing flying knee from Adam Borics at Bellator 222.
Under the tutelage of Jackson and Brandon Gibson in Albuquerque, Pico rattled off nine wins in 10 fights – his only loss due to a fluke separated shoulder against Jeremy Kennedy at Bellator 286 in 2022.
That run led to him signing with the UFC and making his long-awaited debut in August 2025. Yet after an encouraging start against undefeated Lerone Murphy at UFC 319 in Chicago, Pico (14-5) was dropped in the first round by a stunning spinning back elbow that cracked him flush in the head.
That led to a hard realization and some tough talks.
“It’s not going to work anymore, just going and mauling guys. Guys can take a beating and then catch you on certain, you know, spinning things, like it happened against Lerone Murphy,” the 30-year-old Pico said. “I’ve had lots of conversations with my dad and the coaches and training partners, and that’s about being safe and not getting overly excited, controlling my emotions. I have all the raw talent. I have all the fighter in me, but I need to be smart.”
Pico took eight months off before his sophomore fight in the Octagon. This time, it was against a longtime dream opponent and former Bellator two-division champion Patricio Pitbull.
The August bout at UFC 327 in Miami was cause for concern for Pico. Not only was Pitbull a dangerous veteran opponent, but starting 0-2 in the UFC was not in the cards. Pico felt the pressure, but not once the fight started.
“What I will say about the Pitbull fight is I was having fun in there. And you’re gonna see on Saturday night, I’m even better than that,” Pico said. “But against Pitbull, I was having fun. I was at the phase, at the point where I was like, ‘I know this guy can knock me out, but I’m confident in my footwork. I’m confident in everything.’”
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The changes have been vast for Pico. He trains with Roberto Guerrero in Morocco, now the site of his fight camps. He spent three months there to prepare for Pitbull and two months there training for this fight against Keita.
Jackson Wink MMA in Albuquerque will still be part of the plan, Pico said, with occasional visits and several days of training to get some new looks.
“I still love my coaches. I’m in contact with them,” he said. “No hard feelings there, but I just have a good situation in Morocco and a good training plan.”
Pico calls Morocco “a home away from home” and a great set-up, with several fighters there and flown in to help him toil.
And Guerrero has helped Pico with his new strategy of being a more responsible fighter, blending his tools and footwork to help with his defense.
Said Pico of Guerrero: “At the end of the day, he always says, ‘You’re the artist. I’m not going to tell you how to paint the picture, but what I am going to do is I’m going to give you my two cents on how to keep you safe. Get in, get out.’ And that’s been the theme of everything.”
The changes aren’t solely professional for Pico. The Whittier native recently bought a house and moved back to his hometown with his girlfriend, Kylie Chacon, and their son, Valentino, who is now 5 and started kindergarten.
Family is of utmost importance to Pico. His parents now live 10 minutes away. And his son, already following his dad’s passions for motorbikes and horses, looks to be another natural on the mat.
“He’s obsessed with wrestling. It’s crazy. Can’t keep him out of the room,” Pico said with a laugh.
Pico’s obsession, meanwhile, continues Saturday. His original opponent, Arnold Allen, withdrew from their fight a month ago. In stepped Keita (17-2), a 28-year-old Guinean-born Belgian who was a two-division Oktagon champion before signing with the UFC last year.
“What I see is a very confident guy. He’s got a lot of hype behind him, especially in Europe. I think he’s definitely trying to make his mark in the UFC,” Pico said of Keita, who is 1-1 in the UFC and coming off a first-round knockout victory on Sept. 5 that earned him a Performance of the Night bonus. “But little does he know. I’ve been prepared for him. I’m not taking him lightly. This is not a guy, ‘Oh well, just because he’s not ranked doesn’t mean that he’s not dangerous.’
“He’s very dangerous. He’s hungry. And as long as I’m just aware and I’m being smart in there, I think it’s going to be a good night for us.”
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UFC 333
When: Saturday
Where: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
How to watch: Paramount+ (prelims 7 a.m. PT; main card 11 a.m. PT)