UFC fighter Aaron Pico is set to revisit his strong wrestling background this summer by competing in Real American Freestyle (RAF).
Before dedicating himself to mixed martial arts, Pico was a highly regarded prospect in American wrestling, achieving notable victories against competitors like Zain Retherford, Reese Humphrey, and Jordan Oliver. He opted out of college wrestling to pursue an Olympic dream in 2016 but narrowly missed qualifying for Team USA.
Now, Pico is stepping onto the wrestling mat for RAF, marking another instance of a UFC athlete crossing over into the sport.
Pico to Compete Against Lance Palmer at RAF 10
The promotion announced that Pico will make his RAF debut in a lightweight bout against former PFL champion Lance Palmer. The event, RAF 10, is scheduled for June 13 and will take place at Chaifetz Arena on the campus of Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Pico’s most recent MMA appearance was at UFC 327 earlier this month, where he secured a unanimous decision win over Patricio Pitbull. Prior to that, the 29-year-old faced a knockout loss to Lerone Murphy in his UFC debut at UFC 319 in August 2025.
Meanwhile, Lance Palmer, a multi-time NCAA Division I All-American, will be making his fourth appearance in the RAF promotion. Palmer holds a 1-2 record within RAF, with losses to Austin Gomez and Arman Tsarukyan, and is coming off a recent decision victory over Cayden Henschel at RAF 08.
The RAF 10 card will also feature a middleweight bout between Arman Tsarukyan, the No. 2-ranked UFC lightweight contender, and UFC veteran Tony Ferguson. This will be Tsarukyan’s sixth outing under the RAF banner.
English Translation:
Aaron Pico’s Wrestling Return at RAF 10 to Face Former PFL Champion Lance Palmer
UFC fighter Aaron Pico is set to revisit his strong wrestling background this summer by competing in Real American Freestyle (RAF).
Before dedicating himself to mixed martial arts, Pico was a highly regarded prospect in American wrestling, achieving notable victories against competitors like Zain Retherford, Reese Humphrey, and Jordan Oliver. He opted out of college wrestling to pursue an Olympic dream in 2016 but narrowly missed qualifying for Team USA.
Now, Pico is stepping onto the wrestling mat for RAF, marking another instance of a UFC athlete crossing over into the sport.
Pico to Compete Against Lance Palmer at RAF 10
The promotion announced that Pico will make his RAF debut in a lightweight bout against former PFL champion Lance Palmer. The event, RAF 10, is scheduled for June 13 and will take place at Chaifetz Arena on the campus of Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Pico’s most recent MMA appearance was at UFC 327 earlier this month, where he secured a unanimous decision win over Patricio Pitbull. Prior to that, the 29-year-old faced a knockout loss to Lerone Murphy in his UFC debut at UFC 319 in August 2025.
Meanwhile, Lance Palmer, a multi-time NCAA Division I All-American, will be making his fourth appearance in the RAF promotion. Palmer holds a 1-2 record within RAF, with losses to Austin Gomez and Arman Tsarukyan, and is coming off a recent decision victory over Cayden Henschel at RAF 08.
The RAF 10 card will also feature a middleweight bout between Arman Tsarukyan, the No. 2-ranked UFC lightweight contender, and UFC veteran Tony Ferguson. This will be Tsarukyan’s sixth outing under the RAF banner.
