UFC competitor Aaron Pico is set to revisit his formidable wrestling background this summer.
Before dedicating himself to mixed martial arts, Pico was recognized as a top-tier American wrestler, achieving victories against notable athletes such as Zain Retherford, Reese Humphrey, and Jordan Oliver. He opted out of collegiate wrestling to pursue an Olympic dream in 2016 but narrowly missed qualifying for the U.S. team.
Now, Pico is scheduled to compete in Real American Freestyle (RAF), becoming another prominent UFC name to participate in a wrestling event.
Aaron Pico to Compete Against Lance Palmer at RAF 10
The promotion confirmed that Aaron Pico will make his debut against former PFL champion Lance Palmer in a lightweight bout at RAF 10. The event is scheduled for June 13 at Chaifetz Arena, located within Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Pico’s recent MMA activity includes a unanimous decision win over Patricio Pitbull at UFC 327 earlier this month. Prior to that, the 29-year-old American experienced 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. He is coming off a recent decision victory against Cayden Henschel at RAF 08.
RAF 10 will also feature a middleweight bout between Arman Tsarukyan and UFC veteran Tony Ferguson. This fight marks the sixth appearance for Tsarukyan, the No. 2-ranked UFC lightweight contender, under the RAF banner.