UFC competitor Aaron Pico is set to revisit his wrestling background this summer.
Prior to his transition into mixed martial arts, Aaron Pico was considered a standout prospect in American wrestling, boasting victories over prominent athletes such as Zain Retherford, Reese Humphrey, and Jordan Oliver. He opted to forgo the typical college wrestling path to pursue an Olympic dream in 2016 but narrowly missed qualifying for the US team.
Now, Aaron Pico is slated to enter the Real American Freestyle (RAF) arena, becoming the latest UFC fighter to compete in wrestling.
Aaron Pico to Compete Against Lance Palmer at RAF 10
The promotion announced on Thursday that Aaron Pico will make his wrestling debut against former PFL champion Lance Palmer in a lightweight match at RAF 10. The event is scheduled for June 13 at Chaifetz Arena, located within Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Pico most recently competed in UFC 327, securing a unanimous decision victory over Patricio Pitbull. Before that, the 29-year-old American experienced a knockout loss against Lerone Murphy in his UFC debut at UFC 319 in August 2025.
Meanwhile, multi-time NCAA Division I All-American Palmer will be making his fourth appearance under the RAF banner. Palmer, also known as “The Party,” holds a 1-2 record in the promotion, with previous losses to Austin Gomez and Arman Tsarukyan. He is coming into this fight after a recent decision win against Cayden Henschel at RAF 08.
Additionally, RAF 10 will feature a middleweight bout between Arman Tsarukyan and UFC veteran Tony Ferguson, marking the sixth appearance for the No. 2 ranked UFC lightweight contender in the RAF organization.
Aaron Pico heads to wrestling, set to face Lance Palmer at RAF 10 on June 13
UFC fighter Aaron Pico is returning to his wrestling roots for a lightweight bout against former PFL champion Lance Palmer at Real American Freestyle (RAF) 10 on June 13 in St. Louis.