Aaron Pico, a prominent figure in mixed martial arts, is set to reignite his wrestling career this summer at Real American Freestyle (RAF) 10. Before his transition to MMA, Pico was a highly regarded prospect in American wrestling, boasting victories over notable athletes such as Zain Retherford, Reese Humphrey, and Jordan Oliver. He pursued an Olympic dream in 2016, narrowly missing a spot on Team USA.
Pico will make his RAF debut against former PFL champion Lance Palmer in a lightweight wrestling bout. The event is scheduled for June 13 at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri.
Most recently, Pico competed at UFC 327, securing a unanimous decision win over Patricio Pitbull. Prior to that, he experienced a knockout loss to Lerone Murphy in his UFC debut at UFC 319 in August 2025.
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 in RAF, with previous losses to Austin Gomez and Arman Tsarukyan. He is coming off a recent decision victory over Cayden Henschel at RAF 08.
RAF 10 will also feature a middleweight clash between Arman Tsarukyan and UFC veteran Tony Ferguson. This bout marks the sixth appearance for Tsarukyan, the No. 2-ranked UFC lightweight contender, under the RAF banner.
English Translation:
Aaron Pico is slated to explore his wrestling background once again this summer.
Prior to fully committing to MMA, Aaron Pico emerged as one of the most promising talents in American wrestling during his prime, with notable wins against athletes like Zain Retherford, Reese Humphrey, and Jordan Oliver. He opted out of the traditional college wrestling path to pursue an Olympic dream in 2016 but ultimately fell just one win short of qualifying for Team USA.
Now, Aaron Pico is set to step onto the wrestling mat for Real American Freestyle, becoming the latest UFC fighter to participate in a wrestling event.
Aaron Pico Set to Face Lance Palmer at RAF 10
The promotion confirmed that Aaron Pico will make his debut against former PFL champion Lance Palmer in a lightweight wrestling match at RAF 10 on June 13. The event will take place at Chaifetz Arena, located within Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Pico’s most recent MMA outing was at UFC 327 earlier this month, where he secured a unanimous decision victory over Patricio Pitbull. Before that, the 29-year-old American suffered a knockout loss to Lerone Murphy in his Octagon debut at UFC 319 in August 2025.
Meanwhile, Lance Palmer, a multi-time NCAA Division I All-American, is preparing for his fourth appearance under the RAF banner. Palmer, known as “The Party,” holds a 1-2 record in the promotion, with defeats against Austin Gomez and Arman Tsarukyan. He enters this matchup on the heels of a recent decision win over Cayden Henschel at RAF 08.
RAF 10 will also showcase 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, in the RAF promotion.
