Movsar Evloev Gets Exposed As Dana White’s New Signing Aaron Pico Reveals UFC Talks

The UFC has found yet another treasure from the Professional Fighters League. And it’s none other than Aaron Pico. After getting Patricio Pitbull into the organization, Dana White reeled Pico in and even gave him a fight against Movsar Evloev. Well, he was reportedly set to fight at the Apex on 17 May 2025. And the opponent of choice was the Russian star fighter. However, the talks died down pretty quickly. So, was this a publicity stunt, or was Pico actually slated to go up against Evloev? Let’s find out!

During a recent appearance on an interview with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, Pico discussed the rumors of him fighting Evloev at his UFC debut. Intrigued by the talks about Pico vs. Evloev, Bohn asked the former Bellator star if the matchup was real. According to Pico, it was real enough for Ali Abdelaziz to call him up and ask if he was ready to go. He said, “Yeah, it was real. I mean, I got a phone call from Ali, saying, ‘Hi, can you fight on May 17th?’ And I said, ‘Of course.’ And then I just said, ‘Who am I fighting against?’ He said, ‘Movsar.’ And I said, ‘Of course. That’s a great, that’s a great fight for me. Yeah, I don’t think he knows how good my wrestling is.’ And he said, ‘Okay. Movsar agreed, too.’ So, I don’t know. It was pretty close.” 

So what happened that removed all talks of the fight? Evloev hasn’t really said anything about his bout against Pico. Nevertheless, the 28-year-old mixed martial artist admitted that he was pretty surprised to learn about the fallout of the fight. According to him, the reason likely lay with Evloev being a #4 featherweight. Pico continued, “For him, it was kinda hard because he’s #4 and I’m just coming in. I can understand why he probably got advised not to ultimately take it. But he did say yes. I’m sure he got in with his team, and they said, ‘What are you doing? Just wait.’ So, nothing but respect!”

The 28-year-old fighter was pretty content with the thought that the UFC officials put together for him. Getting a high-ranking opponent like Evloev in his debut was nothing short of a sign of great expectations. Nevertheless, the UFC world joined hands to welcome Pico through social media.

UFC world welcomes Aaron Pico into the MMA promotion

The former Bellator contender took to Instagram and shared the big news with the fighting family. He shared a picture of himself while signing the UFC contract. In the caption, he wrote, “After years of hard work, dedication, and unwavering belief, I’ve officially signed with the @UFC! This is more than just a dream come true; it’s the beginning of a new chapter. Thank you to my family, my manager @aliabdelaziz, coaches, training partners, and everyone who has supported me on this journey. Your belief in me has fueled my fire. The ultimate goal? To become the UFC champion. I’m ready to work harder than ever before to make that a reality.”

Soon, the comments section for his post was filled with welcoming messages. Derek Brunson commented that he was excited for this one. Meanwhile, Maycee Barber and Terrance McKinney expressed their enthusiasm with a simple “Let’s go!” Tyron Woodley also backed Pico on his new move. Even Patchy Mix didn’t back down from hyping up UFC’s newest addition. And these are just a few entities to name. 

Beginning his journey in the realm of mixed martial arts in 2017, at Bellator FC, Pico amassed a total of 13 victories and 4 losses. But his strength shone through with his unbelievable record of having 9 wins via KO/TKO, and 2 via submissions. Currently on a 3-fight win streak, Pico’s last 2 wins came from ground and pound, and both of them happened in the very first round. And now, we can certainly expect a lot more from him in the Octagon. 

What are your thoughts on having Pico in the UFC? Who do you think the featherweight star should go up against in his UFC debut? Let us know what you think in the comments down below. 

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