Aaron Pico was considered one of the top prospects in American wrestling when he skipped out on college and took his shot at making the Olympic team back in 2016. He ultimately came one win short from representing the U.S., but now he returns to the sport of wrestling for the first time in a decade.
The recent UFC signee, who picked up a win over Patricio Pitbull at UFC 327, has booked a match against Ohio State All-American and former PFL champion Lance Palmer at RAF 10, which is scheduled for June 13 in St. Louis.
RAF officials announced the matchup Thursday.
While Pico’s athletic career turned to MMA after he came up short from making the Olympic team, he’s faced and defeated some of the top wrestlers in the world over the years. He holds victories over the likes of Zain Retherford, Jordan Oliver, and Reese Humphrey.
Now he returns to wrestling to face off with Palmer, who also transitioned into MMA full time after his collegiate career at Ohio State came to a close. An All-American in 2010, Palmer made the move to MMA where he’s picked up several major wins over the years, most prominently winning back-to-back tournament titles in PFL.
Since returning to wrestling, Palmer has gone 1-2 thus far in RAF with his first win coming via a 3-2 decision over Cayden Henschel at RAF 8 in April.
The full RAF 10 event lineup is yet to be announced, but Pico vs. Palmer is the latest addition to the card on June 13 in St. Louis.
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