Bellator MMA Signs 18-Year-Old Aaron Pico to Long-Term Contract
At only 18 years old, U.S. Olympic hopeful Aaron Pico has signed a
“long-term” promotional contract with Bellator
MMA.
The promotion announced the signing during Bellator 131 on Saturday.
With an impressive list of combat sports accolades already to his
name, Pico is presently preparing for a run at the 2016 Olympic
wrestling team. His new deal with the Southern California-based
promotion will likely not take place till after the conclusion of
the games in Rio de Janeiro.
“When it comes to any big decision I make, I sit down with my family, my management team at Zinkin and the people that are around me that I trust,” Pico stated in a press release. “We wanted an opportunity to achieve my dreams in the 2016 Olympics and transition into MMA, and when we sat down with Bellator, Viacom and Scott Coker, everything just sort of fell into place and I couldn’t be happier to be here and be a part of the Bellator family.”
Pico was the lone American wrestler in 2013 to win a gold medal in three styles at the FILA Cadet Worlds and is a former Junior Golden Gloves Champion. With a strong foundation in both disciplines, Bellator President Scott Coker feels Pico’s transition to mixed martial arts will be a successful one.
“Simply put, Aaron has all the makings of MMA’s next great superstar, and to have him here at Bellator is something special,” Coker said via press release. “Like many of us in the MMA community, Aaron is someone we’ve been watching closely over the last few years, and after sitting down with Bob Cook and his team, getting a chance to meet Aaron, and hearing his long-term aspirations, the fit became very obvious. I’m not only excited to see what Aaron is going to be able to do in our cage, but also watching him represent our country in 2016 at the Olympics.”
The promotion announced the signing during Bellator 131 on Saturday.
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“When it comes to any big decision I make, I sit down with my family, my management team at Zinkin and the people that are around me that I trust,” Pico stated in a press release. “We wanted an opportunity to achieve my dreams in the 2016 Olympics and transition into MMA, and when we sat down with Bellator, Viacom and Scott Coker, everything just sort of fell into place and I couldn’t be happier to be here and be a part of the Bellator family.”
Pico was the lone American wrestler in 2013 to win a gold medal in three styles at the FILA Cadet Worlds and is a former Junior Golden Gloves Champion. With a strong foundation in both disciplines, Bellator President Scott Coker feels Pico’s transition to mixed martial arts will be a successful one.
“Simply put, Aaron has all the makings of MMA’s next great superstar, and to have him here at Bellator is something special,” Coker said via press release. “Like many of us in the MMA community, Aaron is someone we’ve been watching closely over the last few years, and after sitting down with Bob Cook and his team, getting a chance to meet Aaron, and hearing his long-term aspirations, the fit became very obvious. I’m not only excited to see what Aaron is going to be able to do in our cage, but also watching him represent our country in 2016 at the Olympics.”
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