MMA star teases return after having UFC debut spoiled by one of 2025's best knockouts

Aaron Pico looks to be gearing up for a return after his UFC debut ended in one of the most brutal knockouts of 2025.

With RIZIN’s annual New Year's card set to take place tonight and officially close out 2025’s MMA calendar, combat sports fans are eagerly looking ahead to what 2026 and the UFC’s new partnership with Paramount promises for the sport.

There’s already plenty of major events and high-profile fights scheduled for the first quarter of next year, and perhaps one of the UFC cards already on the calendar for 2026 will feature’s Pico’s return to the Octagon.

Lerone Murphy Spoiled Aaron Pico's UFC Debut With Brutal KO

One of the most highly-touted prospects in MMA history, Pico joined the UFC to considerable fanfare last year after spending the entirety of his 17-fight pro career competing under the Bellator MMA banner.

Aaron Pico fights Leandro Higo during Bellator 206 at SAP Center. | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

The 29-year-old was thrown right into the deep end of the UFC’s featherweight division when he was initially booked to debut against undefeated contender Movsar Evloev last July. Following Evloev’s withdrawal from that matchup, Pico was rebooked to meet another top-ranked (and also unbeaten) fighter in Lerone Murphy on the main card of UFC 319.

Slightly favored to get his hand raised in his promotional debut, Pico found himself on the wrong end of a stunning highlight when Murphy slept the former Bellator star with an incredible spinning back elbow during the opening round.

Timed this one right ⏰@LeroneMurphy's KO at UFC 319 was WILD and is the next nominee for #UFCHonors Knockout of the Year 🤯

[ Voting begins December 27th ] pic.twitter.com/VNnetxvxOV
— UFC (@ufc) December 11, 2025

Aaron Pico Drops Training Clip Ahead Of 2026

Murphy’s win understandably joined 2025’s “Knockout of the Year” conversation alongside another spinning back elbow finish that Carlos Prates scored against Leon Edwards in the night’s previous fight, while Pico was left to regroup after being knocked out for the first time since 2019.

Lerone Murphy (red gloves) fights Aaron Pico (blue gloves) during UFC 319 at United Center. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Now several months removed from the loss, the 29-year-old has fans excited about the prospect of his return after posting a video of himself working on his wrestling with Real Woods.

Prior to his UFC debut against Murphy, Pico was on a three-fight win streak that included first-round finishes of longtime Bellator veterans Henry Corrales and Pedro Carvalho. Pico has scored stoppages in 11 out of his 13 pro MMA wins, with nine of those victories coming by way of knockout.

While Pico’s latest training clip is far from a fight announcement, it does seem as if fans can start looking forward to seeing the 29-year-old’s sophomore outing in the UFC at some point in the near future.

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