How Will Aaron Pico Stack Up Against Recent UFC Crossovers?
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Aaron Pico is finally making his highly anticipated UFC debut after some setbacks, and it won’t be a slow build.
The former Bellator standout was scheduled to face undefeated featherweight contender Movsar Evloev in a rare five-round co-main event, a booking that signaled the UFC’s high hopes for Pico as an immediate title contender.
With Evloev already in the title conversation, a win would have catapulted Pico into that mix. However, Evloev was recently forced to withdraw from the bout, putting Pico’s debut on ice, at least temporarily.
Breaking his silence, Pico expressed his disappointment and made it clear he still wants the fight. He called for the matchup to be rebooked at UFC 319 in Chicago, and it looks like he’s getting his wish. However, standing across from him will be a new opponent.
On the same night he was originally set to debut against Movsar Evloev, Aaron Pico was rebooked to face Lerone Murphy in the co-main event of UFC 319. Hours before the announcement, he shared a photo training with Khamzat Chimaev, who headlines the card against Dricus Du Plessis.
Murphy enters the bout undefeated with one draw, ranked in the top 10, and known for his elite striking. Like Movsar Evloev, Lerone is no easy fight. While much of the spotlight has been on Pico’s UFC debut, Murphy poses just as much of a threat.
But how will Pico stack up against others who’ve transitioned to the UFC? If history is any indication, coming in with a big name from another promotion doesn’t always guarantee immediate success.
The Risk of the Crossover
Michael Chandler may be the most entertaining crossover in recent memory, but he’s also a cautionary tale. Despite a stellar debut and his explosive style, Chandler’s UFC record stands at 2-5. While he’s racked up bonuses, two Performance of the Night and three Fight of the Night honors, title aspirations have been hampered by inactivity and a long layoff while waiting on a Conor McGregor fight that never materialized.
Then there’s Patricio “Pitbull” Freire. A dominant force in Bellator, Pitbull was thoroughly outclassed in his UFC debut against Yair Rodriguez. It wasn’t close, and the hype fizzled fast. But he bounced back with a unanimous decision win over Dan Ige at UFC 318 and is now ranked #11 in the featherweight division.
Patchy Mix, another Bellator champ with high expectations, faltered in his UFC debut as well. Though favored against Mario Bautista, Mix looked a step behind all night, unable to show the elite skills that earned him gold in his former promotion.
Kai Asakura is a decorated RIZIN champion with years of success and multiple titles. He was granted a UFC title shot in his debut, losing to Alexandre Pantoja. While it’s still too early to say whether he’ll succeed long-term, he heads into his second UFC fight with an 0-1 record and questions lingering.
With these recent results in mind, is Aaron Pico destined to follow the same path, or can he break the mold?
Signs of Success
Not all crossovers have struggled. Michael “Venom” Page has impressed with a 2-1 record since joining the UFC in 2024. He’s already fought top-tier talent, including a gutsy move up to middleweight to take on the undefeated Shara Magomedov. MVP is now scheduled to face Jared Cannonier at UFC 319, hinting that his middleweight experiment may stick.
Philipe Lins is another quiet success story. After a rocky 0-2 start in 2020, and missing all of 2021, Lins has gone on a 4-0 run since returning in 2022. His bounce back redefined his narrative as he steadily earned respect in the UFC’s heavyweight division.
Perhaps the most successful crossover to date is Kayla Harrison. The former PFL star has gone 3-0 in the UFC, capturing the bantamweight title. Thus setting up a historic showdown with Amanda Nunes who is coming out of retirement for what could be one of the biggest in women’s MMA history. The matchup between former training partners always makes for an interesting story line too.
Reinier de Ridder made the move from ONE Championship and was immediately thrown into the middleweight division. Since debuting, he’s gone 4-0 with impressive wins, including derailing the Bo Nickal hype train before defeating Robert Whittaker at UFC Abu Dhabi. Unlike most, Reinier has found major success since joining the UFC.
And while Ante Delija has yet to make his debut, the former PFL champion is set to fight on September 6. With wins over Maurice Greene and Yorgan De Castro, Delija may be another name to watch closely.
Can Pico Deliver?
Aaron Pico has long been touted as a generational talent. With world-class wrestling and knockout power, his skillset was never the issue. It was the timing and matchmaking. Now matured, more patient, and battle-tested, Pico enters the UFC with momentum and a favorable platform.
The matchup with Evloev was high-risk, high-reward. The same is true against Lerone Murphy. A win catapults Pico into the featherweight elite. A loss, especially a competitive one, might still earn him favor with fans and matchmakers.
If Pico can spoil that run and make a statement in the process, he won’t just be another crossover… He’ll be a real threat to the featherweight throne. Or he could be another lesson in how hard the leap truly is.
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