Aaron Pico implores Donn Davis to ‘do what is right,’ grant PFL release so he can join UFC

Aaron Pico is eager to move on with his career but says the PFL is preventing him from doing so.

Pico (13-4) hasn’t competed since a first-round TKO of Henry Corrales last February at the PFL vs. Bellator: Champions event in Saudi Arabia, the only fight he’s had since PFL acquired Bellator in late 2023.

Pico isn’t hiding the fact that he wants to sign with the UFC but said PFL co-founder Donn Davis refuses to grant him his release.

“I am a free agent, but there’s only one little thing, one hiccup: that PFL has the right to match any offer I receive,” Pico told MMA Junkie Radio on Monday. “So I’m still waiting for an offer from the UFC, but that’s the hiccup that I have in my contract. UFC is where I want to go. I want to go fight for them. They’re the biggest organization in the world. They have the best fighters, they have the most well known fighters, but I’m just waiting on that.

“And to be completely honest with you, the only one that’s really holding it up and won’t give me my full, full release is Donn Davis. He won’t do it for reasons I have no idea. I fulfilled my contract, and that’s the only little clause that they have. If Donn Davis is listening, give me my full release. Do what is right, and I’m pretty frustrated. There’s a lot of things that happened and yeah, just like I said, the only word I can say is frustrating.”

‘Take a picture of this moment’

Pico said his lack of activity during the past year wasn’t by choice. He said the PFL came up with a bunch of empty promises, including a championship fight. Last month, Davis said Pico was offered a title fight and a new contract.

“So when I fought in Saudi Arabia, I was on the same flight back to the States with him,” Pico said of Davis. “Our flight was delayed. So we had a conversation and he said, ‘Well, what’s next? What do you want?’ I said, ‘I want to fight for the title. I want to fight whoever the champion is.’ And he said, ‘Where do you want to fight?’ I said, ‘I want to fight in California. That’s where I’m from. I have a lot of family, and I think I can draw a lot of people there.’ He said, ‘I think we’re going to have a show in California, so you got it. You’re going to fight for the title in California, so be ready.’ We shook on it. He actually told my dad or my coach, ‘Take a picture of this moment because this is the smoothest deal I’ve ever done in an airport.’ So we took a picture. I flew back very optimistic because I was getting ready to finally fight for the title. Training camp began, but I never heard anything from them.

“The only thing I heard was that I’m not fighting in September. They (wanted me) to fight October on the Francis Ngannou card against Jesus Pinedo. I said, ‘OK, that’s fine.’ I mean, I have to fight. This is what I do for a living. So I was in training camp and when I’m there, I got a phone call saying, ‘You’re not going to fight Jesus Pinedo. You’re going to fight Jeremy Kennedy.’ I said, ‘No problem, I’ll fight whoever I have to fight,’ and continued on with training camp. Then I got a phone call saying that you’re not fighting in Saudi Arabia. They want you to fight in Japan for the title against Patricio Pitbull on the New Year’s Eve card. Began training camp again and then a couple weeks before, they said (I’m) not fighting in Japan, and that’s the last I’ve heard. So there’s a reason why I’m frustrated to be honest with you. That’s why it’s a little unsettling.”

Waiting on Davis

Pico is currently waiting for an offer from the UFC, but the 28-year-old worries that his exclusive matching period could go for up to a year, which would leave him out of action for up to two years.

“Only one holding this up – and I’m just going to say it very, very bluntly – is Donn Davis,” Pico said. “Donn Davis can just give me my release and say you’re free to go to true free agency and test and see what’s the best fit for you, and that’s that. But like I said, he doesn’t want to do that. I have no idea why. I don’t want to fight for you honestly. Three times you canceled on me, and not even a phone call to say, ‘Listen, this is what we have going on. I know we discussed it in the airport in Saudi Arabia that you were going to fight for the title in California. These are the reasons, blah, blah, blah.’ But not even a phone call.

“So I don’t trust him. I’m sure he’s a great guy, but this is business. Now we’re talking about business, and now you’re messing with me and how I make a living for my son, and it’s not cool. Scott Coker is the one that brought me to Bellator, and I miss him very much. I’ve only fought for Donn Davis once and PFL. So I did my time, I did everything that I had to do, I did everything that was asked of me, and now it’s just time to let me go. Time to move on. I want bigger challenges, tougher fights, and please just give me that opportunity.”