Patricio Pitbull assesses Aaron Pico's strengths and weaknesses ahead of UFC 327

Patricio Pitbull has gone on record with his assessment of Aaron Pico ahead of their featherweight matchup at UFC 327, scheduled for this coming weekend on April 11.

Pitbull, the longtime Bellator featherweight champion who has made a career of finishing opponents with his hands, offered an analysis of Pico while also making clear that he believes his own knockout power makes this a dangerous fight in both directions. The Brazilian did not shy away from the possibility that the bout ends inside the distance.

Pico, 29, enters the contest carrying a 14-5 record and representing Jackson-Wink MMA out of Albuquerque. The American featherweight stands five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach and competes out of an orthodox stance. His statistical profile underlines a wrestler-first identity: he averages an exceptional 8.96 takedowns per 15 minutes, a number that puts him among the most active grapplers in the division. He also generates 3.88 significant strikes landed per minute, demonstrating that his offensive output on the feet is far from negligible, though his striking accuracy sits at 44 percent. Notably, Pico has recorded zero submission attempts per 15 minutes, suggesting that once he gets opponents to the mat, he prefers ground-and-pound over finishing with a choke or a lock.

Why it matters

• Pitbull's self-assessment of his own knockout power signals he is prepared for a striking exchange rather than ceding the standup game
• Pico's elite takedown volume means Pitbull will likely spend considerable time defending the grappling threat
• The stylistic contrast — a high-volume wrestler against a proven finisher on the feet — sets up a classic mixed-discipline confrontation at 145 pounds
• A win for either fighter would carry significant weight in establishing their footing in the UFC featherweight division