If there’s one thing Bellator’s Featherweight champion, A.J. McKee, isn’t short on is confidence. Being 18-0 in MMA, it’s kind of hard not to walk and talk with a certain strut. And when you starch a killer and now-former champion like Patricio Freire in less than 120 seconds, that confidence only intensifies, and rightfully so.
For McKee, the job is not done. If anything it’s just getting started after earning his first taste of gold in a major promotion. While he doesn’t have his next fight lined up, he does have big plans for the future. And they all have to do with winning fights and making big bucks.
“This is business. This is a lifeline of business not only for myself but for my father and for my 4-year-old little brother. We’re talking not second generation, but the third generation of fighters coming up,” McKee said in an interview with CBS Sports.
“Like I’ve said from Day 1: I’m the Floyd Mayweather of MMA. Take it or leave it. Be happy with it, argue about it. The proof is in the pudding. I had to go through and look at my record. 18 fights. I’ve fought 33 rounds and haven’t lost a round yet. I’m kind of excited about that. That’s kind of gangster to me. That’s some saucy stats.”
McKee says once his contract with Bellator is up, it will be time to sit at the table with Scott Coker and Co. to discuss the future. How he sees it, MMA is only getting bigger, as are the paydays. That’s why “The Mercenary” envisions himself being a $100 million man by the time he reaches 50-0.
“I’m excited to see what Bellator’s future holds. $100 million is my goal. I want to make that 100 [million]. This is a bigger, better and more evolved sport… by the time I’m 50-0, definitely will need 100 [million].”
Aside from winning the 145-pound crown with his knockout win over Freire, McKee took home a whopping $1 million payday, so he knows a thing or two about cashing big checks.
The scary thing is — at least for McKee’s future foes — is that he is still just 26 years old and is only getting better. As far as who he will likely face next, a rematch against “Pitbull” could be in order.
If that falls through. McKee has already gone on record to say that he would love nothing more than to become the promotion’s latest champ-champ by winning the Lightweight belt, which is currently held by Patricio’s brother, Patricky Freire.