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A.J. McKee hands Roberto Satoshi unanimous decision loss in Bellator clean sweep – Bellator vs. Rizin Highlights

Former Bellator MMA featherweight champion, A.J. McKee made sure of a main card clean sweep for the Scott Coker-led promotion tonight at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan, handing Brazilian submission artist and Rizin FF lightweight kingpin, A.J. McKee a unanimous decision loss in the main event of Bellator MMA vs. Rizin. McKee, a former […]

McKee, a former featherweight champion under the Bellator banner, initially won the crown as well as a Featherweight World Grand Prix against event co-headliner, Patricio Pitbull back in July of last year, before suffering a title loss in a close decision defeat in an April rematch this year.

Making a lightweight division move back in October, McKee defeated UFC alum, Spike Carlyle over the course of three rounds in a unanimous decision win, setting up tonight’s headliner against Rizin FF lightweight kingpin, Satoshi.

Engaging in countless scramble after scramble with the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu player, McKee was forced to defend his back on occasion as the lightweight champion even pulled guard during their main event bout.

Closing out a triumphant main card for Bellator MMA, McKee joined the aforenoted, Pitbull, Kyoji Horiguchi, Juan Archuleta, Gadhzi Rabadanov in landing judging wins for the North American-based organization.

Below, catch the highlights from A.J. McKee’s win against Roberto Satoshi

The early guard pull sees @ToshiJJ get AJ right where he wants him!

[ #RIZIN40 | #RIZINvsBellator ] pic.twitter.com/qPYNUrVru9

— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) December 31, 2022

A wild ending to round 1!

This is why JMMA rules, rule!

[ #RIZIN40 | #RIZINvsBellator ] pic.twitter.com/ilQwCWxI7h

— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) December 31, 2022

These two are complete wizards on the ground…

[ #RIZIN40 | #RIZINvsBellator ] pic.twitter.com/fJjuttH8yh

— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) December 31, 2022

A.J. McKee targets Usman Nurmagomedov for his first 155lb grand prix bout: “I have the advantage on the feet.”

A.J. McKee has revealed he is hoping to be matched up with Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov in his first grand prix bout. Having made the move up to 155lbs, A.J. McKee was a clear pick to be a part of the recently announced Bellator lightweight grand prix. Whilst the first bouts have not yet […]

A.J. McKee has revealed he is hoping to be matched up with Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov in his first grand prix bout.

Having made the move up to 155lbs, A.J. McKee was a clear pick to be a part of the recently announced Bellator lightweight grand prix. Whilst the first bouts have not yet been announced, ‘The Mercenary’ is already calling his shot.

“I want my title, man,” McKee said on the “Weighing In” podcast. “Usman, then. Look, when I signed up for the 145-pound tournament, I proved myself the entire way through the tournament. I told everybody I’m going to finish everybody. So stepping into another tournament, I have to prove myself again? I mean, I have no problem doing that.“

McKee believes there is very little interest or intrigue in a fight with former champ Patricky Pitbull, stating that he was gifted the belt by his brother, Patricio.

“I think it’s the fight that everybody wants to see – on top of, I want to give him a test,” McKee said. “I don’t feel he’s been really tested yet. Patricky (Freire), he’s not a champ to me. He was gifted that belt from his brother – early Christmas present. To be a champion, you must beat the champion.

“For Usman, stylistically it’s just a good fight. We both have the wrestling. I would be intrigued to see that fight. I feel I have the advantage on the feet. But wrestling wise, maybe he can neutralize my wrestling, maybe I can neutralize his wrestling. And once we get to the ground, we’ve seen him pull off some nice submissions and we’ve seen me pull of some nice submissions. So, I feel like we match up pretty equally once it comes to wrestling and on the ground. It’d be a fun fight.” (H/T MMA Junkie)

Would you like to see A.J. McKee vs. Usman Nurmagomedov?

Bellator 286 – Patricio Pitbull Defends Title Against Adam Borics, A.J. McKee Makes 155lb Debut Against Spike Carlyle

Bellator 286 is set to feature former featherweight rivals, Patricio Pitbull and A.J. McKee – however, despite links to a Long Beach trilogy rubber match, the promotional standouts will not share the cage with each other. In lieu, recently minted featherweight champion, Pitbull, will attempt his first title defense since defeating McKee back in April, […]

In lieu, recently minted featherweight champion, Pitbull, will attempt his first title defense since defeating McKee back in April, drawing the surging Hungarian contender, Adam Borics at Bellator 286 on October 1. in California.

And as for the hometown favorite, McKee, the former undisputed featherweight champion and Grand Prix tournament victor will share the cage with UFC and Rizin FF alum, Spike Carlyle – making his lightweight division bow. News of the Bellator 286 doubleheader featuring Patricio Pitbull and A.J. McKee was first reported by the Long Beach Press-Telegram.

Sharing a distinct rivalry, Patricio Pitbull initially clashed with McKee in the featherweight Grand Prix finale back in July of last year, dropping his undisputed featherweight title in a first round high kick and subsequent standing guillotine submission loss.

Patricio Pitbull x A.J. McKee 3 has been put on the back burner for the time being

In an immediate title rematch, the veteran, decorated Brazilian headliner Bellator 277 against champion, McKee in April, defeating the Californian in a unanimous decision-earning effort. The loss came as the ever-present Bellator feature, McKee’s first professionally.

As for incoming featherweight title chaser, Borics, improved to 18-1 as a professional back in March of this year, defeating fellow European standout, Mads Burnell with a unanimous decision headlining win at Bellator 276.

For Carlyle, the charismatic, San Diego finisher makes his Bellator return against McKee, off the back of an impressive second round guillotine win against Koji Takeda under the Rizin FF banner back in April in Japan.

14-3 as a professional with seven submission wins to go with six other knockout victories, Carlyle has previously competed for LFA and Cage Warriors to boot, and laned a knockout win over Aalon Cruz in his UFC bow back in February 2020.

REPORT | A.J. McKee vs. Patricio Pitbull 2 Targeted For Bellator Event In April

A featherweight championship rematch between reigning division champion and 2021 Grand Prix victor, A.J. McKee, and former two-weight champion, Patricio Pitbull is currently in the works for a Bellator event in April. At the time of publication, a location or venue for the event has yet to be determined by the organization. Initially meeting in […]

Initially meeting in the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix final back in July of last year, the undefeated A.J. McKee snapped the memorable featherweight run of Pitbull with a first round standing guillotine choke after dropping the Brazilian with an earlier high-kick.

A.J. McKee managed to stop Patricio Pitbull with a submission win inside the opening two minutes of their clash

The victory improved A.J. McKee to 18-0 — his eighteenth under the promotion’s banner, having competed entirely for the Scott Coker-led organization since his debut back in April 2015.

For Pitbull, following his loss to the Californian, which snapped a run of seven straight victories for him, he also vacated his Bellator lightweight championship which is currently held by his elder sibling, Patricky Pitbull following a November knockout win over Peter Queally. Ariel Helwani was first to report the targeted rematch on his official Substack.

Embarking on a four-fight winning spree including his win over Pitbull throughout the Grand Prix tournament, McKee, a native of Long Beach, stopped Georgi Karakhanyan with strikes, before submitting both Derek Campos, and then former bantamweight champion, Darion Caldwell – the second of which with a Submission of the Year contender neck crank in November 2020.

32-5 as a professional, Pitbull had made his way to the tournament final with a trio of victories against former champion, Juan Archuleta, a knockout over Pedro Carvalho, and a submission win over two-time opponent, Emmanuel Sanchez – the most recent of which back in April of last year. Over the course of his professional career, Pitbull has scored 11 knockout wins to go with 12 submission victories.

Coker Suggests McKee Is The #1 Pound-For-Pound Fighter In The World

Scott Coker says Bellator Featherweight Champion A.J. McKee has a case for the title of the world’s pound-for-pound best. McKee, who has only ever fought under the Bellator banner, reached the 145-pound mountaintop last month when he dethroned Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, and in doing so, won the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix. In the main […]

Continue Reading Coker Suggests McKee Is The #1 Pound-For-Pound Fighter In The World at MMA News.

Volkanovski Explains Why A.J. McKee Is Not The World’s Best FW

UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski has explained why A.J. McKee can’t be considered the greatest 145-pound fighter in the world. In one of the most anticipated Bellator fights in history, McKee and Patricio “Pitbull” Freire clashed in the main event of Bellator 263. With a $1 million grand prix prize and the featherweight belt on […]

Continue Reading Volkanovski Explains Why A.J. McKee Is Not The World’s Best FW at MMA News.