5 Bellator MMA fighters who could be title contenders in the UFC

#2. Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire - Current Bellator lightweight champion

Patricio Pitbull remains one of the best featherweight fighters outside the UFC

Patricio 'Pitbull' may no longer be the Bellator featherweight champion after he was dethroned by A.J. McKee last weekend, but the Brazilian is still definitely one of the best fighters outside the UFC, and could be a title contender if he was there.

Prior to his defeat at the hands of McKee, 'Pitbull' had not lost a fight since August 2016, and even that loss, which came against former UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson, came via an injury.

The Brazilian’s list of victims includes tremendous fighters such as Daniel Straus, Juan Archuleta and even Michael Chandler, who was knocked out by Freire in 2019 in a fight that saw him become Bellator’s second double champion.

.@patriciopitbull shocks the world! #Bellator221 pic.twitter.com/7YjZD9hZPN

— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) May 12, 2019

With absolutely deadly striking skills, brutal knockout power, a solid chin and a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the Brazilian essentially has no weaknesses. Is he invincible?

Well, no, as his loss to McKee has proven. However, he’s also shown time after time that he’s more than capable of beating any 145-pounder on the planet, and despite the UFC’s featherweight division being stacked, he’d definitely be a dangerous addition to it.

Fights against the likes of Max Holloway, Zabit Magomedsharipov and Brian Ortega would be fantastic, and what’s more, who would be victorious would be up for question, meaning 'Pitbull' could almost certainly be a UFC title contender.

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#1. A.J. McKee – current Bellator featherweight champion

A.J. McKee might be the best fighter outside of the UFC regardless of weight classes

Arguably the jewel in Bellator’s crown right now is the new Bellator featherweight champion A.J. McKee. ‘Mercenary’ pulled off one of 2021’s most stunning results last weekend when he defeated longtime champion Patricio Freire for the title and, in doing so, extended his perfect record to 18-0 in the process.

The son of one-time UFC veteran Antonio McKee, A.J. has the same solid wrestling base that his father boasted, but inside the cage, he couldn’t be further from him in terms of fighting styles.

Antonio McKee was often derided as one of MMA’s most boring fighters, as he preferred to simply hold opponents down rather than look to finish them. His son, in contrast, has finished 13 of his 18 fights and is one of Bellator's most exciting names..

The Million Dollar Submission! 💰@AJMcKee101 stops @PatricioPitbull to become the Bellator Featherweight World Champion. WOW!A historic moment at @TheForum. #Bellator263 pic.twitter.com/fg75zEKrta

— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) August 1, 2021

And it’s not like he’s been fighting scrubs, either. Tough fighters like Darrion Caldwell and Pat Curran, as well as arguably the best fighter outside the UFC in 'Pitbull', have fallen to ‘ Mercenary’.

A true mixed martial artist, McKee has a tremendous submission arsenal to go along with his wrestling, and while his striking isn’t the greatest from a technical standpoint, he hits incredibly hard, as 'Pitbull' found out when he was dropped with punches early in their fight at Bellator 263.

At the age of 26, McKee may not have even reached his prime yet, making him one of the scariest prospects in the entire sport. Would he be an instant title contender in the UFC? Almost certainly. Could he even be a future champion? If he continues on his current path, it seems highly likely.