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AJ.'Mercenary’ McKee is unquestionably Bellator MMA’s biggest homegrown star. All 18 of his professional bouts have been contested inside the Bellator cage and he has improved significantly with each fight.
McKee is coming off the biggest win of his MMA career as he submitted Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire at Bellator 263. This was a special night for him, as he became Bellator featherweight champion and won the one-million-dollar featherweight Grand Prix.
After becoming Bellator featherweight champion, there was a lot of speculation about what was next for McKee. In the past, he has made it known that he intends to move up to lightweight. So, the choice is really up to him if he wants to defend his title or move up to 155lbs.
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There are many fun matchups at lightweight and featherweight if he chooses to defend his title. This list will look at 5 possible fights for A.J. McKee in Bellator.
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#5. A.J. McKee vs. Mads Burnell
Kicking off this list of possible fights for A.J. McKee would be defending his Bellator featherweight championship against Mads Burnell. If McKee decides to hold off on a move to lightweight and defend his featherweight championship, Burnell will be a worthy challenger.
Burnell is currently the second-ranked featherweight in Bellator and somebody McKee hasn’t fought before. Burnell is an experienced fighter and is currently on a seven-fight winning streak dating back to his tenure in Cage Warriors.
After beginning his Bellator tenure at 2-0, Burnell was matched up with former title-challenger Emmanuel ‘Matador’ Sanchez. The bout went the distance and saw Burnell pick up a unanimous decision win. Judges scored the bout 29-28, 30-27, and 30-27 in favor of Burnell, which was the biggest win of his career.
Burnell soared up the rankings after the win over Sanchez. Prior to the bout, Burnell was the No.8-ranked featherweight. After the win, he leapt up the rankings to number-two. The fight makes sense rankings-wise and would be a great scrap for fans.
4. A.J. McKee vs. Brent Primus
Another possible fight for A.J. McKee in Bellator is against Brent Primus. If McKee decides to take a fight at lightweight to see how he performs at 155lbs, Primus would make a lot of sense.
Primus is a former Bellator lightweight champion having won the title against then-champion Michael Chandler. Since losing the title to Chandler in their rematch at Bellator 212, Primus has gone 3-1 in the Bellator cage. Through his performances, Primus has proven that he belongs in the top 5, and that he'd be a tough test for anybody at 155lbs.
Primus defeated former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson in his most recent bout, which helped him maintain his ranking. Although Primus didn’t get the finish against Henderson, he did control the majority of the fight with his grappling.
There wasn’t much Henderson could do as he exerted a lot of energy fending off submissions. Primus is currently the third-ranked lightweight and could be close to receiving another title shot. A win over McKee could land him that elusive title shot.
#3. A.J. McKee vs. Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire 2
If McKee decides to defend his Bellator featherweight championship, the most appealing fight would be a rematch with Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire.
‘Pitbull’ is arguably the greatest fighter in Bellator history, so if there’s anybody that deserves an immediate rematch, it’s him. Freire has been competing in Bellator for over 11 years and, in that time, has defeated the best 145-pounders the promotion has to offer.
The former champion currently has the most wins, fights, and title fights in Bellator history. Some of 'Pitbull's most notable wins include Wilson Reis, Daniel Straus, Emmanuel Sanchez, Juan Archuleta and Michael Chandler.
The first fight was a completely one-sided victory for McKee, so it’d be interesting to see how ‘Pitbull’ does in a potential rematch. Freire would need to first get over the mental hurdle of losing the way he did and find an answer to McKee’s style.
If he can, it would provide a great fight for the fans, and a true foil for McKee for the first time in his career.
#2. A.J. McKee vs. Patricky ‘Pitbull’ Freire – Bellator lightweight championship
If McKee decides to move up to lightweight, an immediate title shot against Patricky ‘Pitbull’ Freire shouldn’t be ruled out.
It hasn’t yet been confirmed whether McKee will defend his featherweight championship, especially now that Patricky ‘Pitbull’ Freire is the lightweight champion. Patricky is Patricio's older brother, so a fight with McKee could generate plenty of interest for Bellator.
‘Pitbull’ won the lightweight championship at Bellator 270 after defeating Peter Queally by second-round TKO. Patricky looked great in that fight and didn’t take a significant amount of damage. Timing for a bout with McKee wouldn’t too far-fetched even though he has fought more recently than the featherweight champion.
The buildup for Patricky ‘Pitbull’ Freire vs. A.J. McKee pretty much writes itself: Patricky fighting McKee in order to avenge his brother’s defeat, while McKee tries taking the older ‘Pitbull’ brother’s title.
#1. A.J. McKee vs. Usman Nurmagomedov
Topping this list of fights for A.J. McKee in Bellator is a lightweight bout with Usman Nurmagomedov. For McKee, it’s not a matter of if he’ll move to 155lbs, it’s a matter of when. With that in mind, a bout with Nurmagomedov could become a reality.
Nurmagomedov is the cousin of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and is arguably the promotion’s top prospect. The 23-year-old has a perfect 14-0 record and currently sits third in the lightweight rankings. He has displayed a well-rounded style and is not strictly a ground fighter. Nurmagomedov could be one win away from a title fight.
Depending on when McKee moves up to lightweight, he could possibly be matched up with Nurmagomedov in his first fight. McKee vs. Nurmagomedov could be a great headliner for a future Bellator event. The fight could sell in any big market that Bellator brings an event to.
If Bellator chooses not to have the bout take place in North America, bringing it to Moscow could be another option. Bellator President Scott Coker has stated that Fedor Emelianenko’s next bout will once again take place in Moscow. Based on those plans, perhaps that'd also be the ideal location for McKee-Nurmagomedov.
Having A.J. McKee fight Russia's own Usman Nurmagomedov on the same event as Russian legend Fedor may draw a larger crowd. It also has the potential to be the biggest fight in Bellator's history, due to both men's star potential and success.
