MMA Knockout

(Exclusive) AJ McKee on Battle of the Giants & Bellator LW Title

The former Bellator featherweight champion fights Paul Hughes this Saturday.

Drew Beaupre

(Cooper Neill/Getty Images/PFL

AJ McKee is set to kick off the PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants main card this Saturday opposite Paul Hughes, and ahead of the huge PPV event the former Bellator featherweight champion spoke with MMA KO’s Drew Beaupré.

McKee vs. Hughes

The lightweight tilt between McKee and Hughes has rightfully captured the attention of fight fans from the moment it was announced, although the matchup admittedly came as a surprise to some given that “Big News” only signed on with the PFL earlier this year.

“To my understanding, he was the one that asked for the fight. He was the one that called the matchmakers and was like ‘He wants to fight.’ He signed with PFL to fight the best of the best, you know what I mean? He asked for the fight, he said specifically he wanted AJ McKee. And I’m the type of person, I don’t say no to fights. So you call me with a name, and let’s go get it on. I’m gonna show you exactly why you don’t wanna fight me…For me, it’s just one more step to get closer to where I wanna be and where I need to be.”

“I think he’s tough, I don’t think he’s really had to face any adversity yet in the cage. He’s ready to fight, I remember once I was – well I was 12-0 – but I remember being right there like that. I was hungry, I wanted everything. For me, it was always my father saying ‘Hey, don’t push it too soon, you know what I mean? Your time will come when it comes, and just be prepared in that moment.’ Maybe he is prepared, maybe he isn’t prepared. But my job is to go show him he’s not prepared…This is the best I’ve ever felt. Like I said, I’m breaking all my records - which I didn’t think would be a possibility coming from when I was setting them at 26 and I didn’t have a fear in the world. So being 29 and actually taking care of my body, doing this right, nutritionally, eating proper, just crossing all my t’s and my i’s, making them bold. That’s what it’s all about. He’s been put in this position for a reason…I can’t take my focus off my goal and my aspiration, so for me it’s just get him in there and get him out of there.”

(Exclusive) Paul Hughes Talks AJ McKee Fight & Big Plans in PFL

"The Tournament Is Always Ideal"

“The Mercenary” submitted PFL star Clay Collard in February when the promotion held its first PFL vs. Bellator event after acquiring Bellator in a huge move late last year.

McKee is certainly interested in all the new opportunities available to him since that acquisition, but he also knows there’s business that still needs to be handled under the Bellator banner.

“I think obviously the tournament is always ideal. That’s guaranteed four fights in a year. There’s a couple things I don’t like – I don’t like not being able to throw elbows, so I’m not too intrigued on hopping into a tournament ‘cause of that. But then again, come full circle, I was in the tournament for the lightweight division with Bellator, I caught staph…Obviously Usman Nurmagomedov, he’s had that title since I moved up to the lightweight division. When I was calling out Patricky (Pitbull) and I wanted Patricky straight coming from the featherweight division, he became champ and he’s been the man with that plan since then. I saw a great opportunity to be put into that tournament, and then obviously catching staph, following through having to pull out of the tournament, and things happening with him through the tournament and then their fight getting postponed, it’s just been a big combined postpone in everybody’s plans I feel like. But, come full circle, that’s still a fight everybody wants to see."

"Everybody wants to see AJ McKee and Usman. So seeing and knowing that I’m one step away, this is a fight that – I would say my father always kind of tells me, 'These are the ones you’ve gotta be worried about the most.’ You have everything to lose and really nothing to gain, where [Hughes] has everything to gain and nothing to lose. So with that being said, I’ve never felt pressure really. I don’t think I feel pressure…I do know what’s at stake, and I do value what’s at stake. So I know what I have to do and how to prepare for what I have to do. Yeah, Usman’s the man with the plan. After watching Shabliy and him fight in San Diego, I had a few words with Khabib [Nurmagomedov], I had a few words with him. Khabib walks by and goes ‘See you in Dubai’…For me, it’s just get through this fight man. Get through this fight, stay healthy, and go show why you’re the best in the world, go show everyone I’m the best in the world.”

Big Opportunities With The PFL

Following PFL vs. Bellator in February, McKee has once again been given a starring role at PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants on October 19.

The card is headlined by Francis Ngannou’s long-awaited promotional debut against Renan Ferreira, and so far Bellator’s former featherweight king has been impressed with how the PFL has handled business this year.

“I think it’s awesome. I think it’s a really cool and big opportunity, just because there’s not only one platform, but now there’s two platforms to be able to showcase your skillset on. And everyone’s always been intrigued with the tournaments, so the tournaments are something the PFL does every year regardless. Whereas Bellator, they’re still hosting their shows and they’re doing kinda big fights. If there’s title fights, they allow those big title fights to kind of go on. As we see, they just had the Usman and Shabliy fight. Those are big title fights, that lightweight title – there’s no slouches in this division.”

"When it comes full circle to being able to be on cards like this one, like the champs vs. champs, in totality man, it’s such a great opportunity. The platform is so big, we’re on ESPN, there’s a lot more eyes being opened to not only us as fighters, but the sport, the organizations, and making those super fights man. This is a really big card with nothing but great, GOATs on this card. So it speaks for itself, you know what I mean? Everyone’s been waiting for Francis to make his return, everybody’s been waiting for me to fight, and everyone loves to see Cris Cyborg fight. And then you’ve got a whole ‘nother title fight on the line. So it’s a phenomenal card man, they’re doing really well at putting together big shows and kind of just showing ‘em what everybody’s about.”

Battle of the Giants Preview – PFL Unveils New Super Fights Belt

Pitbull Trilogy & Bellator Lightweight Title

McKee improved to 18-0 when he defeated Bellator legend Patricio Pitbull in 2021 to claim the promotion’s featherweight crown, but the 29-year-old came up short in their immediate rematch before deciding to move on to the lightweight division.

A trilogy fight with Pitbull would certainly command the interest of combat sports fans, but after starting out at 4-0 as a lightweight McKee doesn’t see any need to drop back down to featherweight unless it’s for a truly high-profile matchup.

“For the right fight, I’ll be willing to go back down to 145. It’s just gotta make sense. I get to eat blueberry banana pancakes and chicken parmesans every day after practice right now. So am I looking forward to going back to eating egg whites and spinach, and literally leaning out my diet to a whole ‘nother level? It takes a lot of discipline, it takes a lot on the mental [side]…I’m not going all the way down to 145 for a non-title fight. It just doesn’t make sense. I’ve already established myself, I feel I’ve claimed and established myself as the best 145 pounder in the world, no matter what organization it is. I don’t care who it is, where you’re at, or what it is, AJ McKee is gonna be that man raised with his hand at the 145-pound division. So, moving up to 155, I’m willing to work for that. And I feel that’s what I’ve been doing since, is showing everyone that ‘Okay, he’s the truth. He’s able to move up a division and still hold his own and perform with these big boys.’”

Provided he gets past Hughes in Saudi Arabia, McKee fully intends to at least start next year in the lightweight division for what would be a huge matchup against undefeated Bellator Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov.

“Dubai. I’ve never been. Dubai, Usman Nurmagomedov, Dubai. Khabib said it, I’ll ask about it, but I’ll definitely entertain it. That’s been the fight. That’s been the fight everybody wants to see. The fans want to see it, I want to see it. I think Khabib wants to see it, Usman wants to see it, let’s see who the best of the best is. And obviously not looking past my opponent, but I just – I gotta go get this job done.”

(Exclusive) Johnny Eblen Talks Career Plans, PFL Super Fights PPV

McKee vs. Hughes will kick off the PPV portion of PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants, which takes place this Saturday (October 19) at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. bbbbbbbbbbbbb

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Drew Beaupre
DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

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