LIVE! Bellator 253 Virtual Media Day!

Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images

Fighters are scheduled to start chatting today at 1:30 p.m. ET from inside Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Bellator 253: “Caldwell vs. McKee” takes place this week (Thurs., Nov. 19, 2020) at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. “The Mercenary” A.J. McKee (16-0) puts his perfect record on the line against former Bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell (15-3).

The fighters are scheduled to participate in what the promotion is calling a “Virtual Media Day” this afternoon (Tues., Nov. 17, 2020), starting at 1:30 p.m. ET. Expected participants include:

Jaleel Willis (1:30 p.m.) – Bellator Welterweight
A.J. McKee (1:45 p.m.) – Bellator Featherweight
Jason Jackson (2:00 p.m.) – Bellator Welterweight
Darrion Caldwell (2:15 p.m.) – Bellator Featherweight
Benson Henderson (2:30 p.m.) – Bellator Lightweight/Welterweight
Joey Davis (2:45 p.m.) – Bellator Welterweight
Bobby Lee (3:00 p.m.) – Bellator Welterweight
Raufeon Stots (3:15 p.m.) – Bellator Bantamweight
Keith Lee (3:30 p.m.) – Bellator Bantamweight
Jeremy Kennedy (3:45 p.m.) – Bellator Featherweight

Selected news and memorable quotes from the participants will be available below.

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Jaleel Willis: “I feel mentally prepared for the interviews and all the stuff I have to do, it just reminds me of how professional everything is around (Bellator). It’s just normal for me. I feel like it’s another wrestling tournament, another dual meet, you know?”

Willis: “It’s 100% his (Lemminger) will not to quit, to keep pushing and pushing and pushing. That’s what I’m trying to test my skill set against and see how I’m truly improving over the years. With Vinicius there were so many things I had to overcome over those five rounds.”

Willis: “I don’t see no difference. The competition level seems the same. Me, I’m happy to be fighting early. I can go in there, do my thing, not have to wait around. Right now I’m kind of being back to setting the tone of the show. I’m back to that younger stage going from the amateurs to the pros. I get to do that again. People are gonna have to come out and beat what I just did.”

Willis: “I feel comfortable at 170. I’m more successful at 170 than at lower weights and at catch weights. We let them know that I was open to fighting at 155 and I pretty much asked for it but it kind of backfired on me on that end.”

Willis: “Keep pushing. There’s a few things that the dude (Amosov) did well (to Lemminger), and I want to put my style on it to make sure I come out on top.”

A.J. McKee: “It’s been good you know. Coming off knee surgery in January, set to fight in June, and COVID breaking off in March. I was about 70-80% ready, I was going to fight regardless, but for me (now) I’m ready to go. Once I felt 100% we had finally locked in a fight date for November 19th.”

McKee: “It’s one fight at a time. I’ve known Darrion since I was a kid. He’s a great wrestler but I focus on what I’m capable of and at the end of the day this isn’t a wrestling match.”

McKee: “I wouldn’t say it’s nothing personal, I just told him what it is — I’m gonna break him. We can have a few drinks afterward but once we step in that cage we are no longer friends. I got a lot to fight for.”

McKee: “Pitbull did a smart move you know? He switched Caldwell to my side of the bracket and he’s got three wins over the people on his side, and he got the easiest fight. No disrespect to (Pedro) Carvalho but I think he came in real cocky. I think it’s going to be an interesting fight and for me it is who it is. For me it doesn’t matter who it is — I’m going to kick their ass.”

McKee: “I’ve had a dream that I choked out Emmanuel Sanchez. I think Sanchez might get the edge (over Pitbull) because of his output, but if he touches Sanchez on the chin, it’s a problem. If he touches anybody it’s a problem. If Sanchez wins I’ll let him know he barked up the wrong tree.”

McKee: “This is a while ago. This was before the Georgi (Karakhanyan) fight. This is before he pulled out. He isn’t ready. I call him the pillow puncher now.”

McKee: “Yeah he (my father) is right here. Keeping it gangster man. I don’t think I can fight without him. It was surreal. That was one of my favorite iconic moments in my career (sharing a card with my dad). I’ve always watched him and he’s always watched me. To be the first father son to go out there and win, he finished his guy and I finished my guy, nobody else has done that except Griffey and that’s baseball. For him to be 50 years old and still competing is phenomenal. I don’t think I’ll be competing at 50 — (the) checks would have to be stupid large.”

McKee: “No crowd is even better. I can hear what his corner is saying, he can hear what mine is saying, but if you get caught up listening to mine you might get your head knocked off your shoulders.”

McKee: “Who else is there really (to fight) at 145? I don’t think there’s anything really left for me in this division.”

McKee: “Some people get rushed but (Bellator) has literally built me. That’s why I’ve had time to grow. There’s a lot of preparation going into fights, so I’d say they’ve built me the right way, and now that I’m ready it’s time to full go. I’ve been calling out Patricio since day one. It’s nothing personal — you’ve got a couple of pieces of property that belong to me.”

McKee: “That’s my thing. I like to make history and keep win streaks going. 16 fights, 11 finishes, nine of them in the first round. I’m looking to kill the stats and set the standard high. I’ve got a three year old brother doing armbars already, so when he steps in he’ll be the first world champion at 18. I’ve got to see the bar high for him.”

McKee: “I wouldn’t say I’m a leader in the gym because I view us all as equals but that’s something I’m starting to pick up more. We all want to be the best and that’s what makes us all so great.”

McKee: “I’ve always said I’m going to be the Floyd Mayweather (Jr.) of MMA. I haven’t set any other goals besides that. Just see where the path takes me after that. I’d like to unify the belts and show the organization doesn’t make the fighter and I am the superior fighter in the world. I like being able to reach out and connect ties.”

Jason Jackson: “It’s no different (from Jordan Mein). He (Henderson) is just another name.”

Jackson: “I haven’t stopped training since the Jordan Mein fight. I stayed in the gym. I’m always doing something physical. Life is like I’m training daily.”

Jackson: “I’m use to (being overlooked) now. I use it to put more fuel into me. Oh I’m being overlooked? Wrong guy (to do that with). Watch.”

Jackson: “I take on big opponents and dethrone the odds and that’s something that I’m here for. Benson Henderson is not going to come in and do what he do. It’s the Jason show.”

Jackson: “Once I beat Ben Henderson if something come available I get in the gym and do it again until people say they’re tired of Jason Jackson.”

Jackson: “We have a lot of different looks in the gym. DeMarques Jackson, so many fighters coming up you have yet to see I’ve been working with, I did a lot of work. Henderson likes to throw a lot of lefts and shoot the singles so I want someone who can mimic that move.”

Jackson: “Finishing. I was the guy who was just fighting for my paycheck, so I wasn’t finishing the fights. Now I want to put it all together. I want to put everything together with the intention of finishing.”

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