Bellator 253 results: A.J. McKee neck cranks Darrion Caldwell, advances to grand prix finals

In case there was any doubt left at all, A.J. McKee is legit. And you can remove the phrase “prospect” before his name once and for all.

McKee (17-0 MMA, 17-0 BMMA) found himself facing both a former Bellator bantamweight champion and an NCAA champion wrestler in Darrion Caldwell in the main event of Bellator 253 on Thursday night.

And the undefeated McKee wasted little time showing he was up to the biggest challenge of his career in Bellator’s featherweight grand prix in the finals. A textbook neck crank got the job done in just 1:11 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

That puts McKee in the finals against the winner of the other semifinal, between champion Patricio Freire and Emmanuel Sanchez, which will be held at a date TBD.

Caldwell (14-4 MMA, 11-3 BMMA) went to his wrestling early in the fight and scored a takedown, but McKee didn’t panic. He slipped one arm under Caldwell’s, got him to move his head where he wanted it, wrapped up a body triangle, and it was a mere formality from that point on.

“He popped his head off to the side and I locked up the body triangle and I hooked him up deep and that’s all she wrote,” McKee said.

The featherweight bout was the main event of Bellator 253, which was held Thursday night at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. It was a semifinal bout in the Bellator featherweight grand prix.

McKee, whose previous tourney wins were over Georgi Karakhanyan and Derek Campos, had his ninth career first-round finish. Caldwell had a two-fight win streak snapped.

Compete Bellator 253 results:

• A.J. McKee def. Darrion Caldwell via submission (neck crank) — Round 1, 1:11 — featherweight grand prix semifinal
• Jeremy Johnson def. Benson Henderson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27. 30-27)
• Jeremy Kennedy def. Matt Bessette via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
• Jaleel Willis def. Mark Lemminger via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Jay Jay Wilson def. Sergio DeBari via KO (punches) — Round 1, 0:20
• Kaheem Murray def. Kevin Ferguson Jr. via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Sullivan Cauley def. Jason Markland via KO (punches) — Round 1, 0:28