The rivalry between A.J. McKee and Patricio Freire might be a major one, but it doesn’t necessarily come with any disrespect.
When McKee submitted “Pitbull” Freire in July 2021 to win the featherweight title at Bellator 263, he kneeled next to the Brazilian afterward to try to show respect to the man regarded by most as the best in Bellator history.
McKee had just stayed unbeaten by doing something no one else had done in Freire’s illustrious career. He won $1 million in the process by winning Bellator’s grand prix, and he took Freire’s 145-pound title. But if there was bad blood, McKee wanted Freire to know it wasn’t intentional.
“For me, it’s all about respect – just being a warrior, being that warrior,” McKee recently told MMA Junkie Radio. “Obviously, tempers flare at times – there’s a big language barrier, so I don’t know what his corner, his translator is telling him. He’s saying I’m talking about his family and all this other stuff. So I just wanted to pay that respect, give that respect that was due – him being a champ prior.
“I just wanted him to know at the end of the day, I respect him. I respect what he’s done, and that I would never speak about his family. Even when we had our little altercation, I didn’t speak about his family – I asked him how would he feel if I spoke about his family. So again, it’s just a language barrier thing. I just wanted to make sure he knew, respectfully, this is me and who I am. I’m a respectful person outside the cameras and all that.”
Next Friday, McKee (18-0 MMA, 18-0 BMMA) puts his featherweight title on the line for the first time in a rematch with Freire (32-5 MMA, 20-5 BMMA) in the Bellator 277 main event at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.
McKee hasn’t fought since he beat Freire. And in the aftermath of his loss, Freire gave up his lightweight title so he could focus on featherweight – which gave his brother Patricky a chance to go after the 155-pound belt, which he now owns.
This time around, McKee said he hopes he and Freire can show that respect again, particularly since it’s possible they’ll see more of each other after next week – with potential for McKee to even move up to lightweight at some point to go after Patricky’s title.
“It’s all love,” McKee said. “Obviously, we both have jobs to do and that’s part of the game. I just always love to show respect – especially in a fight. At the end of the day, we’re in a fight, bro. Let’s throw these things and at the end of the day, pay each other some respect and love it out. I’m a big lover as much as I am a fighter. I would say I’m more of a lover than a fighter – I’m just giftedly talented at fighting.”
Champ A.J. McKee hopes to ‘love it out’ with mutual respect with Patricio Freire after Bellator 277
