A.J. McKee is a man with many options.
The former Bellator featherweight champion has several big, enticing matchups for his return to the cage – and two different weight classes.
Some are hoping McKee (20-1 MMA, 20-1 BMMA) settles his rivalry with featherweight champ Patricio Freire (35-5 MMA, 23-5 BMMA), who beat McKee in April 2022 to take the title back. Others, after seeing McKee in his second outing at lightweight at Rizin FF 40: Bellator vs. Rizin, want to see the former champ take on new lightweight titleholder Usman Nurmagomedov.
The fans are not alone in this dilemma. McKee also struggles with what he wants next for his career. Although it’s not an easy choice, he does have options.
“Ego says ‘Pitbull,’ but business says tournament,” McKee told MMA Junkie regarding his next move. “So I’d have to say tournament.
“I’ve already put the offer on the table for Bellator with Patricio ‘Pitbull.’ I told Patricio I’d love to fight him, but it’s not something I want to continuously reach for. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I would obviously would love to fight him again. That would be ideal for his legacy, for my legacy.
“It’s a game: 1 and 1. Everyone wants to see who the best is, especially for myself moving up a division. I don’t mind. There’s another title. There’s other people. This is new land to conquer for me, and that’s what I’m happy about.”
McKee is coming off a unanimous decision win over Rizin FF lightweight champion Roberto de Souza on New Year’s Eve. The contest marked his second fight at 155 pounds.
In the long run, McKee envisions his career at lightweight, but he does think he can have two extra years at 145 pounds.
“The weight cuts are good,” McKee said regarding his experience at lightweight. “I’m cutting 10 (pounds) the week of, so the weight cut wasn’t bad. It wasn’t bad – 155 is nice.
“I’m getting used to moving around with the big boys, I’m training with all the 170 pounders, so I feel strong. I go move with them, and then I go train with the little guys to keep up with their speed, and it keeps me right between the two. It’s nice. I like 155, but I’ll go back down to 145. That’s always a possibility.”