AJ McKee beats Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire to win featherweight title and $1 million
AJ Mckee keeps unbeaten streak going with a first-round submission win over Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire; claims he's now "the best 145-pounder in the world".
Sunday 1 August 2021 13:24, UK
The culmination of the nearly two-year Bellator featherweight tournament saw AJ McKee emerged victorious, notching an emphatic submission win in the opening round over Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire.
The fight was approaching the two-minute mark when McKee (18-0) landed a high kick that stunned Freire (32-5). The American followed it up with a flurry of punches which dropped the Brazilian and McKee started to prematurely celebrate.
'Pitbull' regained his composure and made it back to his feet, but the 26-year old locked in the guillotine chokehold and the technical submission came.
With the win, McKee extended his winning streak to 18 fights, and took home not only the featherweight title, but the $1 million grand prize in front of a partisan crowd at the world famous Forum in Los Angeles.
"We are just getting started. This is only the beginning," said Mckee. "Now people are seeing it and people are believing it. I am the best 145-pounder in the world whether it's UFC, ONE FC, PFL, I don't care who it is."
"I've got $1 million cash in my bank and I'm willing to put it up against anybody else. Let's do some superfights. Let's change this sport, like I've been saying. We can do it. Let's unify these belts."
Elsewhere on the Bellator 263 card, Usman Nurmagomedov (13-0) - who is the cousin of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov - beat Manny Muro (12-7) via TKO in the first round.
After the fight, the undefeated Russian said "I wanted to make statement in this fight… I wanted to show that I could wrestle, and I could grapple. I can take the fight anywhere it goes. That I am not just striking. I showed that tonight."
Bellator 263 main card results:
#1-AJ McKee (18-0) defeated C-Patricio Pitbull (32-5) via submission (guillotine) at 1:57 of round one
#8-Mads Burnell (15-3) defeated #2-Emmanuel Sanchez (20-5) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Usman Nurmagomedov (13-0) defeated Manny Muro (12-7) via TKO (punches) at 3:30 of round one
Islam Mamedov (20-1-1) defeated Brent Primus (10-2) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
#5-Goiti Yamauchi (26-5) defeated Chris Gonzalez (6-1) via TKO (punches) at 3:53 of round one
