Belt Collector? AJ McKee Returns to Japan for Historic Two-Title Fight | Deadspin.com

As a rebrand into MVP MMA is simply months away, the PFL has been taking probabilities and reshaping its future following John Martin’s appointment as CEO final yr. One of its star fighters, A.J. McKee, is about to take an opportunity of his personal in a significant alternative.

McKee flies to Japan this week to compete in the principle occasion of Super RIZIN 5 on Thursday, September 10. He will signify PFL and problem undefeated RIZIN featherweight champion Razhabali Shaydullaev – with the winner additionally claiming the PFL featherweight championship (watch right here).

McKee is just not a whole stranger to Japan. The former Bellator featherweight champion competed within the nation in a Bellator vs. RIZIN cross-promotional occasion that came about on New Year’s Eve 2022. That evening, McKee memorably made a spectacular walkout for the principle occasion in a $100,000 samurai swimsuit earlier than occurring to defeat Roberto de Souza.

And now McKee is relishing the chance to expertise the nation yet one more time in a higher-stakes atmosphere.

“That’s a piece of memorabilia I’ll be able to give my kids’ kids’ kids,” McKee mentioned in an unique interview with Deadspin. “‘Your great-great-grandfather fought in that in Japan!’ You know what I mean? Like it’s ‘he walked out as a samurai,’ and then you look at both cultural backgrounds, and you’re able to see the similarities of the warriors and whatnot.”

McKee final fought a number of months in the past at PFL San Diego, scoring a unanimous determination win over Salamat Isbulaev. McKee virtually dominated the entire battle and took little to no harm. The PFL gave McKee a proposal: take this chance in RIZIN or wait till the top of the yr to battle one other PFL fighter for the PFL featherweight title on the PFL card.

McKee jumped on the chance with RIZIN for a couple of cause. Not solely was it about making an attempt to remain energetic and never wait some time between fights, but it surely was additionally in regards to the distinctive high-stakes nature of the competition.

Bellator followers could bear in mind present UFC fighter Kyoji Horiguchi holding each the Bellator and RIZIN bantamweight championships concurrently. But that got here because of two separate fights with Darrion Caldwell – one at a RIZIN occasion for RIZIN’s title on New Year’s Eve 2018 and one at Bellator 222 for Bellator’s title in June 2019. This alternative McKee holds feels extra like one thing out of the world of boxing, when a number of sanctioning our bodies’ championships in a single weight class are on the road in a battle, or one thing out of a championship unification storyline on this planet {of professional} wrestling.

That additionally means larger strain, but it surely’s a strain McKee welcomes.

“Not only one, but two world titles will be conquered in that one night,” McKee mentioned. “Nowhere in the world has mixed martial arts done this at all to put two titles on the line.

“I’m putting everything I’ve built up over the years on the line for this one fight – for a young up-and-comer who’s undefeated, who’s hungry, who I don’t think has had any tough battles or fights yet. But this is going to be that battle, that fight. Do you want it? Are you capable of it? Do you have the skill set for it? So, for me, I’m always game to run the big risk, high reward. In the midst of the pressure is where I feel I am formed.”

McKee talked about the chance additionally got here with a fast turnaround time. Just two weeks after the win over Isbulaev, he was again in coaching camp and again in weight administration mode – and that got here after fairly the indulgence in his small break.

“It was rough that first week,” he mentioned. “Getting back into the gym was a little rough. I was about 185 pounds, eating Cheesecake Factory twice a day, and I was just being disgusting. I’ll probably do the same thing after this fight. It is what it is.

“You know, it takes a lot for me to make 145 pounds – a lot of dieting. A lot of just sacrificing the donuts that are in the kitchen, sitting in the cabinet right now, to the right portions of eating salads and broccoli all day-it’s-it’s a lot. So afterwards, I indulged to the fullest. I turn into like a little mini Paddy Pimblett, and I just eat straight up.”

McKee added that the sentiments worsen when he appears at social media whereas reducing weight, admitting he has a whole Instagram web page saved for making an attempt new eating places and recipes. He jokes the algorithm is aware of when he’s in a weight reduce and decides that to be the proper time to place food and drinks movies in his feed.

“The closer I get to the fight, they know what to push,” McKee mentioned. “So I’m just scrolling, looking at eating videos. I’m like, ‘Ugh…’

“And then the worst part about it is right when we hit the very end of the weight cut, they start showing me drinking videos. So I’m looking at crazy cold-pressed juices and just crazy drink combinations. I’m like, ‘You guys are trying to torture me. This isn’t right.’”

Shaydullaev is the 19-0 RIZIN featherweight champion and has constructed a powerful status as a bodily, damaging fighter. In truth, all 19 of his skilled MMA victories haven’t gone to the scorecards (12 submissions and 7 KO/TKOs), and 6 of his present seven RIZIN victories have are available underneath 5 minutes.

Shaydullaev has taken out a former Bellator champion earlier than in Juan Archuleta, however one can argue McKee is a a lot totally different fighter – and maybe the hardest check Shaydullaev has confronted. McKee could also be older by about six years, however he’s actually the extra seasoned and skilled fighter, in addition to the one with the dimensions benefit on this matchup.

Having sized up Shaydullaev in particular person, McKee respects the instruments his RIZIN foe brings to the matchup – even when he’s already noticing limitations and weaknesses.

“He doesn’t have as much head movement. He’s more of a straightforward-and-back fighter compared to my last opponent,” McKee mentioned. “I think his wrestling and grappling is a little bit better. I shook his hand; he’s got really big hands, so now I see why people have struggled with him on the ground. He gets that wrist control, he grabs, and he holds on, and then he gives him something to pay for in between. That’s kind of his whole MO.

“But I don’t think anyone’s had enough wrestling base to kind of neutralize his wrestling and make him scramble and make him fight. That’s where I think this is going to be a fight where he’s going to have to fight.”

One distinctive twist McKee might be experiencing on this battle? The RIZIN ruleset. RIZIN fights are competed in a hoop as a substitute of a cage, and it resembles the ruleset longtime MMA followers could bear in mind from the times of PRIDE Fighting Championships. This means sure issues disallowed underneath the Unified Rules of MMA, together with soccer kicks to the top of a grounded opponent, knees to a floor opponents, and stomps, are authorized.

While the Unified Rules have these restrictions in place as a consequence of considerations over the long-term well being and security of fighters, McKee is happy for the possibility to compete in a “beast mode” ruleset that presents new strategic openings and comes nearer to a high-school-era street-fighting ambiance.

“I love it! It makes me horny,” McKee chuckled. “I love Japan’s rule set. It’s way more barbaric…There’s a lot more damage that can be done. I’ve always wished that they implement those rules into Mixed Martial Arts.”

McKee is now 4-1 within the PFL since arriving within the promotion following its acquisition and the eventual closure of Bellator. Having had the distinctive alternative to compete underneath the intense lights of MMA – he had competed in Bellator for his complete profession earlier than the acquisition – McKee felt a tough adjustment when beginning with the PFL.

McKee, nonetheless, has been complimentary of the PFL and says they’ve honored contracts and maintained star therapy, in addition to granting alternatives just like the one he has in entrance of him. He appears ahead to extra alternatives with the PFL following this battle, even when it means having to work issues out with two promotions’ championships if he wins.

And McKee mentioned after this battle, there could also be some unfinished enterprise at light-weight. McKee moved as much as 155 in late 2022, after dropping the Bellator featherweight title, and he fell simply quick in a break up determination loss to Paul Hughes in an October 2024 PFL light-weight title eliminator.

Not solely does he want a possible alternative to avenge the loss to Hughes and win gold at light-weight, however maybe discover a option to win welterweight gold as effectively.

“I believe folks overlook who one of the best and baddest 145-pounder on this planet is, and his identify’s AJ “The Mercenary” McKee,” he mentioned. “So this was just me reminding everybody who I am.”