AJ McKee is gearing up for a big fight in the Bellator Grand Prix Final. He’ll be fighting Patricio Freire for the featherweight title.
Patricio is the current featherweight titleholder. He was able to successfully defend his title in yesterday’s Bellator 255 against Emmanuel Sanchez. ‘Pitbull’ won via a first-round submission whilst AJ watched from the stands.
As it turns out, AJ wanted Freire to win the fight. He wanted a ‘ big title showdown’ for the Grand Prix Final. Fans have also been calling for this matchup for some time and so has he.
President Scott Coker also spoke on the matchup in the post-fight conference. “We’ve built him up over the last 5-6 years, now he’s ready to go,” he said in reference to AJ. Subsequently, AJ has been in Bellator for 5 years and currently holds a 17-0 undefeated record.
Although Patricio is the current champion and has a staggering 32-4 record, AJ is not intimidated. In spite of Freire’s three impressive tournament showings and a career of domination, McKee is not afraid. He respects Patricio for his achievements but thinks it’s time for a change.
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AJ McKee and his Gameplan
Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire is one of the most decorated Bellator stars in recent times. Patricio’s accolades and credentials are phenomenal, yet many, including AJ, consider him to be underrated.
“There’s no way he should get anywhere near me,” says McKee. He feels that his reach and height advantage will be crucial. He claims that Patricio’s performance in the last fight was not at all impressive.
A.J. McKee poses for photos at the weigh-in. A.J. McKee challenged Dominic Mazzotta at Featherweight in Bellator 178 on April 20, 2017. (Credits: Getty Images)
“I’m a lot longer. I have a 75-inch reach” McKee added. As it stands, McKee is quite confident in his abilities and will be looking to fight head-on. He also talks about how Patricio will have to ‘try and create openings’ to get on the inside.
The highly anticipated Grand Prix Final will be a fight for the 145-pound belt and, a $1 million prize. Whilst the date and venue for the fight are yet to be decided, it is clearly hotting up to be a fight to remember. Will the ‘new’ AJ take the throne or will the ‘old’ Patricio prevail?
