5 years after carrying the Bellator featherweight belt round his waist, AJ McKee is trying to win one other gold belt within the PFL. That is why he selected to maneuver again to 145 kilos after a short transfer to light-weight, although he already has plans for his post-fight profession.
McKee defeated Akhmed Magomedov in July 2025 and hoped his match in opposition to Adam Borix in March of this yr can be for the inaugural PFL belt. That wasn’t the case when he gained by resolution, however he will not win once more Saturday in PFL San Diego’s predominant occasion in opposition to undefeated prospect Salamat Isblayev. McKee, 31, who simply signed a brand new contract with the PFL on the finish of 2025, has revealed he could also be getting into the ultimate yr of his MMA profession.
“I form of put a time stamp on my profession,” McKee informed MMA Combating. “I’ve acquired 4 extra years. I do not wish to be that man who’s nonetheless preventing as a result of he has to when he is 40. Perhaps I wish to be, however I feel it is over after I’m 35. I wish to pursue different goals, different passions. I imply, if I am making an insane sum of money, clearly…cash speaks. When you have cash, you’ll do some issues — not all, however some.”
After going 21-1 in Bellator and 3-1 within the PFL, McKee has no plans to decelerate so long as he is carrying gloves. In return, the “mercenary” vows to “proceed to battle and make a reputation for himself.”
“I’ve had some setbacks in my life,” McKee stated. “However there was nothing that might cease me and nothing that could not hold me from turning round and dealing even tougher and tougher and giving my all. As a result of I completed on the high and I wished to remain on the high. One of the best ways to do this is to set a time cap and end to the perfect of your capability.”
As for his “different passions” for his future away from preventing, it would seemingly should do with sports activities and adrenaline. Once more, no slowdown.
“I wish to do one thing near racing, like bikes, IndyCar, Baja,” McKee stated. “You have to go quick. You have to have some adrenaline in your life. Hopefully I can get into the racing scene a bit of bit. I’ve acquired plenty of modified vehicles, however they’re all drag vehicles. Perhaps one thing that could possibly be a bit of extra track-oriented.”
“I have been in fairly just a few vehicles,” he continued. “Really, I simply raced my first go-kart, like a 100cc shifter kart. I imply, I did not race. I used to be getting spanked by little children across the observe, they usually have been like 80cc or 75cc. I used to be a 100cc, so I used to be capable of catch him. However the level is, it was my first time on the observe. I did properly, you recognize? I solely spun out just a few occasions. (laughs)
McKee’s return to his native California for the PFL headliner vs. Isbulaev is greater than only a battle, he says. It is a message to all the 145-pound division.
“The rationale I went again to featherweight was as a result of I missed being champion,” McKee stated. He has solely misplaced as soon as as an MMA featherweight, a rematch with Patricio Pitbull in 2022. The opposite loss on his report was a cut up resolution loss to Paul Hughes in 2024 at light-weight.
“Clearly, I fell a bit of quick at light-weight,” he continued. “I did not put that a lot weight on to be a light-weight, however I feel my talent set is best than what folks really feel or see. I am simply going to lock in weight and return to 145 kilos and remind everybody who’s the perfect on the planet. I am positively going to maneuver again in weight for the suitable battle.”
Isblaev will likely be McKee’s first undefeated opponent in 10 years, getting into the cage following a first-round knockout win over former PFL season winner Jesus Pinedo. The 29-year-old Russian is 10-0 as far as a professional after amassing a 29-3 report as an newbie, and after watching the tape, McKee has “been capable of perceive the sample and make the most of it.”
“I feel the vital factor about watching the tape earlier than was that you might see he was a bit of drained,” McKee stated. “In his newbie profession, it is a three-minute spherical, so it is a nine-minute (battle), so it is two rounds. He hasn’t gotten out of the second spherical but, which exhibits he is truly used to preventing 10 minutes as a substitute of quarter-hour. He is by no means actually fought long-range, high-paced fights. I’ve seen him form of gassy at occasions within the first spherical, so preserving a high-paced battle and simply taking him into deep water goes to be key on this battle.
“I really feel like the professional circuit is a bit of completely different as a result of plenty of his fights have been amateurs, and simply with the ability to battle these five-minute rounds constantly modifications the sport lots. I feel it’ll be an enormous distinction. And by way of talent set, no, I actually do not suppose he is ever fought anybody with my talent set. He is the one man that is achieved that. I fought him very properly in that form of scramble and that was his solely loss within the amateurs. ”
However McKee is not anticipating a simple victory.
“I’ve all the time had that mindset and I’ve all the time been informed you are solely pretty much as good as your final sport,” McKee stated. “His final sport was an excellent win and that is what I am . It exhibits the place he’s now, his newest talent set, what he is able to, what he is doing. Once more, this was a sport that went fairly shortly. We did not have any exchanges the entire time, however then he acquired a takedown, and that is all she wrote. I do not suppose that is going to be a simple match, however I additionally do not suppose he has the identical quantity of talent that I’ve.”
“That is a type of fights the place there’s plenty of danger and little reward. what I imply? He is purported to be a younger, undefeated man the place I’ve to win. For me, it is simply to go on the market and do what I do greatest. Don’t be concerned about what he is doing, simply give attention to my sport plan and be sincere (laughs). Drag him into deep water and let him drown.”
That is additionally a part of the rationale McKee wished to make this a title battle, so he might take Isblaev to the championship spherical and see if he has what it takes to be champion. McKee hopes to get the belt quickly, however he would not know what PFL has deliberate for the division.
“I do not know what they are going to do,” McKee stated. “On the finish of the day, I simply should give attention to who’s in entrance of me for the time being. It is Isblayev in entrance of me, so that is what I am targeted on. All the pieces else comes into play. I am not too targeted or apprehensive.”
