If A.J. McKee participates in Bellator’s upcoming lightweight grand prix, he wants a title shot right off the bat.
That means McKee (19-1 MMA, 19-1 BMMA) would have to draw unbeaten lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov (16-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) first – and he said he’s more than up for the challenge.
McKee is no stranger to a grand prix. He won Bellator’s featherweight grand prix and finished current champion Patricio Freire in the final, but McKee says the order of opponents doesn’t matter, so why not Nurmagomedov first?
“I want my title, man,” McKee said on the “Weighing In” podcast. “Usman, then. Look, when I signed up for the 145-pound tournament, I proved myself the entire way through the tournament. I told everybody I’m going to finish everybody. So stepping into another tournament, I have to prove myself again? I mean, I have no problem doing that.
“I’ve got one goal. If I could have had ‘Pitbull’ in the first round, I would have took him out in the first round. For me, it really doesn’t matter who it is. I’m just looking forward to going in there, putting on a great show, and claiming what’s mine.”
McKee sees a fight with Nurmagomedov being highly anticipated. He also thinks he could test him a lot more than any of his previous opponents have.
“I think it’s the fight that everybody wants to see – on top of, I want to give him a test,” McKee said. “I don’t feel he’s been really tested yet. Patricky (Freire), he’s not a champ to me. He was gifted that belt from his brother – early Christmas present. To be a champion, you must beat the champion.
“For Usman, stylistically it’s just a good fight. We both have the wrestling. I would be intrigued to see that fight. I feel I have the advantage on the feet. But wrestling wise, maybe he can neutralize my wrestling, maybe I can neutralize his wrestling. And once we get to the ground, we’ve seen him pull off some nice submissions and we’ve seen me pull of some nice submissions. So, I feel like we match up pretty equally once it comes to wrestling and on the ground. It’d be a fun fight.”
McKee returns to action against Roberto de Souza at Bellator vs. Rizin on New Year’s Eve at Saitama Super Arena just outside Tokyo. The five-fight main card will air in the U.S. on Showtime.
