Bellator has a booming superstar on its hands, and he's the new featherweight king — not to mention $1 million richer.
In what was billed as the most important fight in Bellator history, A.J. McKee submitted Patricio "Pitbull" Freire with a first-round submission on a standing guillotine choke that has long been known as the Brazilian fighter's signature finish of choice. And just like that, McKee became the new world featherweight champion at Bellator 263, securing the $1 million that came with winning the Featherweight World Grand Prix at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., on Saturday night.
For the undefeated 26-year-old McKee (18-0), the moment marked a full circle in his young life, considering the Long Beach, Calif. native wrote a check to himself for $1 million when he was 12.
"Honestly, I dreamt the fight," said McKee during the post-fight press conference about how he envisioned the bout. "I knew I won the fight. I prayed about it and same night I had a vision."
Although he mentioned trying to become a double champ next, McKee added: "I'm the best 145-pounder in the world — the world. I don't care who it is. I'm gonna show up and show out every time."
McKee brought the raucous Inglewood crowd to its feet by blasting Freire flush with a head kick to stun the Brazilian. Then, sensing "Pitbull" was badly hurt, McKee moved in for the kill with a lightning-quick flurry of punches to drop Freire with a thud. Though McKee threw his hands up in a premature celebration, he quickly realized that the job wasn't complete just yet and cinched in a standing guillotine choke to submit Freire, who was pressed up against the cage, for the first time in his career. The emphatic win took McKee only 1:57 to produce.
The manner at which McKee won only added insult to injury, as Freire counts six of his victories by guillotine choke only for Bellator's present and future to dethrone its legendary GOAT with the same maneuver. Despite all the bad blood between the two fighters during the buildup to the main event, McKee and Freire embraced in a sign of respect following the bout as the 34-year-old Pitbull was resigned to saluting "The Mercenary."
Here's how the entire Bellator 263 event went.