A.J. McKee Back On ‘Title Duty’ Looking for Wins Over Paul Hughes, Usman Nurmagomedov

Former featherweight champion A.J. McKee has been appointment viewing for the last several years in his time atop the Bellator MMA roster. The “Mercenary” pulled off a slick and quick first-round submission victory over Clay Collard in the Professional Fighters League/Bellator “Champs vs. Champs” event in February, but has not competed since. McKee will return on Oct. 19 at the PFL’s Battle of the Giants “Brace for Impact” pay-per-view event, as he takes on PFL’s big splash free-agent signing, Paul Hughes. The fight stands as a potential title eliminator in Bellator’s lightweight division, with the winner facing champion Usman Nurmagomedov.

Ahead of his fight against Hughes, the 29-year-old Californian spoke with Sherdog.com about the matchup, the first year under the Bellator-PFL merger, and what he plans for the rest of 2024 and in 2025 with the PFL. Only having had one fight this year so far, McKee spoke with gratitude and excitement, especially given his place on the pay-per-view card, the second of the year for him. McKee knows he’s being put among elite company.

“I think it was awesome,” McKee said. “Obviously having the first fight in February being such a big card. Being a non-title event, but being able to represent an organization in a champs vs. champs event, to represent my side of the roster and not be the champion, I see big appreciation on my end. I have a big appreciation for them allowing me to represent them and show everyone who AJ McKee is. Regardless whether I got a belt wrapped around my waist or not, it shows my skill set is valued, it shows that I’m appreciated.

“It’s come full circle now,” he added. “Here we are again another pay-per-view card, one of the biggest cards that either organization could put on, with some of the biggest names in the game. I think it’s a phenomenal opportunity to, one, be on this card; and two, be on this card with so many great names.”

Having made his professional debut with Bellator MMA nine years ago, McKee has seen and heard the hype that currently follows his upcoming opponent, Hughes, but recognizes the hunger in him as well.

“Well, he calls me old and I’m only two years older than him, so I don’t really get that one. But, he’s young, he’s hungry, he’s young in the game. With that being said, i’ve been here, done that, seen it all. I know what it feels like to feel as if someone is counting you out or you got something to earn. For me, I’m not done, I’m just getting started. I’m entering my prime. For me, with a fight like this, these are the ones we worry about the most because we have everything to lose but not much to gain, but obviously, we know what’s to gain. One more step, you’re in that title shot lineup to be fighting Usman Nurmagomedov.”

Not looking past Paul Hughes, but understanding what could come next with a win over him, McKee says a fight against Usman Nurmagomedov is a fight that many people have wanted to see for a while.

“That’s the fight everybody wants to see. From me entering the Lightweight [Bellator] Tournament and catching staph, and so forth, to that whole tournament kind of falling through and him [Usman] fighting [Alexander] Shabliy, we’ve all just been trying to regroup and gather things to where I feel everyone is back at that comfortable state to do what we do.”

With just two fights on his schedule for 2024 after not being able to get the championship fight he wanted this year, McKee has plans to beat Hughes and then fight for the Bellator lightweight title,

“I’m in a locked contract, I love my contract, I love where I’m at, I love the way everything is. I’m comfortable and I’m taken care of. I wanted to become a champion in 2024 but the PFL seasons had already started so I wasn’t able to enter into that and the [Bellator] lightweight championship was on pause. Now, Usman fought Shabliy for the title, that was the end of the tournament, so with that being said, boom, I’m back on title duty.

I’m trying to hunt a title down. It’s the fight everyone wants to see. Usman said he wants to fight in Dubai, Khabib [Nurmagomedov] said he’ll see me in Dubai. We all know how I am when there’s a reigning champ in front of me, I’m trying to go dethrone the king. I feel I’m the best in the world, I want to showcase my skills and I’m the best in the world, I’m one step away from that.”

It’s been a relatively short year for McKee, but he sees and feels the value in which the PFL has put into him by putting him on the biggest stages of their calendar, with an opportunity to stake his claim for the Bellator lightweight title.