Los Angeles — Bellator featherweight champ A.J. McKee does not envision a long night when he runs it back with Patricio Pitbull atop Bellator 277 this Friday.
No matter how much of a knock down, drag out fight it becomes.
“Even if it’s a battle, it’ll be over quick. That’s just the mindset I have. It’s the type of person I am,” McKee (18-0) told Cageside Press in an exclusive interview this week, ahead of his first title defense. “It’s kill or be kill in there, man. At the end of the day, we’re fighters, we’re warriors, we’re fighting for our family, so we’re going to go in there and we’re going to put on a great show, but I don’t see anybody standing in front of me for 25 minutes. You got way too much to deal with.”
The only way McKee’s mindset has changed ahead of this fight is that “I’m the champ, so the mindset’s a little bit different,” he explained. “Approaching the fight, obviously going into the fight it’s the exact same. We didn’t really get to utilize the game plan, so yeah, game plan’s the same. Haven’t really switched anything up. Camp’s been great, I’ve been in the gym the entire time, so yeah man, it’s really just making weight and going out there and put on a show.”
For those curious, even McKee himself isn’t sure if this will be his swan song at 145lbs. For quite some time, he’s talked about claiming a second belt at lightweight, and a second win over Pitbull would no doubt open the door to that.
“We’ll see how things play out. I don’t know. We’ll see. I would love to become a champ-champ, I’ve been speaking that into fruition since before Conor [McGregor] did it,” McKee said. “So that’s definitely an accolade I’m looking forward to accomplishing.”
And if he does get the chance to go up against Patricio’s brother Patricky Pitbull? “A pitbull’s a pitbull to me. They need training. Like I said, a leash and a kennel, whenever they’re ready to go to the pound.”
Watch our full interview with A.J. McKee above. The featherweight champ puts his title on the line against Patricio Pitbull this Friday, April 15, 2022 at the SAP Center in San Jose, CA.
