The opening bout for PFL’s first pay-per-view card of 2024 saw AJ McKee submit Clay Collard in a lightweight bout.
Boxing specialist Clay Collard has become one of PFL’s best draws in recent years with the help of his thrilling wars against Shane Burgos and Jeremy Stephens. After losing to champion Olivier Aubin-Mercier in the finals of the 2023 tournament he tested his skills against another talented grappler in Bellator star AJ McKee. The Bellator star won the featherweight title before losing it and moving up to lightweight, where he is on a three-fight winning streak. With grappling being the historical kryptonite for Collard, McKee came into the bout as the favorite from the start.
AJ instantly jumped a guillotine in the opening seconds of the PFL vs. Bellator PPV card-opener. It seemed tight, but just when Collard was about to escape, McKee switched it to a triangle choke. Clay got his head out of that but AJ grabbed the arm and forced Collard to tap. The bout was over before it even got started, with McKee getting off to a hot start in the PFL SmartCage before the regular season kicks off.
𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐎𝐍𝐄@ajmckee101 submits Clay Collard in the first 🤯#PFLvsBellator | Buy now at https://t.co/Bpg4GPT1PB pic.twitter.com/4CcZKAwuAU
— DAZN MMA (@daznmma) February 24, 2024
A dazzling string of submission attempts by McKee, who put Bellator up to an early lead on the night.
Official Result: AJ McKee def. Clay Collard by submission (armbar), Round 1, 1:10
