Announced by PFL CEO John Martin on Monday, AJ McKee (25-2) will face RIZIN champ Razhabali Shaydullaev (18-0) on September 10, 2026, with both Shaydullaev’s RIZIN title, and the vacant PFL strap on the line.

The fight will be part of Super RIZIN 5 at the Kyocera Dome Osaka in Osaka, Japan. In his announcement on Monday, Martin called the fight “the best of the PFL versus the best of RIZIN, with the goal of determining who the best featherweight in the world really is.”

While Kyoji Horiguchi previously claimed bantamweight gold in both Bellator MMA and RIZIN, he did not win or defend both his titles simultaneously. Whoever wins between Shaydullaev and McKee come September will be representing both promotions moving forward.

McKee is a former Bellator MMA featherweight champ who has won his last three fights. Most recently, he cruised to a unanimous decision over Salamat Isbulaev.

Kyrgyzstan’s Shaydullaev, meanwhile, has defended his RIZIN title three times since capturing it from Kleber Koike in May 2025. Since then, he’s defeated Viktor Kolesnik, Mikuru Asakura, and Yuta Kubo.

RIZIN in particular has been seen working with multiple promotions, with BKFC partnering with the Japanese company, along with crossovers with the PFL. They’ve also opened the door for RIZIN talent to head to the UFC, with Kai Asakura and Kyoji Horiguchi moving there in the past year or so.

Previously, RIZIN hosted crossover events with Bellator.

The post AJ McKee vs. Razhabali Shaydullaev for Both PFL, RIZIN 145lb Titles Announced appeared first on Cageside Press.

McKee (25-2), once a Bellator featherweight champ, faced off against the previously undefeated Salamat Isbulaev, and battled through three hard-fought rounds to come away with a unanimous decision victory.

It was far from easy. A competitive scrap saw the pair both have their moments on the feet, while McKee appeared to have the advantage in several thrilling grappling exchanges. The American was sporting a cut over one eyebrow in the end, though Isbulaev was cut as well. Luckily, neither wound had any direct impact on the action, with the bout going the full 15 minutes.

Triplicate 30-27 scores outlined just how successful AJ McKee was in the bout, though Isbulaev was never fully out of it. Afterwards, McKee admitted that he had “underestimated” his opponent, referring to him as a champion.

It’s reclaiming gold that is on McKee’s mind next however, and he called for just that following the win. The PFL’s 145lb title sits vacant, and only Timur Khizriev, #1 at featherweight, sits ahead of AJ McKee.

The 31-year old was joined in the winner’s circle on Saturday by a familiar face to fight fans. Liz Carmouche also made her case for a title shot undeniable at PFL San Diego, though that’s not what the #2-ranked women’s flyweight called for at the end of the night.

Carmouche (26-8), a former Bellator flyweight champ, as well as a title challenger in both Strikeforce and the UFC, won the 2025 PFL World Tournament, and found herself paired up with fellow UFC vet Viviane Araujo at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, CA. The bout saw Araujo and Carmouche spend plenty of time clinched up along the fence, but in the second round, it was “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche hitting a guillotine choke and forcing the tap.

At age 42, Carmouche has looked as good as ever, with just PFL promotional darling Dakota Ditcheva perched ahead of her in the rankings. The British star skipped the World Tournament last year, and has been out with injury; she’s set to return against Denise Kielholtz later this summer.

Should she win, Ditcheva vs. Carmouche for the vacant women’s 125lb title seems like a no-brainer. Yet in the cage on Saturday, Carmouche called for something she’s desired for a long time: a shot at a second title, at bantamweight. Neither Bellator nor the PFL have featured a women’s bantamweight division, and Carmouche very much wants to lead one.

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The winner of the bout should be lined up for a championship engagement, given the league’s 145lb title sits vacant. The San Diego card, meanwhile, is the first of six big shows in eight weeks for the PFL, which will make stops in Austin, TX, Washington, DC, and New York coming up.

In the night’s co-headliner on Saturday, former UFC title challenger and Bellator MMA women’s flyweight champion Liz Carmouche was in action, taking on Viviane Araujo. Carmouche, who fought for a Strikeforce title early in her career, had won the PFL World Tournament in 2025; Araujo was looking to build off a win over Shanna Young in her promotional debut just a few months back.

Where to Watch PFL San Diego

PFL San Diego takes place on Saturday, June 27 at the Pechanga Arena San Diego in San Diego, CA. The card airs live on the ESPN App and ESPN2 (main card only) in the U.S. Full results can be found below. The action kicks off at 8PM ET, 5PM PT.

PFL San Diego: McKee vs. Isbulaev Results

Main Card

AJ McKee def. Salamat Isbulaev by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Liz Carmouche def. Viviane Araújo by submission (guillotine choke), Round 2, 2:07
Alexander Shabliy def. Alfie Davis by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Rob Wilkinson def. Abraham Bably by TKO, Round 2, 3:23

Preliminary Card

Khasan Magomedshairpov def. Josh Weems by submission (arm-triangle choke), Round 1, 2:10
Jena Bishop def. Ariane Lipski da Silva by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 4:08
Sarvarjon Khamidov def. Justin Wetzell by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 4:11
Shannon Clark def. Ilara Joanne by TKO, Round 3, 1:43
Cobey Fehr def. Daniel Bzdigian by submission (Anaconda choke), Round 1, 2:00

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On Friday morning the PFL conducted the weigh ins for their return to Southern California as the athletes took to the scales to make their bouts official.

In the headliner, former Bellator champion AJ McKee faces the undefeated newcomer Salamat Isbulaev who enters the bout following a victory over former tournament champion Jesus Pinedo. PFL CEO John Martin recently expressed in interviews that the winner between McKee and Isbulaev will most likely fight for the vacant title in their next bout.

The undercard also features action in the women’s flyweight division as former longtime Bellator champion Liz Carmouche takes on fellow UFC veteran Viviane Araujo while another UFC veteran in Ariane da Silva takes on perennial contender Jena Bishop.

In other action, former Bellator Grand Prix finalist Alexandr Shabliy will face recent title challenger Alfie Davis to round out the main card.

The event will take place at the Pechanga Sports Arena in San Diego tomorrow night.

PFL San Diego: McKee vs. Isbulaev Weigh-In Results

Main card

Featherweight: AJ McKee (145.6) vs. Salamat Isbulaev (145.8)
Flyweight: Liz Carmouche (126) vs. Viviane Araujo (125.8)
Lightweight: Alexandr Shabliy (155.8) vs. Alfie Davis (156)
Light-Heavyweight: Abraham Bably (205.6) vs. Rob Wilkinson (205.8)

Preliminary card

Featherweight: Khasan Magomedsharipov (145.8) vs. Joshua Weems (146)
Flyweight: Ariane Lipski da Silva (126) vs. Jena Bishop (125)
Bantamweight: Justin Wetzell (135.6) vs. Sarvarjon Khamidov (137.6)*
Flyweight: Shannon Clark (125.4) vs. Ilara Joanne (124.8)
Bantamweight: Cobey Fehr (135.8) vs. Daniel Bzdigian (135.6)

* Missed weight

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This time out, the #2-ranked McKee (24-2) has been paired up with Salamat Isbulaev, an undefeated, 10-0 featherweight who already has a victory over Jesus Pinedo in the PFL.

There was a point when McKee was on the market, his services up for grabs with the UFC and others in play. Ultimately, he opted to re-sign with the PFL, who scooped up his old home, Bellator MMA, a few years back. In a recent interview, McKee told Cageside Press that “PFL’s got a thick roster as well. They’ve got a lot of up-and-comers like Isbulaev himself. I’m looking forward to doing what I do best, which is kick ass and take names.”

In Isbulaev, McKee sees a skilled wrestler, but questioned the Russian-Kazakh’s striking. “I think he’s got good wrestling, pretty good jiu-jitsu from what I’ve seen,” allowed McKee. “Little sus on the feet, I think he blends his wrestling with his striking. I saw that with Pineda, they had what, three minutes before he even engaged? This ain’t gonna be a fight where we’re taking three minutes to engage.”

“It’s execute, execute, execute all the way. So I’m going to get in there and I’m going to get on him, and we’ll see how things go.”

PFL CEO John Martin has suggested that Saturday’s PFL San Diego main event between AJ McKee and Salamat Isbulaev could very well be a title eliminator. While McKee isn’t looking past his opponent, it’s clear the title is on his mind. Right now, the belt is vacant, and only Timur Khizriev sits ahead of McKee himself.

“I don’t like to look ahead, but at the end of the day, I genuinely don’t care who it is, when it is, where it is. I’m just looking forward to becoming world champion again, and holding that world title around my waist.”

Watch our full interview with PFL San Diego headliner AJ McKee above.

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AJ McKee (24-2), the aforementioned “Mercenary,” is set to take on Salamat Isbulaev (10-0) in the main event of PFL San Diego on June 27, 2026.

News of the event and headliner was announced by PFL officials in a press release issued Thursday. No other match-ups have been revealed for the card, which takes place at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, CA.

McKee, a former featherweight champ in Bellator who started his pro MMA run a perfect 18-0, will look to build on back-to-back victories over Akhmed Magomedov and Adam Borics. The bout will be contested at featherweight, where McKee returned last year after a brief stint at lightweight that ended with a split decision loss to Paul “Big News’ Hughes.

Once one of Bellator’s best and brightest, McKee holds notable wins over former Bellator double-champ Patricio Pitbull, Clay Collard, Sidney Outlaw, UFC alum Spike Carlyle, ex-Bellator champ Darrion Caldwell, ex-Bellator champ Pat Curran, and others. He defeated Pitbull to win both the Bellator featherweight title and the division’s one million dollar grand prix in 2021.

Russia’s Isbulaev is a perfect 10-0, and won his debut in the PFL earlier this year, stopping Jesus Pinedo with elbows. With a lengthy amateur record including an IMMAF tournament win, Isbulaev has been a standout, though his record is not without criticism: his most recent bout prior to joining the PFL was flagged by record keeper’s at Tapology for legitimacy issues, noting the fight was not “hard-fought to international standards.”

It feels safe to assume that there’ll be no easy night against McKee come June.

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In addition to van Steenis vs. Edwards, AJ McKee returned to action, at featherweight, taking on Hungarian standout Adam Borics in another clash of Bellator MMA veterans. Also on the card, Linton Vassell was back. Originally scheduled to face 2024 PFL Global heavyweight champ Denis Goltsov, Vassell instead drew replacement opponent Jose Augusto, known as Anthony “Rumble” Johnson’s final adversary in MMA.

Where to Watch PFL Madrid

PFL Madrid takes place on Friday, March 20, 2026 at the Palacio Vistalegre in Madrid, Spain. The event airs live in the U.S. on the ESPN App, Movistar Plus+ in Spain, and talkSPORT YouTube Boxing in the U.K. Full results from the card can be found below.

PFL Madrid: van Steenis vs. Edwards Results

Costello van Steenis (c) def. Fabian Edwards by knockout, Round 3, 1:48 – for the PFL middleweight championship
AJ McKee def. Adam Borics by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Franco Tenaglia def. Yassin Najid by TKO (injury), Round 2, 5:00
Jacinta Austin def. Benita Van Rodij by knockout, Round 1, 2:40
Linton Vassell def. Jose Augusto by TKO (punches), Round 2, 2:48

Preliminary Card

Luciano Pereira def. Kevin Cordero by knockout (punch), Round 1, 2:10
Borja Garcia def. Rafael Calderon by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Gino van Steenis def. Mark Ewen by knockout (punch), Round 1, 2:43
Mattia Giordano def. Ernesto Schisano by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Claudio Pacella def. David Mora by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)
Ignacio Campos def. Mathys Duragrin by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

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Costello van Steenis faces Fabian Edwards as the Professional Fighters League starts to ramp up its 2026. While they’ve already held their successful Road to Dubai card, the next couple of weeks features big shows in Madrid, Pittsburgh, and beyond.

Both middleweight champ van Steenis and Edwards made weight on Thursday, as did co-headliners AJ McKee, back at featherweight, and Adam Borics. Linton Vassell and short-notice replacement Jose Augusto were never in question for their heavyweight fight.

Mathys Duragrin and Kevin Cordero both missed weight for their preliminary card bouts.

PFL Madrid: van Steenis vs. Edwards Weigh-In Results

Main Card

Middleweight: Costello van Steenis (c) (184.7 lbs) vs. Fabian Edwards (184.7 lbs) – for the PFL middleweight championship
Featherweight: AJ McKee (145.4 lbs) vs. Adam Borics (145.9 lbs)
Welterweight: Franco Tenaglia (167.8 lbs) vs. Yassin Najid (169.8 lbs)
Women’s Strawweight: Jacinta Austin (115.7 lbs) vs. Benita Van Rodij (115.4 lbs)
Heavyweight: Linton Vassell (242.5 lbs) vs. Jose Augusto (261.5 lbs)

Preliminary Card

137-Pound Catchweight: Kevin Cordero (136.6 lbs)* vs. Luciano Pereira (134.5 lbs)
Flyweight: Borja Garcia (125.6 lbs) vs. Rafael Calderon (125.6 lbs)
Lightweight: Gino van Steenis (155.8 lbs) vs. Mark Ewen (155.3 lbs)
Bantamweight: Mattia Giordano (136 lbs) vs. Ernesto Schisano (135.6 lbs)
165-Pound Catchweight: David Mora (164.1 lbs) vs. Claudio Pacella (164.7 lbs)
147-Pound Catchweight: Ignacio Campos (146 lbs) vs. Mathys Duragrin (146.5 lbs)*

* missed weight

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Professional Fighters League CEO John Martin announced on Wednesday that McKee (23-2), a former Bellator MMA featherweight champion, had signed a new contract to remain with the promotion. McKee was one of the big names to come over from Bellator when the PFL absorbed the rival MMA promotion after acquiring it over a year ago.

In 25 fights, McKee has just two losses, to former Bellator double-champ Patricio Pitbull, and PFL lightweight contender Paul Hughes. He’s never been finished, with both fights going to the judges.

The 30-year old, son of lightweight pioneer Antonio McKee, claimed featherweight gold under the Bellator banner with a win over Pitbull, capping off an 18-0 start to his professional mixed martial arts career. He’d lose the title back to the Brazilian in his next fight, and eventually make the move up to lightweight.

McKee holds notable wins over Pitbull, RIZIN champ Roberto “Satoshi” de Silva, UFC vet and PFL finalist Clay Collard, and former Bellator champs Darrion Caldwell and Pat Curran, among others.

A.J. McKee was most recently seen earning a unanimous decision victory over Akhmed Magomedov at the PFL Champions Series 2 card in July.

The post Former Bellator Champ A.J. McKee Re-Signs with PFL appeared first on Cageside Press.

McKee is at a crucial turning point in his career heading into PFL Cape Town. Coming into this fight off just the second loss of his 24-fight career, McKee is hungry to return to title contention. Following a four-fight win streak at lightweight, McKee dropped a split decision against Paul Hughes in a title eliminator, forcing his hand to make a decision he had long seen coming: his return to 145 pounds.

AJ McKee ready to reclaim status as top featherweight

McKee made his plans clear ahead of his return to featherweight, speaking during the PFL Cape Town media day.

“Just coming back to the 145-pound division and showing everyone again who the best in the world is at this division.”

“I think now it’s honestly a bit easier going back down. When I was younger, I didn’t really diet properly. Just young and a little reckless, so you do wild things, but being a bit older now, I’d say it’s not as hard.”

McKee’s move to 155 had been criticized, as his performances seemed less impressive than when at 145. Despite this, he still fought his way into the title picture, all while knowing his return to featherweight was imminent.

“I was a fight away from the title at 155, lost a split decision, I wasn’t healthy, hadn’t been healthy. I just figured, what better time? I’m healthy and I wanna reclaim being the best in the world.”

McKee continued, “I think that everything happens the way it’s supposed to, the way that it needs. I’ve always said it, I’m really not a 155-pounder; everyone knows I’m a 145-pounder, so I was just having fun. I was eating blueberry banana pancakes and chicken parm every day. Going back to 145 pounds, I’m just meaner, hungrier, and that’s where my advantage is.”

McKee gets the chance to throw his name back into title contention at 145 pounds this weekend in South Africa, a new location with cultural meaning for McKee.

“I think it’s awesome to be here in South Africa, especially with my family coming from Africa. We’ve talked about it for many years. Being able to come here and have business and have fans here already, it’s phenomenal. It’s awesome to be embraced by the people embraced by the culture and showcase my skillset at the same time.”

Watch the full PFL Africa media day appearance by AJ McKee above.

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