McKee puts 11-0 Bellator record on line on TV
BOISE, Idaho – For the past few years, undefeated 23-year-old Bellator featherweight A.J. McKee has appeared primed for a breakout performance. But time after time, whether it be through opponent injury or a difficulty in booking proposed matchups, the California native has been denied his opportunity to net a truly signature win.
Friday’s Bellator 205 event in Boise, Idaho, is a bit more of the same.
After all, McKee was originally set to face former Bellator champion Pat Curran in the headliner before injury forced a change in plans. However, Brazilian veteran John “Macapa” Teixiera stepped in as a replacement, and McKee still sees an opportunity to impress the masses.
“For me, nothing really changes,” McKee told USA TODAY. “It’s still a fight. At the end of the day, I’ve always got something to lose, and that’s that ‘0’ in the record. Every fight I’ve taken is the same. I just train to my best and put faith in my teammates that they prepare me right for these fights and just go in there and do what I do best, and that’s put on a show.”
McKee (11-0 mixed martial arts, 11-0 BMMA) and Teixeira (21-3-2, 4-2) meet in the main event of Bellator 205, which takes place at CenturyLink Arena and airs simultaneously on Paramount and newly launched streaming service DAZN (9 p.m. ET).
It’s the second time McKee has been featured in a Bellator main event, though it’s the first to take place on U.S. soil.
Perhaps more important, Teixeira represents the most experienced opponent McKee has faced in his young ca- reer, meaning a win could help bolster his growing reputation.
For his part, McKee speaks with an unwavering confidence that borders on cocky but is delivered with a certain flatness that seems more matter-of-fact than boisterous bravado.
“I am the G.O.A.T.,” McKee said. “I am the greatest of all time. People are going to see it sooner or later, and hopefully they see it before I’m gone.”
Eight years his opponent’s senior and with more than twice the amount of professional fights to his career, Teixeira doesn’t seem to believe that McKee brings anything especially unique to the table.
“McKee is going to do what he does best. He’s going to keep his distance in the first round, he’s going to throw kicks,” Teixeira said through an inter- preter. “He’s going to be explosive. I’m going to be explosive. I’m prepared for that.”
But McKee has shown glimpses of exceptional talent through the first 11 bouts of his professional career, all of which have been contested under the Bellator banner.
“Mercenary” is a fast-rising star for the organization, which is just now starting to see the payoff from years of investing in talent development from a grass-roots level.
In that way, Friday’s event might not be the breakout moment McKee doubters need to have their opinion swayed, but it could very well prove another measure of Bellator’s ability to find and nurture homegrown talent as the promotion continues to gain traction in the global marketplace.