A.J. McKee is hunting for gold after dispatching rising contender Salamat Isbulaev in dominant fashion in the PFL San Diego main event.
Recognized as one of the top featherweights in the world, McKee used a suffocating grappling game to repeatedly put Isbulaev on the canvas and threaten with submission before unleashing some vicious ground and pound. McKee nearly got the finish in the third round after he started blasted Isbulaev with elbow from the mount but time ran out before he could earn the stoppage.
Still there was no doubt that McKee did more than enough to win with the judges all scoring the fight 30-27 in his favor.
“You call a mercenary when you need something done,” McKee shouted after his latest win. “Isbulaev is a beast. I underestimated him. But mercenary style, I’ve got to get him out of there.
“I want the title. That was the point of the return to the 145-pound division.”
There was no feeling out process as the featherweights were throwing bombs from the jump with Isbulaev swinging for the fences on every punch. McKee played good defense and then connected with a stiff left hook of his own.
With just over two minutes remaining in the opening around, McKee scored with a quick double leg takedown as he wasted no time advancing his position to take the back. Isbulaev was trying to escape out the back door and he ended up reversing to land on top of McKee.
A scramble led to McKee breaking free and clubbing Isbulaev with another hard left hand before another takedown just before the horn.
As the second round got started, McKee was quick to attack but a slip put him on the ground with Isbulaev trying to land shots from the top. McKee was quick to slip free with Isbulaev grabbing a guillotine that almost led to the former Bellator champion snatching a Von Flue choke.
Isbulaev escaped but McKee was staying on the attack before he finally scored another takedown while trying to find an opening for a potential submission. McKee finally moved into side control where he hammered away with a couple of nasty elbows before the round ended.
With five minutes remaining, Isbulaev had to know a finish was his only way to win and he did manage to open a cut on McKee’s eye as the round got started. McKee started firing back with kicks to the body and then going up top to the head.
McKee eventually ducked down and grabbed another takedown with just over 90 seconds remaining. While Isbulaev desperately tried to grab onto a kimura, it was McKee who broke free and then snatched an arm-triangle choke of his own.
Isbulaev survived but McKee quickly transitioned to mount where he began raining down elbows trying to get the finish. He didn’t get the stoppage but McKee put a stamp on his victory with the closing seconds in the fight.
With the win, McKee has now won three in a row since returning to 145 pounds and he certainly seems like a title shot should be next with only Timur Khizriev sitting ahead of him in the PFL rankings.
Here are the full results from PFL San Diego:
A.J. McKee def. Salamat Isbulaev via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Liz Carmouche def. Viviane Araujo via submission (guillotine) (R2, 2:07)
Alexander Shabliy def. Alfie Davis via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Rob Wilkinson def. Abraham Bably via second-round TKO (3:23)
Khasan Magomedsharipov def. Joshua Weems via submission (head/arm choke) (R1, 2:10)
Jena Bishop def. Ariane Lipski da Silva via submission (armbar) (R1, 4:08)
Sarvarjon Khamidov def. Justin Wetzell via submision (RNC) (R2, 4:11)
Shannon Clark def. Ilara Joanne via third-round TKO (1:43)
Cobey Fehr def. Daniel Bzdigian via submission (Anaconda choke) (R1, 2:00)
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