BREAKING: Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire Puts his Belt on the Line Against A.J. McKee on July 31

The Bellator MMA featherweight Grand Prix final has been set for July 31 at Bellator 263 in Los Angeles. The undisputed champion Patricio Freire goes up against A.J. McKee who puts his undefeated record on the line for glory. Moreover, both men have been chirping back and forth for a while now and their rivalry will finally come to a head.

The conclusion of the tournament is expected to be just as electric as the match-ups that have led to it. The climb hasn’t been easy, however, most fans assumed that ‘Pitbull’ and McKee would meet in the final. Not to mention, the winner will be looked at as the best fighter currently signed to the promotion.

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Bellator 263: Patricio ‘Pitbull’ vs A.J. McKee

Patricio Freire is on a 7-fight win streak and holds dominion over two weight classes in the organization. The 32-4 fighter has stopped Pedro Carvalho and Emmanuel Sanchez via KO and submission respectively to make his way to the final. ‘Pitbull’ last lost all the way back in 2016 when he was TKO’ed by Benson Henderson via leg injury.

Patricio Freire’s stand-up and grappling are arguably the best in the division as he’s able to tie his skills together. He’s the P4P king for a reason and his ability to implement a game plan to a ‘T’ is what has made him a dangerous out for anyone. What’s more, he’s uncharacteristically heavy-handed for a featherweight and possesses one-punch KO power.

‘A.J. McKee’: Heading to 18-0?

‘Mercenary’ McKee is undefeated as a professional at 17-0 and defeated Derek Campos and Darrion Caldwell en route to a finals spot. He pulled off a ‘Submission of the Year’ finish in his tournament run and has looked increasingly impressive. A.J. McKee is excited to take Freire’s place as the top dog in the promotion with a statement win.

Once the fight gets to the ground, McKee is well adept at using his long limbs to work on various positions. Given Patricio Pitbull’s compact frame, it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to have the same success in close-range grappling. Despite having competent striking, McKee will be better off avoiding heavy leather exchanges in the pocket.

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