Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire will fight A.J. McKee at Bellator 263 in what is being dubbed the greatest fight in Bellator history. Patricio is regarded as one of the greatest fighters in the promotion’s history and AJ McKee is the rising underdog. The fight has all the perfect ingredients to sell it.
The fight purse has been revealed, and Patrício Freire will make $250,000. His opponent A.J. McKee will make $150,000. The win bonus for whoever gets their hand raised is $1,00,000. It’s already one of the highest purses Bellator has seen.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
A closer look at Bellator 263 – Pitbull vs McKee
Pitbull doesn’t remember what losing feels like. The 34-year-old has not lost since 2016 and has been on Bellator posters for the past decade. This fight will either make or break his legacy as Bellator’s greatest.
“It’s one of them,” Freire said. “I fought with several guys that were very tough, too. I beat Michael Chandler, and that was revenge for me because of all that sh*t. But now I have the opportunity to show my talent.”
#Breaking: @PatricioPitbull is slated to make $250,000 to show tomorrow night. @ajmckee101 will pocket $150,000 to show.
Win bonus for the victor will be $1,000,000. Story coming to @MMAjunkie. pic.twitter.com/6sAqBMfRGn
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) July 30, 2021
He’ll be up against the undefeated A.J. McKee (17-0). They are the last two standing from a 16-man tournament that started back in 2019. McKee, who hasn’t lost a bout since his Bellator debut in 2015, has finished all three of his last fights- two submissions, one KO. He will try to complete the quest he started six years back when he said he’ll be champion one day.
“I’m ready,” McKee said. “It’s been 22 years of preparation that I’ve prepared for this moment. All of my training my entire life has been built up for this moment. Nerves? Nah, I’ve been on big stages since I was a kid, wrestling at Reno worlds in front of thousands of people. I think he thinks I’m nervous, but I think that’s him trying to self-reflect a little bit and push his little self on me.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Everything was fine between Patricio Pitbull and A.J. McKee until the very end of the #Bellator263 press conference.
Then things escalated quickly. 😬 pic.twitter.com/U5WhaA6iSD
— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) July 29, 2021
This fight has the potential to crown the promotion’s biggest star. ‘Pitbull’ has his entire legacy to lose, something he has been building for over a decade. AJ McKee also has a lot to lose as being undefeated comes with a lot of pressure. He will try to make it 18-0 and not 17-1.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Also read: ‘I Wish’- Khabib Nurmagomedov Aspires to Possess the Boxing Abilities of ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson
Win or lose, he certainly will make himself richer at the end of tonight’s bout.