A.J. McKee: I'm 'hands down' the best fighter in Bellator history if victorious vs. Patricio 'Pitbull'

MIAMI – A.J. McKee knows there’s a lot at stake for his 18th professional MMA fight.

The Bellator featherweight contender takes on Bellator two-division champion Patricio Freire later this summer in the final of the featherweight grand prix. It’s a big opportunity for McKee (17-0 MMA, 17-0 BMMA) since a win would give him $1 million along with the Bellator featherweight title.

But apart from what’s contractually on the line, McKee thinks the label for the best fighter in Bellator history also is up for grabs.

“Definitely, hands down (I should be the best fighter in Bellator history),” McKee told MMA Junkie. “When you look at a diamond and it hasn’t been cut yet, it’s not the most pretty thing. I think people are finally warming up to me and I’m kind of chiseling that diamond and making it shine a little bit now.

“He’s definitely hands down one of the best in Bellator, but I’m one of the best in the world – and that’s the difference. After beating him and doing it the way I’m going to do it, it’s going to show people what I’m capable of. I’ve always said it: I’m the best in the world, so let’s test myself with the other best in the world. So after Patricio ‘Pitbull,’ let’s unify these belts. Let’s put the belts together and test the best with the best – and I guarantee you that ‘0’ is not going to go.”

In recent years, Freire (20-5 MMA, 12-4 BMMA), who’s champion at 145 and 155 pounds, has been considered by many fans and pundits the face of Bellator and the best fighter the promotion ever has produced.

McKee knows there’s plenty to gain from beating Freire, but he admitted he wanted Emmanuel Sanchez to beat Freire in the grand prix semifinal and have that be his opponent – since he has plans of going up to claim the 155-pound title and facing Freire there.

“I wanted Sanchez to win because at that point I would have walked through the entire division,” McKee said. “We had our feud – not ‘feud,’ but he likes to run his mouth and I like to shut mouths. So that would’ve nice to beat him for the 145-pound title and then go beat Patricio ‘Pitbull’ for the 155-pound title and become champ-champ.”