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A.J. McKee travels to Japan this week with more than a headline on the line: on Thursday, Sept. 10 he will face unbeaten RIZIN featherweight champion Razhabali Shaydullaev in the Super RIZIN 5 main event, a match that also carries the PFL featherweight belt. The bout ties into a wider moment for the PFL as it prepares a rebrand under new leadership and tests cross-promotional title stakes that are rare in modern MMA.
McKee’s decision to accept the RIZIN challenge came quickly after his unanimous decision win at PFL San Diego, where he dominated Salamat Isbulaev and emerged largely unscathed. Rather than wait for a domestic title shot later in the year, he chose the immediate, high-risk option: travel to Saitama and put two championships on the line in one night.
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Why this matters now: a winner-take-all night across promotions could complicate championship lineage, affect future matchmaking and broadcast narratives, and mark one of the clearest examples yet of cross-promotional stakes in contemporary MMA.
McKee’s Japan return — and what it means
McKee is already familiar with the Japanese scene. He made a memorable arrival at a Bellator vs. RIZIN New Year’s Eve event in 2022 — complete with an ostentatious samurai-themed walkout — and defeated Roberto de Souza that night. He says the trip holds cultural weight for him, something he can pass down in family stories about fighting in Japan.
That resonance plays into why McKee embraced the opportunity. Beyond staying active, he framed the match as a defining test against an undefeated opponent who has not yet been pushed into deep waters.
Styles and pressure
Shaydullaev arrives with a 19-0 professional record; every win has come by finish (12 submissions, seven KO/TKOs), and many of his RIZIN victories ended quickly. He has also beaten former Bellator champion Juan Archuleta, establishing himself as a dangerous, physical competitor.
McKee, now the more experienced fighter with a size edge, says he respects Shaydullaev’s grappling and power but sees tactical openings—less head movement and a more linear approach—that he plans to exploit. He expects the fight to force Shaydullaev to engage and scramble rather than dictate on the feet or ground.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Super RIZIN 5 — Main Event (Sept. 10) |
| Location | Japan (RIZIN event) |
| Stakes | PFL featherweight title + RIZIN featherweight title |
| A.J. McKee | Former Bellator champion; recent PFL wins; seeking cross-promotional gold |
| Razhabali Shaydullaev | 19-0, all finishes; powerful grappler and finisher in RIZIN |
Rules, risk and the RIZIN ring
One immediate variable is the ruleset. RIZIN uses a ring rather than a cage and permits techniques banned under the Unified Rules — including soccer kicks, knees to grounded opponents and stomps. Those allowances change strategy and risk calculus for fighters accustomed to the cage and the more restrictive Unified Rules favored by American promotions.
McKee has expressed excitement at the different tactical possibilities the RIZIN rules offer, saying the format encourages aggressive, damage-focused exchanges and opens up options unavailable under American regulation.
Behind the scenes: training, weight and momentum
The turnaround was short. Two weeks after facing Isbulaev, McKee returned to camp and a strict weight plan to make 145 pounds. He described a weekend of indulgence after the San Diego win, followed by a tough first week of dieting and training—details fighters and fans often trade as part of the sport’s narrative.
He also laughed about the social-media torture of watching tempting food and drink reels while cutting weight, a reminder of the small, modern pressures that accompany elite preparation.
What a McKee win would change
If McKee walks away with both belts, the result raises immediate practical questions: how will PFL and RIZIN manage dual-title status, and which promotion’s schedule will have priority for defenses? The situation recalls past dual-champion scenarios in MMA but is closer in spirit to boxing’s sanctioning-body unifications than most recent MMA matchmaking.
- For PFL: increased international visibility, but logistical complexity around title defenses and contractual obligations.
- For RIZIN: a marquee victory that enhances global credibility and could prompt more cross-promotional events.
- For fans: a rare showcase where promotional boundaries intersect with championship lineage, altering future matchmaking possibilities.
Longer-term ambitions
McKee has signaled ambitions beyond featherweight. He moved to lightweight in 2022 and narrowly lost a PFL lightweight eliminator to Paul Hughes by split decision in October 2024. He’s spoken about settling unfinished business at 155 pounds — and even mentioned a desire to chase titles at higher weights — which would further complicate any scenario in which he holds multiple belts.
As the PFL prepares to rebrand under its new leadership, moments like Super RIZIN 5 will matter more than ever: they help determine the promotion’s global posture and the leverage of its fighters. For McKee, the fight is a chance to remind the sport of his standing and to shape his own pathway across weight classes and promotions.
Whichever way the night goes, the match will reverberate beyond a single result — for promotions, for fighters’ careers and for how cross-promotional championship bouts are viewed in modern MMA.
