AJ McKee (24-2, #2) will face Salamat Isbulaev (10-0, #6) on June 27 in San Diego. The post questions PFL's matchmaking strategy for Isbulaev, noting that in his PFL debut he was matched against #3 ranked Jesus Pinedo, whom he knocked out in the first round, yet was only ranked #6 afterward. Now Isbulaev is being given former Bellator champion McKee, one of PFL's strongest fighters, without any easier matchups for momentum-building. The author finds it unclear why Isbulaev is still ranked #6 instead of #3, and notes that while the difficult path to the title is interesting to watch, the lack of warm-up fights is puzzling.
PFL has officially booked AJ McKee against Salamat Isbulaev for a featherweight clash on June 27 in San Diego, setting up a matchup between two of the division's top-ranked unbeaten contenders.
McKee, known as "Mercenary," carries an 8-0-0 record inside the PFL and ranks second in the featherweight division. The 178 cm former Bellator champion is a relentless offensive wrestler, averaging over 11 takedowns and 11 submission attempts per 15 minutes, and lands 2.75 significant strikes per minute. He represents one of the most complete fighters on the PFL roster.
Isbulaev enters at 9-0-0 and is ranked sixth in the division despite an undefeated record. The 29-year-old Kazakhstani stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach and carries a 50 percent striking accuracy. In his PFL debut, he needed just one round to finish Jesus Pinedo by knockout — a performance that raised eyebrows given Pinedo's experience and 25 wins at featherweight level.
Why it matters
- Isbulaev knocked out the third-ranked Pinedo in his PFL debut yet was slotted in at sixth, a ranking decision that has drawn scrutiny from observers.
- Rather than offering Isbulaev a momentum-building matchup, PFL is immediately pitting him against McKee, one of the organization's most dangerous fighters.
- A win for Isbulaev over McKee would almost certainly thrust him into title contention; a McKee victory reinforces his status as the division's top challenger.
- The matchup raises broader questions about how PFL evaluates and develops newly signed talent within its ranking structure.
