Former Bellator champion AJ McKee will face undefeated Salamat Isbulaev on June 27th in San Diego. McKee is ranked #2 in the PFL featherweight division while Isbulaev sits at #6 despite being 10-0 overall. Isbulaev's PFL debut came against #3 ranked Jesus Pinedo, whom he finished in the first round, but he only moved to #6 in the rankings afterward. The post questions PFL's matchmaking approach, noting they are giving Isbulaev elite opposition without a proper buildup. This represents another high-stakes test for the undefeated fighter against one of PFL's top featherweights.
AJ McKee will put his spot among PFL's featherweight elite on the line when he squares off against undefeated Kazakhstani prospect Salamat Isbulaev on June 27 in San Diego.
McKee, known as "Mercenary," enters the bout ranked second in the PFL featherweight division and carries an 8-0-0 record inside the promotion. The five-foot-ten fighter has made a significant impression with a remarkable 11.01 takedowns per 15 minutes and 11 submission attempts per 15 minutes, marking him as a relentless grappling threat at 145 pounds.
Isbulaev arrives at this matchup with a perfect 9-0-0 professional record and holds the sixth spot in the PFL featherweight rankings despite having faced elite competition almost immediately upon joining the promotion. The 29-year-old from Kazakhstan stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach. His PFL debut came against third-ranked Jesus Pinedo, a seasoned veteran carrying a 25-6-1 record, and Isbulaev wasted little time, finishing Pinedo inside the opening round. That rapid statement win raised immediate questions about why the rankings did not reflect his performance more aggressively, leaving him at sixth despite defeating a man ranked above him.
Pinedo himself is no soft touch. The 28-year-old Peruvian stands six feet tall with a 74-inch reach and posts a striking accuracy of over 62 percent, making Isbulaev's first-round finish all the more notable.
Why it matters
- McKee's second-place ranking means a loss could significantly disrupt his path to a PFL featherweight title shot.
- Isbulaev's placement at sixth despite defeating a top-three opponent has drawn scrutiny of PFL's ranking methodology.
- The matchup pits McKee's high-volume grappling game against an unbeaten fighter already proven capable of finishing ranked opposition.
