AJ McKee will face Salamat Isbulaev on June 27th in San Diego at a PFL event. McKee is ranked #2 in the lightweight division with a 24-2 record, while Isbulaev is undefeated at 10-0 and ranked #6. The matchmaking has raised questions, as Isbulaev's debut PFL fight was against #3-ranked Jesus Pinedo, whom he finished in the first round but still only earned the #6 ranking. Now he faces former Bellator champion McKee without an apparent gradual buildup. The commentary suggests uncertainty about whether PFL matchmakers favor or disfavor Isbulaev with this challenging path.
PFL has booked AJ McKee against Salamat Isbulaev for its June 27 event in San Diego, pairing two of the promotion's top lightweight contenders in a bout that bypasses any conventional buildup.
McKee, known as "Mercenary," enters the fight with an 8-0-0 record inside the PFL and holds the number-two ranking in the lightweight division. The 178-centimeter Californian is a relentless grappler, averaging an extraordinary 11.01 takedowns and 11 submission attempts per 15 minutes, numbers that reflect his finishing-first approach throughout his career.
Isbulaev arrives undefeated at 9-0-0 and ranked sixth at lightweight. The 29-year-old from Kazakhstan stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach and carries a 50 percent striking accuracy into the contest. His path to this matchup has drawn attention: in his PFL debut he finished third-ranked Jesus Pinedo in the first round, a result that would typically accelerate a fighter's rise through the rankings. Instead, Isbulaev landed at number six, and now finds himself immediately across from a former Bellator champion in McKee.
Pinedo, for context, is a seasoned 25-6-1 veteran from Peru who stands six feet tall with a 74-inch reach, so the manner of Isbulaev's win over him was not lost on observers.
Why it matters
- McKee is one finish away from a likely title shot, giving this fight significant divisional weight at 155 pounds
- Isbulaev's rapid elevation from debut to a top-two opponent raises questions about how PFL views his ceiling
- A grappling-heavy McKee against a striker with limited takedown activity on record sets up a clear stylistic contrast
- The outcome will reshape the lightweight contender picture heading into the second half of the PFL season
