AJ McKee (24-2, #2 lightweight) will face Salamat Isbulaev (10-0, #6 lightweight) on June 27 in San Diego. The post expresses confusion about PFL matchmaking for Isbulaev, who debuted against #3-ranked Jesus Pinedo and finished him in round one but was ranked only sixth afterward. Now Isbulaev faces former Bellator champion McKee, one of PFL's strongest fighters overall. The author notes PFL is taking Isbulaev on a difficult path to the title without giving him easier warm-up fights, and questions why he remains ranked sixth instead of third. The matchup is compelling but the ranking logic is unclear.
AJ McKee will put his status as one of PFL's premier lightweights on the line when he meets unbeaten Kazakh contender Salamat Isbulaev on June 27 in San Diego.
McKee, known as "Mercenary," carries an 8-0-0 record inside PFL and enters the fight ranked second in the lightweight division. The former Bellator champion stands five-foot-ten and has built his reputation as a relentless finisher, averaging 11.01 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 11 submission attempts per 15 minutes — numbers that speak to a grappling-heavy offensive approach that has overwhelmed opponents throughout his career.
Isbulaev arrives undefeated at 9-0-0 and is ranked sixth in the division despite a debut that raised eyebrows across the sport. The 29-year-old from Kazakhstan, who stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach, opened his PFL campaign against third-ranked Jesus Pinedo and finished him inside the opening round. That result left many observers questioning why the rankings placed him only sixth rather than moving him into the top three. Now, without an intermediate warm-up fight, he faces a far steeper challenge in McKee.
Why it matters
- McKee is widely considered one of PFL's most complete fighters, making this an unusually demanding assignment for a fighter still establishing his divisional footing.
- A win for Isbulaev over the second-ranked contender would make his ranking situation even harder to explain and likely force a title conversation.
- The size and reach gap — McKee taller by three inches — adds a physical dimension to a matchup that pits a high-volume grappler against an unbeaten finisher.
- PFL's willingness to fast-track Isbulaev into elite competition signals confidence in him, even if the ranking logic surrounding his placement remains difficult to follow.
