Overview
- A.J. McKee defeated previously undefeated Salamat Isbulaev by unanimous decision on Saturday at Pechanga Arena in San Diego.
- McKee controlled each round with repeated takedowns, sustained top-position grappling and heavy ground-and-pound that saw the judges score the fight 30-27 across the board.
- PFL leadership has indicated the McKee–Isbulaev winner is the leading candidate for the vacant featherweight belt and McKee publicly called for a title shot after the fight.
- In the co-main, Liz Carmouche submitted Viviane Araujo with a guillotine in the second round, strengthening her case for another championship opportunity.
- At the weigh-ins one fighter, Sarvarjon Khamidov, missed bantamweight by 1.6 pounds and was fined, and McKee’s victory refocuses the division around his push to reclaim title gold before his planned retirement window.