A.J. McKee returns to the featherweight division because the PFL makes its debut in Africa.
The league introduced Friday that former Bellator champion McKee (22-2) is about to combat Akhmed Magomedov (11-1) in a 145-pound bout on the PFL Champions Collection portion of its Cape City, South Africa, occasion that takes place July 19. Corey Anderson, Bellator’s final mild heavyweight champion, has additionally been added to the cardboard as he faces Denis Goltsov in a heavyweight bout.
See PFL’s announcement beneath.
McKee competes for the primary time in 2025 and as a featherweight for the primary time since 2022. The 30-year-old received his first title at Bellator 263 with a surprising first-round submission of Patricio Pitbull, however dropped the belt again to Pitbull and suffered his first-ever loss of their speedy rematch. McKee then moved as much as light-weight, the place he went 4-0 earlier than shedding a detailed cut up choice to Paul Hughes this previous October.
Standing reverse McKee will likely be Russia’s Magomedov, who made a profitable PFL debut with a submission of Nathan Kelly in January after going 1-1 underneath the Bellator banner.
Anderson (18-6, 1 NC) has not fought since March 2024. In his most up-to-date outing, Anderson claimed a vacant Bellator mild heavyweight title by defeating Karl Moore. His reign was transient as Bellator was bought by and absorbed into PFL later that 12 months.
His transfer to heavyweight isn’t any shock as he booked a combat in that division towards longtime rival Vadim Nemkov for a PFL occasion in January, however Nemkov declined the bout claiming the league was unwilling to renegotiate his contract.
Goltsov (36-8) appears so as to add Anderson to his latest hit final after lastly claiming a PFL event title in 2024, the tip of a five-year chase for the Russian heavyweight.
PFL Africa is headlined by Johnny Eblen defending a middleweight title towards Costello van Steenis, whereas 2024 flyweight champion Dakota Ditcheva fights Sumiko Inaba within the co-main occasion.
