A.J. McKee has some business to handle on Saturday but if all goes well it looks like he’ll finally get the fight he’s been chasing for over a year.
At the upcoming PFL: Battle of the Giants event, McKee faces fast-rising prospect Paul Hughes in the first bout on the pay-per-view main card but it seemed like a showdown against Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov was inevitable. An injury knocked McKee out of the Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix, which prevented him from chasing the fight back then, but a recent encounter with Usman’s cousin and coach Khabib Nurmagomedov gave him the news he’s been waiting to hear.
“That’s the fight everyone wants is Usman and McKee,” McKee told MMA Fighting. “I think that’s what’s on the roster next. That’s what everybody wants and I don’t think there’s any other fights to make.
“I was down at [Usman’s] fight in San Diego and Khabib [Nurmagomedov] walks by and says ‘see you in Dubai.’ I’m like I’ll see you in Dubai so it looks like they’re pushing for it and I’m pushing for it. So it looks like we’re going to make it happen. There’s really no other fight to make happen.”
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Since moving to lightweight, McKee has gone undefeated with a perfect 4-0 record including a lightning quick finish over PFL favorite Clay Collard back in February.
This time around he’s facing an up and comer in Hughes, who just signed with PFL as a free agent earlier this year and only has one fight under his belt with the promotion. Going from a win over a journeyman like Bobby King to a fight against arguably the No. 1 contender in the lightweight division might seem like an almost unrealistic step up in competition.
McKee can’t get inside Hughes’ head to know what he’s thinking but he plans on showing him there are levels to this game when they meet on Saturday.
“He really hasn’t dealt with any pressure,” McKee said. “He’s just been kind of walking through guys. How’s he going to react when things get a little nitty gritty and sticky? I’m not one to back down. So I’m going to be in his face the entire time. That’s what we’re going to have to see. How does Paul Hughes react when things aren’t going his way? What is he going to be capable of in those moments?
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“I remember wanting to be neck and neck with the best. But it’s like Fast and the Furious — too soon Junior. That’s the quote I’m looking to drop in this one.”
Truth be told, McKee didn’t even really knows Hughes before he got offered the fight because he leaves scouting up to his father and trainer, Antonio McKee.
Maybe Hughes really is the next big thing but McKee promises he’s not going to be the stepping stone on his ascension to stardom.
“I don’t really pay attention [to my opponents],” McKee said. “My dad’s the one who watches video and footage and puts together the game plan. For me, a name is a name. The hit list is the hit list and I’m just going to continue to go in there and take out people one at a time. Paul Hughes, he’s a tough cat. I can’t take anything away from him. He’s been in there, he’s been fighting and I’m just going to go in there and show him I’m a different breed.
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“I’ve been in his position so I know that young, hungry feeling. I remember the first time I fought a vet. My first vet was Pat Curran. So I remember that hungry feeling. I remember wanting that moment. I’m older but I ain’t that old. I’m still holding my ground. I’m going to do what I do best and that’s come out victorious by any means.
More than eight months after voicing frustration with the promotion, Sage Northcutt has been granted his ONE Championship release.
After signing with the company in 2019, Northcutt (12-3) has only competed twice under the ONE Championship record, going 1-1. The loss was a brutal one, as he suffered a violent 29-second knockout against Cosmo Alexandre in May 2019 that caused multiple facial fractures and led to extensive surgery and a nearly four-year layoff.
He picked up his lone promotional win in May 2023 with a 39-second heel hook finish, and was scheduled to face Shinya Aoki at January’s ONE 165 event in Tokyo. The fight was called off late in the game, and Northcutt took issue with the “completely inaccurate” portrayal of what unfolded that led to the bout being canceled.
It’s been largely silent since then, but on Friday, ONE Championship issued a statement on its official website announcing the UFC veteran had received a “mutually agreed” upon release from his promotional contract.
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“ONE Championship and Sage Northcutt have mutually agreed to his release from the organization,” the statement read. “ONE wishes Northcutt the best in his future endeavors.”
It didn’t take long for Northcutt, 28, to react to the news with glee and positivity about his future.
“Excited for 2025 and looking forward to having some big fights!” Northcutt wrote on Instagram.
Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
A 13-5 start has morphed into a 14-14 season record and that’s just not going to cut it.
Here’s hoping for a much-needed turnaround this weekend.
I’ve got three college bets and two NFL wagers this weekend. Remember, this space isn’t the place for a million picks or five-team parlays. These will always be the games I love the most. Let’s go to work.
This is one of two college favorites I’m buying low on this week. The appetite to bet Miami has decreased after the Canes failed to cover against Virginia Tech and Cal, both games they could’ve lost. But I don’t trust Louisville’s defense at all. If Miami quarterback Cam Ward protects the football, this could easily be a double-digit win for the ACC’s most talented team.
I’m still not sure what happened to Illinois in the second half against Purdue. The Illini blew a 27-3 lead and escaped with a 50-49 overtime win. Is it more important how they started or how they finished? Eh. At the end of the day, I’m not laying points with Sherrone Moore’s Wolverines on the road. And I’m not buying the excitement for another new quarterback at Michigan. I-L-L…
PICK: Illinois (+4) to lose by fewer than 4 points, or win outright
I never quite bought into the Tennessee hype. It’s amazing what happens when you enter conference play, isn’t it? Granted, Tennessee and Alabama have both dealt with issues over the last couple of weeks, but I believe Alabama’s ceiling is higher. And let’s not forget the Tide have a marquee win over Georgia, while Tennessee’s best win came against an OU team that can’t score.
PICK: Alabama (-3) to win by more than 3 points
NFL Week 7 Best Bets: Giants vs. Eagles, Commanders team total
The Seahawks are a polarizing team right now. Rookie head coach Mike Macdonald kicked off his head coaching career with three wins, then lost the next three games. Now what? Well, I like that Seattle played last Thursday night, which gave their front seven much needed time to recover. I also think Seattle’s offense can go blow for blow with Kirk Cousins. Take the points.
PICK: Seahawks (+3) to lose by fewer than 3 points, or win outright
Am I crazy for liking the Colts more with Joe Flacco? It’s sounding like Anthony Richardson will lace ‘em up under center, so be ready for that rollercoaster. Meanwhile, the Fish should be able to run the ball on the Indianapolis front. Mike McDaniel’s offense has had two weeks to prepare, and I don’t believe the Colts can limit all of Miami’s weapons for four quarters.
PICK: Dolphins (+3) to lose by fewer than 3 points, or win outright
Sam Panayotovich is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and BetQL Network. He previously worked for WGN Radio, NBC Sports and VSiN. Follow him on Twitter @spshoot.
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Cris Cyborg will enter the PFL cage for the first time Saturday riding a 11-fight winning streak — MMA and boxing combined —, stopping six of her opponents with strikes, but none had the knockout power of her upcoming foe Larissa Pacheco.
Pacheco is a two-division PFL champion with 11 of her 23 MMA wins coming by way of knockout — including two sub-minute finishes during the 2023 season —, while Cyborg went 2-0 this year in boxing against overmatched opponents. Cyborg is a jiu-jitsu black belt under the legend Rubens Charles “Cobrinha,” and has placed third in the ADCC before, but Pacheco doesn’t expect the Bellator champion to avoid a stand-up war in Saudi Arabia.
“To tell you the truth, I don’t even know what her plans are,” Pacheco said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “My camp and training were focused on a broad plan, like I always do. I never focus on what my opponent is good at, on what she might do. I always focus on what I can get better at in case she tries to come up with something new — I mean my opponents in general, whoever I’m about to face. They might try to surprise me, so I better be prepared in all areas. What holes do I have to fix?
“I don’t know what she’s going to try and do, but one I can can guarantee you is that I’m ready for everything. I think it would surprise me [if she goes for takedowns] because of her history. She’s known for her striking and this style of moving forward and trading strikes and whatnot, so I believe she will trust that. Taking me down would be changing her style completely. It would be trying to show something that… I don’t know, but yeah, it would surprise me.”
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Pacheco said she has met Cyborg at the UFC Performance Institute recently, while accompanying a friend who was about to fight in the octagon in Las Vegas, and said the veteran fighter was upset at her for something she had said during an interview after the fight was finally booked by the PFL.
“I think I said something in an interview and she was offended by it, but then I explained her what I said and what I had in mind,” Pacheco said. “Not that I was scared of her or anything like that, but out of respect. My word is my word, you know? If I had something to say I would go ahead and say it, but I won’t create trash talk out of nowhere just to sell a fight.”
“I’m always respectful towards my opponents and never take anything outside the cage,” she continued. “I know this hate is something that fans like, but I separate things. This is work, and that’s my personal life. I’m not the type of person to talk trash just to promote a fight. I know it doesn’t help my career because fans love this, but I can’t be someone I’m not.”
With no apparent animosity between the two knockout artists, Pacheco promises fireworks when the bell rings in Riyadh.
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“I guarantee you that people won’t regret watching this fight,” Pacheco said. “Just match my style with hers and see what we do when we’re in the cage and there’s nothing else left to be said.”
The PFL returns to pay-per-view this week with three title fights in Saudi Arabia.
PFL: Battle of the Giants (DAZN /ESPN+) takes place Saturday at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Get main card pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.
A.J. McKee vs. Paul Hughes
2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants press conference at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants press conference at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants press conference at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants press conference at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants press conference at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants press conference at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)
Although they don’t count toward the standings, MMA Junkie staff members still pick the fights on the prelims. Here are the results:
Taha Bendaoud vs. Tariq Ismail: Ismail 9, Bendaoud 2
Nacho Campos vs. Ibragim Ibragimov: Ibragimov 10, Campos 1
Dedrek Sanders vs. Makkasharip Zaynukov: Zaynukov 11, Sanders 0
Nicolau was born and raised in Belo Horizonte, just like Vasconcelos, and hearing the news of his “devastating” passing while checking in at the host hotel in Las Vegas was a crushing blow.
“He’s not someone I talked to regularly every day or every week, but I liked him very much,” Nicolau said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “He’s a bit older than me and got his [jiu-jitsu] black belt before I did, but we had our roads in MMA at the same time. He was always so nice to me. We have so many friends in common — everybody knows each other in the jiu-jitsu community in Belo Horizonte, and I saw him a month ago at the Worlds Master.
“The news hit me and I was crushed, man. I liked him very much, you know? He was a nice person that helped a lot of people in Belo Horizonte, even unintentionally, just by fighting and being who he is. He’s inspired a lot of people. I’m sure I was not the only one. He will be missed. That news was quite devastating.”
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The cause of death has not yet been revealed, but Nicolau felt it was important to highlight the debating around mental health — especially among men.
“This is an alert of how important mental health is,” Nicolau said. “We have to open up with our friends. I even texted a friend of mine, ‘Life is crazy and we don’t talk as much as we’d like but I’m always here, and I love you.’ It’s important that we say that to people we care, just like him. If I had the opportunity to go back and have a word with him I would, you know?
“We can’t neglect that because we all have someone that love us badly, we have someone by our side and someone we can trust, someone we can ask for help. We don’t do that as much, especially men. Sometimes it’s hard for us to open up and ask for help and show our weaknesses. You’re only strong if you can be weak, too. That news was devastating, and it’s an alert for us. And may he rest in peace.”
Nicolau promised to “do my best to honor his work and the friendship we had” by defeating Almabayev at UFC Vegas 99. Nicolau said the match was originally offered for Aug. 24, but ultimately signed for Oct. 19, which gave him plenty of time to adapt to a new life in the United States, training at Team Oyama in Irvine, Calif.
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“I don’t like to say I left a comfort zone, because it sounds like I was in a comfort zone before and wasn’t training that hard, but I think it put me in difficulties in every aspect,” Nicolau said. “There’s always a risk in change, and I feel like I’m getting the best out of myself here. I’m taking everything I have to this fight.”
Nicolau was approaching the top of the division after collecting four wins in a row under the UFC banner, including a decision over Manel Kape and a second-round stoppage over Matt Schnell. However, losing back-to-back fights to Brandon Royval and Alex Perez slowed his championship aspirations.
Almabayev, on the other hand, is 3-0 under the UFC banner and 20-2 overall in the sport.
“I’ll beat Asu the way I have to beat him,” Nicolau said. “By submission, by knockout, by points. Grappling him, standing and trading with him, kicking and kneeing him. No matter how, I’ll go after this win at all times — and I’m ready for this. I know I gave my best day after day, and I’m very confident.”
Watch highlights as Falkirk score three first-half goals to ease past Hamilton Academical and move five points clear at the top of the Scottish Championship.
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