A.J. McKee returns to featherweight to fight Akhmed Magomedov as the PFL debuts in Africa, with Corey Anderson also on the card facing Denis Goltsov in a heavyweight bout.
A.J. McKee is making waves again, returning to the featherweight division as the PFL debuts in Africa. This exciting event in Cape Town, South Africa, is set for July 19. McKee, a former Bellator champ with a record of 22-2, will face Akhmed Magomedov (11-1) in a 145-pound bout.
Corey Anderson, Bellator’s last light heavyweight champion, joins the card, squaring off against Denis Goltsov in a heavyweight clash. The anticipation is palpable. See PFL’s announcement below.
For McKee, this marks his first fight in 2025 and his return to featherweight since 2022. At Bellator 263, he captured his first title with a jaw-dropping first-round submission of Patricio Pitbull. However, he later lost the belt back to Pitbull and experienced his first-ever defeat in their rematch.
McKee then moved up to lightweight, achieving a 4-0 streak before a razor-thin split decision loss to Paul Hughes last October. Now, he faces Russia’s Magomedov, who made a splashy PFL debut by submitting Nathan Kelly in January after a 1-1 stint with Bellator.
Anderson (18-6, 1 NC) hasn’t fought since March 2024. His last bout saw him claim a vacant Bellator light heavyweight title by defeating Karl Moore. However, his reign was short-lived as Bellator was absorbed into PFL later that year.
His shift to heavyweight isn’t shocking, considering he booked a fight against longtime rival Vadim Nemkov for a PFL event in January. Nemkov declined, citing contract renegotiation issues with the league.
Goltsov (36-8) aims to add Anderson to his list of victories after finally clinching a PFL tournament title in 2024, ending a five-year pursuit. The stakes are high.
PFL Africa’s main event features Johnny Eblen defending his middleweight title against Costello van Steenis. Meanwhile, 2024 flyweight champion Dakota Ditcheva takes on Sumiko Inaba in the co-main event. Excitement’s in the air!