AJ McKee Darrion Caldwell Cranks

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In case there is any doubt, AJ McKee is legit. And you can remove the phrase “prospect” before their name once and for all.

McKee (17-0 MMA, 17-0 BMMA) faced both a former Bellator bantamweight champion and an NCAA champion wrestler Darrion Caldwell in the Bellator 253 main event on Thursday evening.

And the undefeated McKee wasted little time showing he was up to the biggest challenge of his career in Bellator’s featherweight grand prix in the final. A manual neck crank got the job done in just 1:11 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

This puts McKee in the final against the winner of the other semi-final, between champion Patricio Freire and Emmanuel Sanchez, which will be held on a date to be determined.

Caldwell (14-4 MMA, 11-3 BMMA) went to his fight early in the fight and scored an out, but McKee didn’t panic. He slipped an arm under Caldwell’s, nodded his head where he wanted, twisted a body triangle, and it was just a formality from there.

“He popped his head to the side and I locked the body triangle and plugged it in deep and that’s all she wrote,” McKee said.

The featherweight bout was the main event of the Bellator 253, which took place Thursday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. It was a semi-final of the Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix.

McKee, whose previous tournament wins were over Georgi Karakhanyan and Derek Campos, had his ninth place in the career first round. Caldwell had a two-game winning streak.

Compete Bellator 253 results:

  • AJ McKee beats. Darrion Caldwell via Submission (Neck Crank) – Round 1, 1:11 – Featherweight Grand Prix Semi-Final
  • Jeremy Johnson beats. Benson Henderson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27. 30-27)
  • Jeremy Kennedy won. Matt Bessette via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
  • Jaleel Willis defeats. Mark Lemminger via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Jay Jay Wilson won. Sergio DeBari via KO (punches) – Round 1, 0:20
  • Kaheem Murray defeats. Kevin Ferguson Jr. by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Sullivan Cauley defeats. Jason Markland via KO (punches) – Round 1, 0:28

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