AJ McKee us undefeated in his pro career (Picture: Bellator)

AJ McKee has revealed he wants to fight James Gallagher in Dublin after months of back and forth between the featherweight fighters.

Michael Chandler signs with UFC and goes straight into lightweight title picture

Gallagher called McKee out after his last win and the American says he was furious to see the 20-year-old call him a pu***.

McKee and Gallagher came face-to-face in London this week with both men in attendance for Bellator 179.

Gallagher has already aimed several digs at McKee for not staying true to his word to smack him,but McKee explained why he was so calm when they two met this week.


‘For me it’s business, you know,’ McKee told Metro.co.uk.



‘There’s no one around, what’s the point of acting up?

‘Be professional about it, but the second cameras are around, it’s about entertainment, you’ve got to switch up and put on a show.

‘If there’s people around, cameras around, I’m going to start doing the big brother thing.

‘Picking at the little brother. There was nobody around though today.

‘I walked into the bar, kind of in a rush too, and he was like ‘sign the contract’, I didn’t even see him coming in.

Gallagher vs McKee McKee

Age: 22

MMA Record: 8-0

KOs: 4 / Subs: 2



Gallagher

Age: 20

Record: 6-0

KOs: 0 / Subs: 5

‘I was just felt ‘oh yeah, of course [this guy], and said ‘hey’.

McKee is two years older than Gallagher and is also undefeated in his professional MMA career.

The Bellator prospect is fresh off a stunning head kick knockout in his last fight and admitted he just has to face Gallagher next.

‘We kind of have to fight now,’ he continued.

‘Man to man, if a man calls you a bi*** or a pu***, those are fighting words.

‘Point blank if we were on the street I would have socked him in the mouth.

‘That’s just how I grew up. I don’t care if you push me, touch me – there’s automatically something in my head that will trigger and I will snap.

‘For that, the fight has to happen. He went on national television and called me a pu***.

‘Not once, but then he did it like four times.

‘The first time he did it I told him to remember this because you’ll regret these words.

‘Ever since then he’s just kept picking at that tree. He’s a dog barking at a tree while a lion climbs it.

‘I’ll turn around smack you and go climb right back up the tree.

‘Gave him a fist bump and that was the end of it.’

And McKee wants to shut up his rival in his own backyard.

Asked if he was given the choice between America and Dublin he replied: ‘Dublin, Dublin, Dublin.

He added: ‘Dublin. More pressure, it’s his home country – those are his people.



‘That’s all the pressure for him to live up to.

‘All his people will be there, all my people will be watching.

Gallagher is getting ready for the fight of his life at Madison Square Garden (Picture: MMA Latest)

McKee is waiting to see how Gallagher’s next fight plays out (Picture: Bellator)

‘I feel like that’s smart business.’

Five of Gallagher’s six wins have been through submission giving the Tyrone-native a fierce reputation on the ground.

But McKee warned his younger rival that he cannot underestimate his jiu jitsu.

‘I go out there to knock someone out. I know I can wrestle, but why do that?,’ he said.

‘Fans want to see that glory knockout or the blood. Something crazy.’

He continued: ‘My jiu jitsu is probably just as good as my stand up.

‘But I haven’t had a reason to show it.

‘For example, the Cody Walker fight. I was rocking him and he was just taking it.

‘So takedown now. His punches were starting to come into my range, probably the longest reach I’d ever seen, let’s take this guy down now.

‘Took him down and his neck was open so I went for it.

‘That was just the first move of a huge fight IQ where I could do one thing after another.

‘Chain fighting. If this doesn’t work go to this, if that doesn’t work go to this.

‘That’s just the first step of my jiu jitsu [rear-naked choke]. Imagine if I really get going and start to get comfortable.

‘Two, three moves deep. I’m catching people with the first move.’

MORE: James Gallagher disappointed AJ McKee was so agreeable during face off at Bellator London