A.J. McKee is getting ready for his move up to lightweight in October, but the road to get there from his first pro loss was a tough one for a little while.
McKee faces Spike Carlyle at Bellator 286, which takes place Oct. 1 in McKee’s home city of Long Beach, Calif. Prior to the upcoming bout, McKee lost a unanimous decision — and his title — to Patricio Pitbull in April at Bellator 277, the same man he stopped in the first round nine months prior to win the belt and the featherweight grand prix.
While McKee feels like he was robbed by the judges, the loss still took its toll on him mentally.
” “Honestly, it was a total mental meltdown,” McKee stated on The MMA Hour . “It was a full mental breakdown. It was a complete mental breakdown. I had to be checked and was still going through the process. I believe it was settled within the first week. This was when I felt like I had gone off the deep end. But, as with all things, through the trials and tribulations in life, I came back to the gym and found the spark.
“Physically, I was there; mentally, I was not. I just stayed home because I knew what was coming, so I just wanted to stay home in my safe place until I could gather my thoughts and build myself back to being stable.
“But it was a legit mental breakdown. When you’re a perfectionist, and you know you’re a perfectionist, you know you’re the best, and certain things in your life are OCD to where it’s like, ‘This is this, this is that, things need to be this way’ — if something [is out of place] you’re going to notice [if you’re like that]. It was hard for me to adjust to things like this. Now I am faster, more powerful, and better .”
McKee told MMA Fighting he was lacking motivation to fight Pitbull again after scoring him so fast and convincingly their first encounter.
“The Mercenary” didn’t anticipate that the loss would be so difficult on him.
” I didn’t believe it would happen. In fact, it was something that I was hoping for more at my expense,” McKee stated. It wasn’t [at] at my expense during the fight. But after the fight it was up to the judges and it became clear that it wasn’t in my hands. Looking into that fourth and fifth round, instead of, ‘Hey, let’s secure a takedown and win the round, I know he can’t stop my takedown,’ but just being able to say, ‘Screw it, go finish him, like I normally do.’
“I don’t know, it was just a different motivation through the whole tournament — four for four, finish everybody — I was motivated to finish everybody, and I finished everybody, three in the first round, one in the third. It’s just a bit different .”
It was a few days spent in darkness at home and going to the gym every day to keep moving. McKee was able to share some of the burden with his mother and brother Michael.
His father Antonio McKee may have been able to relate to his son’s struggles. McKee said that although his father was tough with him it helped McKee to get out of the rut.
” It took me around two to three weeks for it all to come back,” McKee said. It took me two weeks to get everything processed, and I was still going to the gym. I wasn’t very social [at the gym], I’m a very introvert person. I don’t really talk much.
“It was nice having [my little brother] there, but I don’t really talk to people. It’s not something I do. I have no desire to go and talk to anyone and say, “Yo, my mental breakdown is in progress.” I will just get over it. No matter where I am, I will continue to triumph, try my best in these circumstances and I won’t be disappointed.
“My dad is not a soft person. ‘Get up. You don’t know what you’re crying for. He’s invested in me and put so much time into me that it’s not just my career, it’s his career too, at the same time. It’s been fueling my beast to be better .”
