AJ McKee shares gnarly injury that saw him removed from Bellator Grand Prix (PHOTO)
By Amy Kaplan
![A.J. McKee A.J. McKee](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2146,h_1207,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/505/01h6c58g5p3nn7n1dpcw.png)
There are MMA injuries all the time, that's nothing new. But former Bellator champion AJ McKee's injury takes a whole new level of yuck.
On Wednesday he shared a series of photos of the staph infection that forced him out of potentially making history in the Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix, which kicks off on Satruday in Japan.
"Just to clear the air," McKee wrote. "The progression of this infection in 1 week smh. A few more weeks of rest/healing and it’s back to the grind."
Just to clear the air 🙌🏾💯🙌🏾 The progression of this infection in 1 week smh.. A few more weeks of rest/healing and it’s back to the grind.🦾🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/mYmznV1Puw
— AJ “The Mercenary” McKee (@ajmckee101) July 27, 2023
McKee was supposed to fight Patricky Pitbull, the brother of his former featherweight foe, Patricio at the Bellator X RIZIN card which takes place in Tokyo, Japan. McKee was looking to make history by becoming the first man to win two Bellator Grand Prix tournaments (he already won at featherweight). But, unless he comes back into it later, that dream is no longer a reality.
In his place is RIZIN lightweight champion, Roberto “Satoshi” De Souza, who will fight Patricky instead.
Bellator X RIZIN fight card
SHOWTIME (U.S.) - July 29 at 11 pm ET / 8 pm PT
Lightweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinals: Patricky Pitbull vs. Roberto De Souza
Inaugural Flyweight World Championship: Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Makoto “Shinryu”
Flyweight Bout: Kana Watanabe vs. Veta Arteaga
Bantamweight Bout: Magomed Magomedov vs. Danny Sabatello
Welterweight Bout: Andrey Koreshkov vs. Lorenz Larkin
Next. A.J. McKee injured, out of Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix. A.J. McKee injured, out of Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix. dark