A.J. McKee vs. Patricio Pitbull 2 set to headline Bellator 277 on April 15

A.J. McKee and Patricio Pitbull will run it back after all.

Nine months after dispatching then two-division champion Pitbull inside the opening round for the featherweight crown, McKee will face the Brazilian one more time as they headline Bellator 277 on April 15 in San Jose, Calif., MMA Fighting has confirmed following a report from OC Register.

The co-main event will feature the light heavyweight grand prix final between Bellator champion Vadim Nemkov and Corey Anderson with a $1 million prize on the line.

McKee (18-0), who owns the record for longest winning streak in Bellator history, ran through competition with ease in the 145-pound tournament with a trio of stoppages, two of them in under two minutes.

Patricio (32-5) decided to vacate the lightweight gold after losing to McKee. The Brazilian, who never lost two in a row in his entire MMA career, was victorious in his previous seven featherweight bouts inside the Bellator cage prior to his recent setback.

Nemkov (15-2) won nine in a row since 2016, the past seven under the Bellator banner. The Russian talent won the 205-pound belt with a second-round knockout over Ryan Bader, successfully defending it against Phil Davis and Julius Anglickas.

UFC veteran Anderson (16-5) gets his shot at the belt after going 3-0 in the company since 2020, stopping Melvin Manhoef, Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov and Bader. “Overtime” beat the likes of Glover Teixeira and Jan Blachowicz in the UFC.