AJ McKee spent $100,000 on Bellator vs. RIZIN walkout outfit
Former Bellator Featherweight champion AJ McKee solidified his spot as one of the top mixed martial artists at 145-pounds when he defeated RIZIN lightweight champ Roberto de Souza by way of unanimous decision on New Year’s Eve.
The December 31 headlining bout at the Bellator vs. RIZIN cross promotional event was the fifth of five head-to-head matchups. Bellator MMA fighters earned a clean sweep on the card, but one of the most talked about parts of the historic night had to do with McKee’s walkout costume.
“Mercenary” McKee walked to the ring donned from head to toe in full samurai gear, which apparently cost him a pretty penny.
“I did a little bit of research [to find the armor], man. 100 large ($100,000),” McKee told The Underground reporter John Morgan. “I spent a nice little penny on that bad boy.
“It’s some legendary s—t. I’ll probably never sell it,” he continued. “I had all the guys sign the book so I’m gonna cut each piece out of the book, frame that up, put my gloves and my wraps in like a little four-by-four. Put that behind it, the samurai suit will stand up with the trophy in front of it. That’ll be something in my mancave. My first fight ever in Japan. I went and bought a bunch of armor, come on now. Who spends 100 bands on armor? Whatever I do, dude, I do it to the fullest. Some things come with a cost. Scared money don’t make money.”
AJ McKee enters in full samurai costume for the #BellatorvsRizin main event.
Give me unique entrances over the mundane any day of the week. pic.twitter.com/8tWb8QLY07
— Andy Stevenson (@andyste123) December 31, 2022
McKee won the Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix in 2021 to become champion and take home the $1million prize. I don’t think anyone thought he would spend some of the earnings on samurai gear.
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