AJ McKee is gearing up for his promotion to lightweight in October, but the road from his first professional loss to get there has been rocky for a while.
McKee takes on Spike Carlisle in the Bellato 286 on October 1st in McKee’s hometown of Long Beach, California. Ahead of the upcoming bout, McGee lost by unanimous decision to Patricio Pitbull at Bellato 277 in April, as well before winning the belt and the Featherweight Grand Prix At nine months, he stopped in the first round.
While McGee felt like he was being robbed by the referee, the loss still took a toll on him.
“Honestly, I had a total mental breakdown,” McKee said on
MMA Hour
said. “It was a total mental breakdown. I was checked out, I was going through it, I would say it settled down the second week after the fight. That’s when I got out of the abyss, but like As always, through the trials and tribulations of life, I found myself back in the gym and finding fuel to add fuel to the fire.
“Physically, I was there; Mentally, I am not. I’m just staying home because I know what’s going to happen next, so I just want to be in a safe place until I can clear my mind and stabilize myself.
“But it’s a legitimate mental breakdown. When you’re a perfectionist, you know you’re a perfectionist, you know you’re the best Yes, something in your life is OCD, like, ‘This is this, this is that, things need to be this way’ – if something is [inappropriate] you will notice [if you are that way] It’s a lot of things for me to not be able to adjust for things like this. But now I’m faster, stronger, better.”
McGee previously told MMA Fighting that his lack of motivation for a rematch with Pitbull after finishing him so quickly was impressive at their first meeting.
Because of this, “Mercenary” did not expect such a big loss to him.
“I don’t think it’s going to happen, I just wish it was more of my responsibility,” McKee said. “At the moment of the fight, it wasn’t [at] my expense, but then it went to the judges and that’s when it was no longer under my control. Look at the fourth and fifth rounds and not, ‘Hey, let’s Make sure to knock down and win the round, I know he can’t stop my knockout’ but be able to say, ‘Go die, go finish him like I usually do.’
“I don’t know, it’s just a different motivation for the whole tournament — four-on-four, finish everybody — I’m motivated to finish everybody, I finish everybody, th Three in one round, one in third round. Just a little different. “
is a few days in the dark at home, going back and forth at the gym to stay physically active. Luckily, McKee has His mom helped lighten some of the load along with brother Michael.
His father Antonio McKee may have had a relationship with him that his son was What’s going on. McKee revealed that his dad was a little tough on him, but it seemed to help him out.
“I It took about two or three weeks to get back,” McGee explained. “It took me about two weeks to process everything, but I was always at the gym. I’m not very social (in the gym), I’m a very introverted person. I really don’t talk much.
“It’s nice to have [my little brother] there, but I don’t really talk to people. I Not really going to people to tell them about me, but trying to express, ‘Yo, I’m in a mental breakdown. I’m just going to get through it. Wherever I am, I’m going to keep winning and doing the best I can in This situation gets better, that’s all. “My dad is not a weak person. ‘get up. What are you crying, p? So try to talk to him and say, ‘I feel like I’m in a midlife crisis, I’m breaking down,’ and that’s not what he wants to hear. He put a lot of time into me, and it’s not only my profession, but his. So it’s just pushing the beast back better. “
