Pitbull edges McKee in rematch to reclaim Bellator featherweight title

Patricio "Pitbull" Freire is once again on top.

Freire defeated AJ McKee via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47) in the Bellator 277 main event Friday night in San Jose to recapture the featherweight title.

It was a much different result than their first fight, which McKee won by first-round submission last July to become the champion and win the Featherweight Grand Prix.

Most of the rounds in the rematch were competitive. Freire took a diligent approach in the stand-up department, using low kicks and hard punches to take pivotal rounds over his rival. The biggest moment of the fight came in the third stanza when Freire appeared to have McKee in trouble with a guillotine choke.

McKee had some success in the grappling department, taking Freire down in the third and fifth rounds. But it was Freire's striking that seemed to be the difference-maker.

Freire is now a three-time featherweight champion after winning the title in 2014 and 2017. He also held the lightweight belt before relinquishing it last year to focus on the McKee rematch at 145 pounds. Freire's brother, Patricky, won the vacant 155-pound strap in November.

Freire, 34, is 6-0 in rematches.

McKee, meanwhile, suffered his first professional loss. He was 18-0 heading into his first title defense, with all of his fights taking place under the Bellator banner. This was the first time that the 27-year-old went past the third round.