A.J. McKee vs. Patricio Pitbull 2 is the headline event for Bellator 277 betting on April 15, from the SAP Center in San Jose, California.
This is one of the biggest cards in Bellator history and the highly-anticipated rematch between the featherweight champion McKee and Patricio "Pitbull" Freire should be a banger. Oddsmakers expect McKee to defeat Pitbull again, with Bellator betting lines opening with McKee as a -240 favorite before shifting to the -300 to -455 range.
Here are our best free picks and predictions for Bellator 277: McKee vs. Pitbull 2 tonight.
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McKee vs Pitbull 2 odds
| Bet | Odds | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | A.J. McKee (-333) |
Patricio Freire (+250) |
| To win by KO, TKO, DQ or submission | A.J. McKee (-150) | Patricio Freire (+375) |
| To win by decision | A.J. McKee (+400) | Patricio Freire (+800) |
| Over/Under Rounds | Over 1.5 (-150) | Under 1.5 (+115) |
Odds courtesy of Betway as of April 13, 2022
McKee vs Pitbull 2 picks
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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McKee vs Pitbull 2 betting preview
A.J. "The Mercenary" McKee is No. 1 in the Bellator men's pound-for-pound rankings and won the 145-pound title with a first-round submission victory against Pitbull last July.
The 27-year-old has been steamrolling opponents inside the cage ever since making his Bellator (and MMA debut) with a first-round finish of Marcos Bonilla in 2015. He is a perfect 18-0 and holds the Bellator record for consecutive wins while being tied with Freire and Michael Chandler for most stoppage victories (13).
McKee's run in the last Featherweight World Grand Prix was nothing short of sensational, beginning with a knockout of Georgi Karakhanyan just eight seconds into their opening-round matchup. He then pulled off three-straight submission wins against Derek Campos, Darrion Caldwell, and finally Pitbull.
McKee has a background in wrestling and his transitions and slick submissions are some of the best in the world. He's also a dynamic striker that fights out a southpaw stance and throws kicks and punches with knockout power.
Patricio "Pitbull" Freire was widely considered the greatest pound-for-pound Bellator fighter of all time before that loss to McKee snapped a seven-fight winning streak. Freire has a promotion record of 20-career wins and is a two-time featherweight champ, successfully defending that belt on seven different occasions.
The 34-year-old also claimed the lightweight title in 2019 with a first-round knockout of Michael Chandler but vacated that without making any defenses.
Freire is a very well-rounded fighter that combines heavy hands with a black belt in BJJ and a lethal guillotine. The Brazilian does a great job of landing heavy hooks and crosses in the pocket and is very effective with leg kicks. Seven of his last 10 wins have come inside the distance (three by knockout and four via submission).
McKee vs Pitbull 2 tale of the tape
| A.J. McKee | Patricio Freire | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | Age | 34 |
| 5-foot-10 | Height | 5-foot-6 |
| 145 lbs | Weight | 145 lbs |
| 73.5 inches | Reach | 65.5 inches |
| 18-0 (6 KO) | Record | 32-5 (11 KO) |
McKee vs Pitbull 2 prediction and best bet
Our prediction is compiled from the analysis of the fighters and is an indication of who we are leaning with to win this bout.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this fight or where the most value lies, and is where we would put some of our bankroll behind.
Prediction: McKee (-300 at FanDuel)
McKee entered the first fight with Freire as a slim -105 underdog but absolutely dominated. He rocked Pitbull with a head kick just one minute into the fight and followed with a flurry of punches that dropped him.
He then raised his arms, thinking he had won before the referee told him to continue. That early celebration allowed Pitbull to get to his feet but McKee then immediately put him in a standing guillotine and put him out for good.
McKee simply looks unstoppable right now and seems too athletic, explosive, and polished for Freire. As great as Pitbull has been it's inevitable that father time would catch up and at almost 35-years-old and with 37 fights under his belt, he has to be on the downswing of his career.
Freire also has a tendency to get caught with straights when baited into countering with his power shots and that could prove costly with McKee boasting a massive 8-inch reach advantage.
The Mercenary is a complete fighter just entering his prime and should be able to win this bout regardless of where it goes. But with Pitbull's power and sneaky guillotine, there is more betting value in the following prop.
Best bet: McKee inside the distance (-150 at Betway)
Most fighters in the 145-pound division aren't consistent finishers but these two are on another level and are all-action all the time.
Not only have six of McKee's last seven wins been by way of stoppage, but five came within the first three minutes of the opening round. Meanwhile, Freire is an aggressive fighter that loves to throw bombs in the pocket and is willing to eat a shot to land one.
If you like McKee to win this one you may as well play this prop bet because it seems highly unlikely that this bout will go the full 25 minutes.
