Bellator 277 results, highlights: Patricio Pitbull reclaims featherweight crown with decision over AJ McKee

The former champion is the reigning champion once more after outpointing AJ McKee in the main event from San Jose, California

Patience is rarely a quality one associates with a pitbull, but that quality was what won Patricio Pitbull the Bellator featherweight championship for the third time in his career. Pitbull managed to edge out AJ McKee in a highly-competitive fight in the main event of Bellator 277 on Friday night from SAP Center in San Jose, California.

McKee won the first meeting between the two this past July in less than two minutes with a guillotine choke after rocking Pitbull with a head kick. Rather than rush into McKee's offense, Pitbull stood in the center of the cage and picked his spots to land leg kicks and occasional punches.

McKee constantly urged Pitbull to stand in front of him, daring Pitbull to engage with wild strikes. Pitbull did not bite on the dares, sticking to his patient gameplan as close rounds ticked by.

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The most dramatic moments of the fight came in the third round, with Pitbull landing a heavy right hand that staggered McKee. McKee responded to being hurt by scoring a takedown and controlling the action on the ground. After working back to his feet, Pitbull locked McKee in a deep guillotine that looked close to getting the finish before McKee popped his head free.

The final two rounds saw the two fighters increasingly fatigued, but McKee seemed to do the better work with strikes and takedowns. That effort turned out to be too little, too late as Pitbull would have his hand raised after five rounds when all three official scorecards were read in his favor. The official scores were 49-46, 48-47 and 48-47.

"He's a tough guy," Pitbull said after the fight. "He's a great opponent. It was a hard fight but I came to put my strategy to work today. Now, two brothers are two world champions."

McKee was distraught after the decision was read, leaving the cage after tasting defeat for the first time in his professional career.

Pitbull further cemented his status as the greatest fighter in Bellator history, winning the featherweight title for a third time to go along with one run as lightweight champion. Pitbull is also now 6-0 in rematches, never suffering defeat to the same man twice as well as never losing back-to-back fights. Though McKee will likely get a chance to change that in what seems to be a guaranteed rubber match between the two in the near future.

CBS Sports was with you throughout the evening for the latest updates, highlights and results with our live blog below.

Bellator 277 card, results

• Patricio Pitbull (c) def. AJ McKee via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47)
• Vadim Nemkov (c) vs. Corey Anderson ends in no-contest after accident headbutt
• Aaron Pico def. Adli Edwards via third-round TKO (punches)
• Linton Vassell def. Tim Johnson via first-round TKO (punches)
• Tyson Miller def. Rhalan Gracie via first-round TKO (doctor stoppage)
• Tyrell Fortune def. Rakim Cleveland via first-round TKO (punches)
• Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov def. Rafael Carvalho via second-round TKO (elbows, punches)

[Apr 16, 2022 at 12:28 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Official result: Patricio Pitbull def. AJ McKee via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47). Patricio Pitbull is once again the featherweight champion.

[Apr 16, 2022 at 12:26 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

AJ McKee (c) vs. Patricio Pitbull -- Round 5: McKee shot for a takedown to start the round, pushing Pitbull against the cage before finishing and putting Pitbull on the canvas. McKee landed an elbow in close and then took Pitbull down again as the challenger stood. McKee worked to take the back but Pitbull was able to stand and return to the center of the cage. Both men looked fatigued with half a round to go. McKee had a takedown stuffed and Pitbull tried to fire off a few punches though he wasn't landing cleanly. McKee landed a few punches and Pitbull landed a hard uppercut. Both men landed some punches but McKee was getting the better shots before another takedown late in the round. Pitbull stood before the end of the round but the bell rang. Scorecards could fairly and justifiably be all over the place here. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 McKee (48-47 Pitbull)

[Apr 16, 2022 at 12:19 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

AJ McKee (c) vs. Patricio Pitbull -- Round 4: Pitbull, unsurprisingly, was right back to the leg kicks. McKee landed a body kick and a left hand before missing with a spinning back kick. Pitbull fired off body punches and McKee threw a few return left hands. McKee felt that he took an eye poke but the fight wasn't stopped and Pitbull landed a few solid shots as McKee was vulnerable. Pitbull landed a solid head kick and more punches before McKee tried to fire back. Pitbull stuffed a takedown attempt late in the round and held position until the bell. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Pitbull (39-37)

[Apr 16, 2022 at 12:14 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

AJ McKee (c) vs. Patricio Pitbull -- Round 3: Pitbull continued his plan of patiently standing and choosing when to engage seemed to be frustrating McKee as the round started. Pitbull continued to land to the legs with solid kicks. Pitbull stunned McKee with a right hand and McKee responded with a takedown, which he was able to finish, putting Pitbull on his back. McKee worked to land elbows from top position as Pitbull worked to try and get back to standing. McKee landed a few punches as Pitbull stood. Pitbull locked up a guillotine as McKee drove for the takedown. McKee managed to pop his head out of a very deep choke. Pitbull scrambled and McKee tried to take the back before the round ended. Hard round to call but Pitbull had McKee hurt and nearly submitted, which likely outweighs the takedown and short period of ground and pound from McKee. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Pitbull (29-28)

[Apr 16, 2022 at 12:07 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

AJ McKee (c) vs. Patricio Pitbull -- Round 2: Pitbull threw a head kick and then a leg kick but ate a kick to the body in return. McKee shot for a takedown but was stuffed, though he did hit a knee to the body as they stood after the scramble. Pitbull continued ripping kicks to McKee's lead leg. McKee started throwing leg kicks of his own in response. Pitbull ran forward with a combination, though neither man landed anything meaningful in the exchange. Pitbull caught McKee as he threw a spinning kick and took McKee down, though he chose to stand over McKee and throw kicks to the legs until the fight was stood back up. McKee started to press the action with strikes but a right hand from Pitbull slowed him slightly. Pitbull landed a body shot as McKee tried to get him to stand in front. Pitbull landed to the body again after stuffing a McKee takedown. Another close round but one where Pitbull may have edged it. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Pitbull (19-19)

[Apr 16, 2022 at 12:00 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

AJ McKee (c) vs. Patricio Pitbull -- Round 1: McKee ran across the cage and hit a body kick as soon as the fight began. McKee continued throwing kicks to the body and head, though Pitbull blocked the head kick. When Pitbull tried to step forward, McKee would step back, though he also was urging Pitbull to stand in the center of the cage. McKee continued to return to the body kicks. Pitbull landed his own good leg kick and then a left hook. McKee landed a good punch to the body and then another body kick. Pitbull focused on leg kicks and trying to time a counter to a McKee explosion. Pitbull started to catch some kicks as he continued to work to the legs, trying to find ways to thwart McKee's explosive attack. Pitbull landed a nice combination of punches after a few more good leg kicks. Close round but McKee's early work likely got him the nod. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 McKee

[Apr 15, 2022 at 11:48 pm ET · Brent Brookhouse]

It's main event time! AJ McKee will defend the featherweight championship against former two-time champion Patricio Pitbull. McKee took less than two minutes to win their first meeting.