Razhabali Shaydullaev is now a champion in two promotions at the same time. At Super RIZIN 5 in Osaka, he beat McKee by unanimous decision to defend his RIZIN featherweight title and take the vacant PFL belt. The result moved his professional record to 20-0.
A slam answers an early scare in Osaka
Inside the Kyocera Dome, in front of more than 48,000 fans, the fight opened with a jolt. McKee caught Shaydullaev with a clean one-two and dropped him to the canvas. The champion answered fast, lifting McKee into the air and planting him with a heavy slam.
From there Shaydullaev leaned on his wrestling. He held top position through the first round, then denied a takedown in the second, won the scramble and opened a small cut around McKee's eye. He worked away with short punches and elbows, giving little space to breathe.
The third round brought McKee's last push. He threw big, desperate punches and even stole a brief reversal into top position, but could do nothing with it before Shaydullaev regained control. All three judges scored it 30-27.
First man to hear the final bell against him
McKee, a former Bellator featherweight champion, arrived on a three-fight win streak and left it broken. He also became the first opponent to survive the distance against Shaydullaev, snapping the champion's run of finishes. The cross-promotional bout carried both the RIZIN and PFL featherweight titles at once.
Shaydullaev, from Kyrgyzstan, is only 25 years old. His path has run from a mountain village to two world belts held together, without a single loss on the way. The night's card also marked a farewell for veteran Shinya Aoki, back in RIZIN for the first time since its 2015 debut.
After the fight, Shaydullaev said he has one bout left on his RIZIN contract, with reports that he has signed a two-year deal with MVP. His unbeaten story now moves forward carrying two titles.
