LONG BEACH, Calif. — To Long Beach native AJ McKee, fighting isn't just something he does; it's a way of life.  

"Man, I have a 3-year-old brother who fights," McKee said with a laugh. "It's in our blood. It's what we love to do." 

"Fighting is life for me," he said.

His father, Antonio, was a widely known mixed martial artist, competing in the UFC and now with Bellator MMA. 

AJ McKee's childhood was spent in the gym around legends in the sport like Rampage and Chuck Liddell. 

"Following his footsteps and being able to be in the gym. Seeing anyone you could think of," McKee said. "I got to learn a lot from their careers, and it's kind of played a big part in who I am today and who I'm becoming."

At 26 years old, he's becoming one of the greatest homegrown prospects in the history of Bellator. He currently holds a 17-0 record, with 12 finishes. 

But this weekend will mark what some would call the fight of his life, the culmination of a two-year-long tournament to crown a 145-pound kingpin.

"This is the beginning of the beginning," he said. "July 31, Patricio Pitbull, the champ, champ."

McKee will take on Pitbull — billed as the greatest fighter in company history — in the Featherweight World Championship.

On the line are a world title and a million dollars. 

"It's my chance to put that stamp and become a world champ and a millionaire," he explained. "That's my first step and the first set of dreams. They're here."

But more so than money, his father said this moment is about pride for his son. 

"It means the legacy continues regardless of good or bad. He is where he's at because he worked hard," Antonio said. "As a dad, there's nothing that makes me more proud."

To AJ McKee, who now trains almost every day alongside his father, the pressure is what drives him forward. 

"That's what I thrive for," he said. "If you're not feeling the pressure, then what are you doing it for."

Over the last six years since turning pro, he has made a name for himself as a rising star in the MMA world. His stats may speak for themselves. But to AJ McKee, he hopes that his success story speaks to his community.  

"For me, I want to inspire kids," he said. "There's a lot of people who told me I wasn't gonna make it, and yet here I am fighting for a million dollars and a world title. I use it all as motivation."

As for the big fight this weekend on the biggest stage he's seen yet, he already has that ending all drawn up in true AJ McKee form.

"At the end of the day, like I told [Pitbull]," he said. "I got a leash and a kennel, and it's time to take that dog to the pound."