Lapilus vs McKee in Lyon: the first PFL bantamweight title, on the PFL's last night

Taylor Lapilus will fight Mitch McKee for the inaugural PFL bantamweight world title on December 19 at the LDLC Arena, near Lyon. It is the main event of PFL Lyon, and the last show the promotion will run under its own name: from January 1, 2027, the league becomes Most Valuable Promotions. Lapilus vs McKee is a French veteran at home against an unbeaten American, with a first-ever belt and a piece of history on the line.

Key takeaways

Lapilus vs McKee: a first belt and a last show

The date, the place, the title

The fight was announced on September 9. On December 19, at the LDLC Arena in Décines, on the edge of Lyon, the PFL will crown its first bantamweight world champion. Taylor Lapilus, ranked No. 3 in the division, meets Mitch McKee, ranked No. 1, in the main event. No other bout on the card has been announced yet.

The division itself is new at world-title level, which gives the winner something no one can take away: being the first name on the list. For a promotion that likes to build around champions, a debut belt in front of a French crowd is a strong way to open a weight class.

The end of the PFL name

The date carries a second meaning. PFL Lyon is the final event before the rebrand that follows the merger with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, announced in July. From January 1, 2027, the league runs under the MVP banner. The last PFL champion crowned under that name will be crowned in France.

The choice of city is deliberate. “Lyon has become one of the great fight cities in the world, and the energy French fans bring for their athletes is palpable,” said John Martin, the CEO of MVP.

Taylor Lapilus, the long road back to a title fight

From UFC cut to PFL contender

Lapilus (25-4) is not a new name. He fought in the UFC, was released, and joined the PFL in mid-2025. Since then he has done the one thing a released fighter has to do: win, again and again. He is on a six-fight winning streak, with recent wins over Ali Taleb, Liam Gittins, Kasum Kasumov and, most recently, Jake Hadley by unanimous decision.

Four of those wins came inside the PFL over roughly twelve months, and they took him from newcomer to title challenger. At this stage of his career, a world title at home is the fight that defines everything around it.

A home crowd, and he knows it

Lapilus has made the crowd part of the plan. “To my people, you’ve supported me all the way through my career,” he said when the fight was announced. “On December 19, we need to make sure Mitch McKee knows what it’s like to enter the lion’s den.” An arena full of French fans is not a technique, but over five rounds it is a factor.

My whole career has led to this moment. I'm here to become champion, leave my mark on this sport.
— Taylor Lapilus

Mitch McKee, the unbeaten No. 1

Eleven fights, no losses

McKee (11-0) arrives with the cleanest record in the division. A longtime LFA fighter who also competed in Bellator, he made his PFL debut earlier this year against Sergio Pettis, the former Bellator champion, and won a unanimous decision many had not expected. That single win took him straight to No. 1 in the PFL rankings.

He does not hide why he signed. “Fighting for a PFL world title is exactly why I came here,” he said. “Taylor is a great fighter, he’s experienced.” And he has already set the terms of the argument: “I’ve believed from day one that I’m the best bantamweight in the PFL, and in December I get the opportunity to prove it.”

Experience against momentum

That is the fight in one line. Lapilus has the miles, the streak and the building. McKee has the unbeaten record and the win over the biggest name either man has faced. Whoever wins leaves Lyon with the first belt of the division and a place in the promotion’s last chapter under the PFL name.

Follow Lapilus vs McKee with real numbers

Mitch McKee’s full record, the PFL bantamweight picture and the profiles of the league’s champions are in the FightHub app, updated as the Lyon card fills out. Download it to follow the build-up to December 19.