PFL Belfast Main Event and Co-Main Breakdown: Kelly vs. Wilson and McKee vs. Lohoré

PFL Belfast brings a stacked fight card to the SSE Arena on April 16, 2026, and the main event has all the ingredients for a major night of lightweight action. Darragh "The Moville Mauler" Kelly steps in as the hometown headliner against Jay-Jay "The Maori Kid" Wilson, while the co-main delivers a heated battle when Rhys "Skeletor" McKee faces Alex "Da Killa King" Lohoré at catchweight.

Darragh "The Moville Mauler" Kelly

Kelly is an undefeated Irish lightweight hailing from Moville, County Donegal, and he trains out of SBG Ireland under the guidance of John Kavanagh. His style is built on heavy forward pressure and a relentless grappling game, with three submission wins and two KO/TKOs among his stoppages. Kelly made his PFL debut in 2025, earning victories over Mike Hamel and Bakhtiyar Abdulloev to establish himself in the lightweight division. He stepped in on short notice to replace injured Paul Hughes and now finds himself headlining a homecoming card in front of what will be a raucous Irish crowd.

Jay-Jay "The Maori Kid" Wilson

Wilson is a New Zealand lightweight who trains at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, FL and brought international pedigree to his professional career after representing New Zealand at the 2016 IMMAF World Championships. He debuted in Bellator in 2018 and showed his finishing ability early, knocking out Sergio de Bari in just 20 seconds of round one before going on to TKO Pedro Carvalho. In PFL competition, Wilson delivered TKO over Mads Burnell at 4:42 of round three, though he dropped a decision to Archie Colgan in 2025. He arrives in Belfast looking to reassert himself as a legitimate threat in the lightweight division.

Stylistic Matchup

This fight pits two of the more proven finishers in the PFL lightweight division against each other, with a sharp stylistic contrast at the center of it. Kelly's forward-marching pressure and grappling-heavy approach will test Wilson's ability to operate on the back foot and stay upright. Wilson, for his part, brings real danger on the feet: his KO power and submission abilities mean Kelly cannot afford to be reckless in his aggression. The main question is whether Kelly's wrestling-centric attack can neutralize Wilson's striking or whether Wilson can find the timing to hurt Kelly on the feet before the fight hits the mat.

Stakes

Every fight has something on the line, but this one carries the kind of weight that can reshape where a fighter stands in the entire division. A strong performance for Kelly on home soil would cement his standing as one of Ireland's brightest upcoming stars. For Wilson, a win over an undefeated, crowd-backed opponent in hostile territory would mark a definitive bounce-back and keep him squarely in the conversation at 155 lbs. 

PFL Belfast airs on ESPN2 with the main card beginning at 7 PM ET on April 16, 2026.

Co-Main Event: Rhys "Skeletor" McKee vs. Alex "Da Killa King" Lohoré, Catchweight (176 lbs)

Rhys "Skeletor" McKee

McKee is a Ballymena native and a former UK champion making his PFL debut on home turf at the SSE Arena. He is one of the most relentless finishers in the British MMA scene, having stopped 14 opponents with 11 of those coming by way of KO or TKO. McKee has never won a fight by decision, and that tells you everything about the kind of fighter he is. He goes for the finish. Every single time. Fighting in front of a Northern Irish crowd for a PFL debut will only amplify what is already a high-voltage fighting style.

Alex "Da Killa King" Lohoré

Lohore brings a wealth of international experience to Belfast, having competed across multiple global promotions during a veteran career. The France-based fighter held the interim Super Welterweight Championship in BRAVE CF, demonstrating that he can perform at a high level when the stakes are raised. Another thread links both fighters as they were both fighting for BAMMA gold on the same night in 2018 but never against each other. Nearly a decade later Belfast is where they finally clash.

Stylistic Matchup

Lohoré's veteran composure will be tested against a McKee who has never once needed the judges. McKee's KO-heavy finishing rate means the fight can end at any moment if he lands clean, and his forward-moving pressure-fighter style is well suited to breaking down opponents over the course of a round. Lohoré's championship pedigree suggests he has the tools to weather pressure and find his spots, making this a compelling contrast of finishing instinct against ring-smart experience.

Combined Stakes

Both the main event and co-main at PFL Belfast carry weight beyond a single night's results. Kelly and McKee represent a new generation of European talent pushing for recognition on the international stage, and PFL Belfast gives them the platform to make a statement. Tune in on ESPN2 starting at 7 PM ET on April 16, 2026, or be there live at the SSE Arena in Belfast for what is shaping up to be one of the most exciting PFL cards of the year.