Mike Perry leaves BKFC behind as the former UFC fan favorite prepares to focus on mixed martial arts for at least the next two years.
Perry became the face of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) after leaving the UFC in 2021. The 35-year-old enjoyed an impressive run in bare-knuckle boxing, defeating former UFC champions Luke Rockhold and Eddie Alvarez, as well as Michael “Venom” Page, to establish himself as one of the promotion’s biggest stars.
However, Perry has not competed in BKFC since knocking out Jeremy Stephens at BKFC 82 last year. Following a prolonged period of contract negotiations, speculation grew that the former UFC fighter could pursue opportunities elsewhere.
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show on Tuesday, Perry confirmed that his time with BKFC had come to an end and explained why he wanted to take on a new challenge.
“It’s good to get that out. I kind of had some feelings about it. It’s like the ‘BK cheat code,’ man. That bare-knuckle stuff is like a cheat code, I guess. Those two-minute rounds, I was good at it. It was fun. I made some noise doing it, and I’m ready for another challenge,” Perry said. “So, I think MMA is in my foreseeable future, and I’m going to give it my best shot.”
Perry went undefeated in six BKFC appearances and won the promotion’s King of Violence title after defeating Rockhold and Alvarez. His success in bare-knuckle boxing helped revive his career after his UFC run ended in 2021.
However, the former welterweight contender now appears ready to put that chapter behind him and return to fighting with gloves.
“I kind of did my thing over at BKFC, and now it looks like we’re going a different way. I think it’s gloves for me for at least two years,” Perry explained.
Perry has already returned to MMA competition this year, facing Nate Diaz at the debut event for Most Valuable Promotions’ MMA venture in May. He dominated the former UFC star before securing a second-round doctor’s stoppage TKO victory.
The 35-year-old later stepped in on short notice to face Brandon Jenkins at Duel: Arena in August. However, the fight ended in disappointment after Perry suffered a shoulder injury that forced a first-round stoppage.
Perry revealed that he sustained a partial labral tear, which caused his shoulder to pop out during an exchange with Jenkins. Despite the injury, he does not expect to require surgery, as his doctors believe the surrounding muscles remain strong enough to support the joint.
“It was hard to go through, I guess. I’m doing OK,” Perry said. “I was just at training today, sparring with the guys. I got some rounds in. Still not doing as many rounds as I want, but that’s not because of the shoulder. That’s more like, I don’t know, I’m slowly building.
“I’m super humble now. The game has humbled me, and I thought I was on this — I was trying to be great. So now it’s like, kind of less pressure. I just want to be my healthiest, be my best, and people can say what they want to me. I don’t want to get too angry about anything anymore.”
