Mike Perry’s dominance in BKFC has turned him into both the face and the problem of the promotion. The former UFC welterweight has compiled a perfect record since transitioning to bare-knuckle fighting, making him one of the toughest competitors in combat sports. However, his success may be making it harder for Perry to find willing opponents.
The “Platinum” star has already faced top names like Michael “Venom” Page, Luke Rockhold, Eddie Alvarez, and Jeremy Stephens, but the list of high-profile challengers seems to be shrinking. Perry admits that while the BKFC has consistently delivered big fights, his growing star power and pay demands make matchmaking a challenge.
“There’s these guys that said that they won’t do it bare-knuckle,” Perry told *MMA Fighting*. “To see someone tough enough, because I get pretty high level in there. There are things I know that other people don’t. I think of names like Nate Diaz, Jorge Masvidal, and Darren Till, but most of them don’t want to fight bare-knuckle.”
Perry has also thrown out names from the boxing world, though he knows those matchups are long shots. “Bud Crawford, Oleksandr Usyk, Anthony Joshua, he’s a little big,” Perry joked. “Jake Paul! Let’s do it at 195 pounds. He beat me in boxing, so let’s run it back bare-knuckle. I’ll come in lighter, leaner, and faster.”
While most of those fights may never materialize, **Darren Till** remains at the top of Perry’s wish list. The two have traded barbs for years, and with Till now pursuing boxing, Perry sees a natural storyline. Still, he doubts the former UFC title challenger would actually meet him without gloves.
“Darren Till’s a big fight,” Perry said. “He’s doing well in boxing. But it’s not the same thing in the ring with me. We’d have to figure out the weight, maybe 185 pounds, but I can hurt people bare-knuckle. That’s what I do.”
Perry’s growing frustration is understandable. Even Conor McGregor, who teased a potential BKFC clash with Perry after joining the promotion’s ownership group, seems unlikely to step into the ring anytime soon. McGregor remains tied to his UFC contract, and many fans doubt he’ll ever return to MMA, let alone fight bare-knuckle.
For now, Perry’s next move remains uncertain. His old rival, BKFC middleweight champion David Mundell, recently confronted him inside the ring at **BKFC 82**, hinting at a possible title fight. But Perry insists he’s not rushing anything.
“It’s just a matter of time until we find out what’s going to happen,” Perry said. “I’m focused on working on myself. I get to stay in the polls, talk about combat sports, and see what’s next. But bare-knuckle? They don’t want that. I’m about it in there.”
Whether it’s Till, Mundell, or someone unexpected, one thing’s for sure, Mike Perry isn’t done breaking faces or barriers in BKFC.
