Mike Perry is the king of bare-knuckle combating however he’s not against returning to his roots in MMA, particularly for the precise alternative.
After dismantling Jeremy Stephens in the primary occasion at BKFC 82 this previous weekend, Perry addressed his future with a number of attainable fights awaiting him sooner or later, together with ultimately going through Conor McGregor with no gloves on. There’s additionally a protracted rumored matchup with Darren Until that appears attention-grabbing however Perry admits a lot of his largest foes wish to put situations on going through him — most notably displaying concern about throwing down in a bare-knuckle combat.
However Perry’s fast to level out that his first rise to fame got here via MMA when he earned a popularity as one of the crucial thrilling fighters on your complete UFC roster. In reality, Perry wouldn’t thoughts having a reunion with the UFC for the precise alternative.
“I’d do MMA. I’d return to MMA,” Perry advised MMA Preventing. “I wish to combat on the USA, UFC White Home card. Who’s extra American than ‘Platinum’ Mike Perry? Let’s go.
“I want just a little coaching, therapeutic time as a result of that was 12 weeks [of a training camp]. That was 12 weeks of efficiency on Oct. 4. I’ve obtained to get again within the movement of issues.”
Perry has floated the thought about presumably returning to the UFC prior to now however his want to combat there once more has by no means truly come to fruition.
This time, the 34-year-old veteran believes the stakes for a card as massive because the one occurring on the White Home garden might lure him again for at the least another combat.
In reality, Stephens returned for a single combat within the UFC when the promotion landed in his hometown of Des Moines, Iowa earlier than then reserving his matchup in opposition to Perry this previous weekend. Perry doesn’t see why he couldn’t do the identical precise factor.
“Yeah that may be a cool one to do it on,” Perry mentioned about coming again to the UFC. “Y’all obtained to pay me for that, too. However come on. Conor’s speaking about $100 million to get on the White Home card. We’ll give me a pair [million]. I’ll be good.”
Maybe the most important factor working in opposition to Perry is the title he’s constructed for himself in BKFC the place he’s not solely the face of the promotion, however he’s develop into a family title due to placing on a few of the most violent and entertaining bare-knuckle fights.
There’s no higher instance of that than what Perry did in his return to BKFC this previous weekend after spending practically a yr and a half away.
Perry instantly engaged in a blistering back-and-forth alternate with Stephens that produced fireworks from the primary second till the final. Clearly, he placed on some on the spot classics when he was on the UFC roster as effectively, nevertheless it’s robust to disclaim that Perry feels nearly made for a bare-knuckle combat.
“It was good to be again,” Perry mentioned about his BKFC return. “I had a number of enjoyable in there. Jeremy was robust. He met the event. However he was too robust for his personal good at instances. Some individuals have been saying just like the Rocky film ‘throw the dang towel’ after the second knockdown.
“However that’s props to Jeremy. Simply comfortable to be again on the highway of restoration and getting my well being so as and get myself again on a weight-reduction plan and in form.”
Perry admits there was truly a second throughout that combat when he questioned why the referee was permitting Stephens to proceed. The bout was ultimately stopped after Stephens had suffered six knockdowns.
“It got here to some extent the place he was simply searching for survival however he nonetheless landed the precise hand all the way in which to the tip,” Perry mentioned. “There was simply no combos from him. He couldn’t two consecutive photographs collectively. It could simply be one massive proper hand. I don’t know what the heck I used to be doing not getting out of the way in which of that factor extra usually however I suppose it’s simple once I simply raise a shoulder, it doesn’t trouble me an excessive amount of. I do know that ultimately that stance that I’m holding goes to have them dipping into some stuff that they’re not going to love.”
“I type of regarded on the ref on the finish and was like ‘come on!’ Like what would you like me to do? It’s a really becoming ‘King of Violence.’ To win that combat was good. I feel Jeremy’s doing all proper. I despatched him a video, he despatched me one again.”
Coming off that win, Perry is holding his choices open, which incorporates his curiosity within the UFC White Home card in addition to one other bare-knuckle combat in BKFC.
“Only a matter of time till we discover out what’s going to occur,” Perry mentioned. “Mr. [David] Feldman advised me it’s trying later [for BKFC] so I’ve simply set to work on myself proper now, and I get to speak in regards to the recreation. I get to remain within the polls, speaking about fight sports activities, what’s to come back. There we go.”
