Mumbai, April 16: Life outside the MMA world has been more rewarding for Mike Perry than his time within it. After establishing himself as a prominent figure in bare-knuckle boxing, he is set to return to traditional boxing for a match against Nate Diaz on Netflix, part of Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions event on May 16.
Perry, 34, has been on a winning streak in the bare-knuckle boxing scene with BKFC since 2022, boasting an undefeated record of six victories. However, his relationship with BKFC faced challenges when he fought Jake Paul in 2024 while also launching his own Dirty Boxing promotion. BKFC founder Dave Feldman expressed his displeasure over Perry’s decisions but later welcomed him back for a fight against Jeremy Stephens last October, where Perry secured another victory with a fifth-round stoppage. Now, he finds himself in a complicated situation with his primary fighting organization once again.
Earlier this month, Feldman shared with MMA Fighting that he had “big plans” for Perry, but those plans were disrupted when Perry’s focus shifted. Responding to Feldman’s comments during an appearance on “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Perry expressed regret that their timelines did not align.
“I’m getting an opportunity here, and as a fighter, independent contractor, I gotta do business,” Perry stated. “I gotta make money. Apparently, we had the one out [in our BKFC contract], which was the [Paul] boxing match. I didn’t know it was a one-out type of thing. That’s what Feldman’s quote said. I thought we had more than that.”
Perry mentioned that he is still interested in bare-knuckle boxing, noting, “I do like hitting someone bare-knuckle. I don’t mind taking it either. I think there are good opportunities there.” He acknowledged the recent signing of Darren Till and hinted that a new contract could be on the horizon following a successful fight on Netflix.
Transitioning back to MMA has been a challenge for Perry, but he is embracing it. He has been training with UFC lightweight Terrance McKinney in preparation for his bout with Diaz. For Perry (14-8), returning to MMA training has taken a toll on his body after years focused solely on striking. His upcoming fight will be his first MMA match since a loss to Daniel Rodriguez in 2021. Despite the time away, Perry believes the transition back to MMA is manageable.
“There was some rust, for sure,” Perry admitted. “But I still, even in BKFC style or in Dirty Boxing, clinch fighting is a part of it. There is some grappling going on in the stand-up version of the clinch, and trying to hit and hold. If you’re holding, it’s to push and pull at an angle so you can break away and hit the guy, which is a lot of MMA skill that we’ve done since my UFC days.”
Perry’s latest venture aligns with BKFC’s recent signing of his longtime rival, Darren Till. Both fighters, former UFC welterweight contenders, have been the subject of fan speculation for years. However, a match between them has yet to happen. With Till’s debut scheduled for May 30, the potential for a fight between him and Perry is now more likely, depending on the outcome of Perry’s bout with Diaz.
“They’d been talking about [that fight] since I got there,” Perry said regarding a potential matchup with Till in BKFC. “I thought that they offered him $2 million to fight me in bare-knuckle. That was two years ago. Darren posted a video that he’s signed and they’re going to have him fight. Good. Till’s a big name. He should draw some views.”
As both fighters navigate their careers in BKFC, the future remains uncertain but full of possibilities.
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