BKFC signs UFC veteran Mike Perry to multifight deal
Mike Perry is taking off the gloves.
The former UFC welterweight is moving away from mixed martial arts and taking his talents to the world of bare-knuckle boxing. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship officials on Tuesday confirmed to MMA Junkie that the promotion has signed Perry to a multifight contract MMA Fighting was first to report the news.
Additional terms of Perry’s signing are unclear, as are the terms of his UFC departure. No debut opponent, date, or location has been revealed at this time.
Perry, 30, enters his BKFC tenure after losing four of his last five fights in the UFC. From 2016-2021, Perry competed 15 times for the promotion and compiled a 7-8 record. Key victories came against Jake Ellenberger, Paul Felder, Alex Oliveira, and Mickey Gall.
“Let’s skip all the formalities!” Perry said in a press release Tuesday. “This sport is evolving, and I am here to strike fear into the hearts of my competitors! I plan to intimidate the world when I show what a truly skilled combat specialist is capable of with his bare hands. I will dismantle the opposition and reach the glory I have longed for my entire life. I will be crowned King of the streets and King of combat sports! They will make me a Platinum Crown and carry me on the bloody backs of my defeated rivals! I am here to go straight to the top and make anyone think twice about entering my world! BKFC is my world!”
An all-action fighter inside the cage, Perry’s actions have created controversy outside of it. In 2020, Perry was accused by his ex-wife Danielle Nickerson of domestic violence. The allegations came on the heels of Perry punching an older man at a bar in Florida. UFC president Dana White later stated the promotion had ordered Perry to receive alcohol dependency treatment.
BKFC president David Feldman said he is “thrilled” to welcome Perry to his promotion.
“We’re thrilled to bring Mike aboard to our vast stable of exciting fighters,” Feldman said in a statement. “Over the last seven years he’s proven to be one of the toughest fighters in mixed martial arts, and his skill set, along with his aggressive style, works very well for our growing international fan base.”