A Mike Perry UFC return? By no means say by no means.
The person often known as “Platinum” has turn into a much bigger identify than ever since pivoting to bare-knuckle boxing following his UFC departure in 2021, racking up a flawless 6-0 document underneath the BKFC banner. Nonetheless, the 34-year-old nonetheless holds a particular place in his coronary heart for MMA. Talking Monday on “The Ariel Helwani Present,” Perry mentioned he’s eyeing the concept of preventing once more within the UFC and even spoke to UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard concerning the chance at his latest Soiled Boxing 4 card on one situation.
“I would like on the White Home card,” Perry instructed Uncrowned, referring to UFC’s anticipated June 2026 occasion on the U.S. capitol. “You come to America and I really feel like I’m a really thrilling fighter that will like to battle on the White Home with the nation flag, representing.”
Perry’s renewed curiosity in MMA comes as a little bit of a shock given his success in BKFC. As soon as a fan-favorite UFC welterweight prospect, Perry put collectively a 7-8 document over his five-year run with the promotion, closing out the stint by shedding 4 his final 5 UFC appearances. A few of his notable victories embody Paul Felder, Jake Ellenberger, Alex “Cowboy” Oliveira and Lim Hyun-gyu.
In his newest BKFC bout, Perry scored a fifth-round stoppage of his fellow UFC veteran Jeremy Stephens, from whom he’s drawn some inspiration. Stephens’ personal post-UFC success in the end led Stephens again to having a single battle within the UFC earlier this yr, after which he returned to BKFC and fought Perry.
“I’m a tricky fighter. I’m very concerned about it,” Perry mentioned of a UFC return. “As a result of it’s all the time one thing I considered so far as again within the day, once I knew that I wished to go towards the UFC from watching PRIDE and UFC guys go back-and-forth, [Quinton] ‘Rampage’ [Jackson] and Wanderlei [Silva]. I take into consideration all these old-school fights in my head, about what made me get into preventing.
“I bounced out [of the UFC]. I beat Jeremy. He acquired to return. I don’t know what these pay cuts is likely to be trying like, however the White Home simply sounded enjoyable. I heard some numbers [Conor McGregor] was speaking about and I’m not asking for that, so I’d be a enjoyable draw on the cardboard representing USA.”
If it occurs, the negotiations could turn into essentially the most attention-grabbing half for Perry, who hasn’t been shy about how effectively off he’s performed financially with BKFC. He referenced McGregor’s $100 million request to compete on the White Home card, laughing it off to say he’d compete for “lower than half” of that.
It’s tough to find out how probably a Perry UFC reunion actually may very well be, so for now he’s turning his consideration to the potential for going through one other UFC veteran. Ideally, Perry hopes to entice Nate Diaz right into a matchup, whether or not in bare-knuckle boxing or his personal Soiled Boxing promotion.
“I wish to provide Nate Diaz to battle me in DBX,” Perry mentioned. “That’s a great place for that battle, but when he would like it’s boxing, I imply, he did a boxing match towards Jorge Masvidal.”
Whatever the sport he decides to take part in subsequent, Perry has choices and the liberty to discover them. Apart from an ill-fated 2024 boxing match with Jake Paul, he’s primarily caught to the bare-knuckle world, which is the place he believes he’s probably to return subsequent.
“Most certainly, most suitable choice, BKFC goes to return to the desk with the most effective provide, to be trustworthy,” Perry mentioned. “I simply put together for that and [my return fight] could also be early subsequent yr.”
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