Former UFC fighter Mike Perry (15-8) has confirmed that he is stepping away from Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) to focus on returning to mixed martial arts, although he has not completely ruled out another bare-knuckle appearance.
Perry, 35, left the UFC in 2021 following a unanimous decision loss to Daniel Rodriguez at UFC Vegas 23. He subsequently joined BKFC, where he revitalized his combat sports career by winning all six of his fights and earning the nickname “King of Violence.”
During his undefeated bare-knuckle run, Perry became one of BKFC’s biggest attractions. He also crossed into professional boxing in July 2024, facing Jake Paul on short notice and suffering a sixth-round TKO defeat.
Perry returned to MMA in May 2026, defeating fellow former UFC fighter Nate Diaz on the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano card. However, he suffered a first-round TKO loss to Brandon Jenkins at Duel Arena 1 in August after sustaining a shoulder injury.
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Perry revealed that another MMA opportunity could be approaching and confirmed that his immediate future lies away from BKFC.
“I might be having another big MMA opportunity here soon,” Perry said.
Reflecting on his success in bare-knuckle boxing, Perry explained that he enjoyed competing under the shorter format but now wants to challenge himself in a more demanding environment.
“That bare knuckle stuff is like a cheat code, I guess. And those two-minute rounds. And it’s like I was good at it. It was fun. I made some noise doing it. And I’m ready for another challenge,” Perry said.
The American also emphasized the additional demands of MMA, particularly the longer rounds and the combination of striking and grappling.
“It’s harder. A five-minute round with everything with the grappling and the boxing and the kicking,” he added.
Although Perry has not permanently closed the door on BKFC, he intends to concentrate on MMA for at least the next two years.
Perry has not disclosed which promotion he intends to join or when he expects to fight again.
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