BKFC Boss David Feldman Explains Why Bringing Back Mike Perry “Doesn’t Make a Lot of Sense”

Earlier this month, “Platinum” appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show, speaking about his exit from BKFC and moving on to compete in MMA for the next two years. The 35-year-old also teased that another big MMA opportunity could be coming his way soon.

During an interview with Damon Martin of MMA Fighting, the BKFC boss claimed that he was told Perry landed an offer from MMA he “couldn’t refuse.” Feldman also made it known that while Perry helped build the promotion, paying that kind of money no longer fits BKFC’s plans. He said:

“He did a lot of great stuff for our company, but we know that homegrown talent is doing it now. I mean, we sold 14,000 tickets at Fenway Park without any big names on there… So, I’m not going to say we don’t need him, but the money that it costs to bring Mike Perry back to BKFC doesn’t make a lot of sense for us right now.”

Feldman’s stance on the "King of Violence's" price tag did not come out of nowhere. In August, the BKFC boss informed MMA Fighting that he believed he could schedule a fight between “Platinum” and Darren Till in early 2027 but emphasised that negotiations would be crucial. Feldman also pointed out that Perry had asked to “talk about the money.” But Perry then agreed to fight Dillon Danis at Duel Arena 1 for less money than he had been asking BKFC for. 

A month later, Danis pulled out because of an injury, after which Perry fought Brandon Jenkins on Aug. 29. During that bout, the 35-year-old dislocated his shoulder, which caused him to lose against Jenkins by TKO. Feldman said the defeat “probably decreases his value a little bit.”

David Feldman Leaves the Door Open for Mike Perry

Despite the split, Feldman insisted there is no bad blood between them. The BKFC boss even credited the promotion for putting Perry’s career back on track:

“I wish him the best. I don’t think he has anything bad to say about us. And I think we revitalized his career, and now he has a chance of doing something in MMA that he wants to do… No animosity at all.”

Feldman added that if Perry’s reported deal falls through, a return to BKFC is still possible, because there were “no problems with the organisation," and a fight between Perry and Till is still one BKFC would “love.”

Why BKFC is Moving on From Mike Perry

Perry’s run in bare-knuckle was a successful one. After leaving the UFC in 2021, the Flint native went 6-0 in BKFC, beating Julian Lane, Michael Page, Luke Rockhold, Eddie Alvarez, Thiago Alves, and Jeremy Stephens.

However, Feldman claimed that the promotion no longer needs big names to fill arenas, pointing to its Fenway Park crowd as proof. BKFC is now targeting 18,000 tickets in Philadelphia, with Miami up next.

For now, Feldman focuses on building fighters from the ground up. Perry, meanwhile, has yet to announce where he will fight next.