Mike Perry Calls BKFC a ‘Cheat Code’ as He Refocuses on MMA

Mike Perry is ready to leave bare-knuckle boxing behind for the foreseeable future. The former UFC welterweight confirmed his plans during a Tuesday appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, explaining why he now wants to focus on mixed martial arts.

Mike Perry Is Ready for MMA’s Different Challenge

Perry became one of BKFC’s biggest attractions after leaving the UFC in 2021. He went 6-0 in the promotion, beating notable names including Michael Page, Luke Rockhold, Eddie Alvarez and Jeremy Stephens. Now, he believes it is time for a new challenge.

 

“That bare-knuckle stuff is like a cheat code, I guess. Those two-minute rounds, I was good at it. It was fun. I made some noise doing it. And I’m ready for another challenge.”

 

 

Perry contrasted bare-knuckle boxing’s two-minute rounds with MMA’s five-minute rounds and the additional demands of grappling, kicking and wrestling. He said MMA was in his foreseeable future and that he intended to give it his best shot. He also indicated he expected to stay away from sanctioned bare-knuckle competition for at least two years, rather than declaring himself permanently retired from the sport.

 

Mike Perry Offers a Different Perspective on Sean Strickland’s UFC Pay Battle

The interview also turned to Sean Strickland’s frustration with his UFC pay. Perry did not suggest that every fighter should handle contract negotiations the same way, instead recognizing that Strickland has a different position from his own.

 

“I feel like, you know, he’s playing his cards just the way he feels he needs to play them.”

 

Perry also acknowledged that wanting better compensation is part of a fighter’s career.

 

“Yeah, you want more money sometimes. That’s kind of what these guys do. That’s what we do.”

 

Perry knows what it means to build a career beyond the UFC, having turned his BKFC run into a major chapter of his fighting life. His next MMA opportunity remains unannounced, but he has made his immediate priority clear: he wants to challenge himself with gloves back on.