Mike Perry lambasts Dillon Danis after withdrawal, "El Jefe" posts injury update, new opponent at Duel Arena 1 announced
Mike Perry sounded off on Dillon Danis after his last-minute pullout, Danis revealed injury evidence, and Duel Arena confirmed a new opponent for Perry.
The Mike Perry vs. Dillon Danis welterweight MMA fight is off. Perry addressed the rumors regarding the same and officially confirmed it during a passionate speech at the Duel Arena 1 pre-fight press conference on Thursday.
"Platinum" condemned Danis, insinuating that the latter withdrew from their highly anticipated matchup due to fear. On the other hand, Danis's Instagram handle featured an update, displaying an injury to him alongside a statement regarding his pullout.
Perry, as well as the Duel Arena promotion, on its part, confirmed that he'd face Brandon Jenkins instead in an MMA bout at a weight class higher than welterweight. Moreover, Danis and Perry traded posts on social media after the pullout debacle.
Presently, Perry is scheduled to face Brandon Jenkins in a catchweight MMA matchup, which will headline Duel Arena 1 at the Kia Center in Orlando on August 29.
Mike Perry lambasts Dillon Danis after his fight-week withdrawal from Duel Arena 1
Former UFC welterweight star Mike Perry last competed in an MMA fight inside the UFC's famed Octagon back in 2021, getting outworked to a unanimous decision defeat at the hands of fellow striking savant Daniel Rodriguez.
Perry's next MMA fight came in May of this year, after a five-year hiatus, which saw him score a cut-caused TKO win over Nate Diaz at the inaugural MVP MMA show, MVP MMA 1. It's the most recent mixed martial arts bout Perry has competed in. The American has, in addition, fought extensively in the sport of bare-knuckle boxing in the BKFC in recent years.
Incidentally, former UFC and PFL fighter Brandon Jenkins competed at MVP MMA 1. "The Human Highlight Reel" bagged a split decision victory against Diaz's teammate Chris Avila on that card.
In an intriguing coincidence, Perry is now set to fight Jenkins at Duel Arena 1, as Danis has pulled out. The Flint, Michigan-born Orlando, Florida-based fighter delivered a fiery speech against Danis. Taking to the dais at the Duel Arena 1 pre-fight press conference, Perry stated:
"Yo, what's up, everybody? I appreciate everyone for being here and everyone who supported this card -- all these professional athletes who have showed up, prepared to make weight tomorrow morning, and fight on Saturday night."
He added, "But let's not beat around the bush. This p**sy-a** b**ch, Dillon Danis, didn't show the f**k up. He's not here. He backed the f**k out. 'Cause he's a p**sy. So I want to give a shoutout to my new opponent, Brandon Jenkins. He's getting on an airplane right now. He's flying here to weigh in, in the morning, like a professional, and fight me on Saturday night."
Alluding that his upcoming fight against replacement opponent Jenkins would be contested at a catchweight, Perry explained, "I no longer have to cut any more weight. So I've accepted his fight at a higher weight class. I was well-prepared to -- I'm still prepared to put on for the city of Orlando and spill some f**king blood! In the Arena! Let's go!"
Watch Mike Perry's fiery announcement about the Dillon Danis situation, opponent change, and his imminent fight below (*comments at the 42:47-minute mark of the video):
Dillon Danis reveals a gruesome injury, which caused his withdrawal from Mike Perry clash at Duel Arena 1
In the meantime, Dillon Danis put forth an Instagram post, which comprised a video of him apparently receiving stitches on his arm. The BJJ savant also attached a statement, wherein he expressed his disappointment about how things panned out.
Danis wrote, "Sh** happens in the fight game. Beyond disappointed."
It's noteworthy that the Instagram video Danis has posted is quite graphic, and viewer discretion is advised.
Mike Perry and Dillon Danis exchange posts amid pullout controversy
A number of critics have now chimed in and asserted that Dillon Danis's pulling out from his clash against Mike Perry marks another instance of the outspoken MMA fighter's withdrawal from a booked high-profile combat sports contest. His pullout from a boxing match booking against British influencer KSI in 2023, as well as from his MMA fight against Anthony Taylor last December, were cited as notable examples of Danis no-showing for major events.
While some fans and experts claim that his withdrawal wasn't surprising, given past incidents involving him, it's a matter of fact that the Perry-Danis fight's booking generated significant buzz in the fight game. Their epic video call banter on The Ariel Helwani Show piqued fan interest.
It notably saw Danis joke about wanting Perry to help procure some recreational drugs. On that note, the grappling expert has now taken to X and posted an edited image of himself as the iconic Hollywood movie character "Tony Montana", aka "Scarface", with a considerable amount of a recreational drug in front of him.
Perry responded to the X post by recounting their conversation from The Ariel Helwani Show. The BKFC icon, who's expected to return to the bare-knuckle boxing realm soon, wrote, "Well he did say he wanted some cr*ck."
Well he did say he wanted some crack š¤·āāļø
ā Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) August 28, 2026
