Mike Perry earned his title as the King of Violence in BKFC, but he’s also a victim of his own success because finding him opponents isn’t always the easiest job in the world.
Following an 18-month absence
from the bare-knuckle promotion, the former UFC welterweight is finally making his return on Oct. 4 when he faces Jeremy Stephens in the main event at BKFC 82. Before Stephens got the call, several other options were considered including a long rumored showdown against Darren Till.
Perry and Till have gone back and forth through interviews and social media for years talking about a potential fight but the matchup still hasn’t come together. BKFC president David Feldman revealed he’s made significant financial offers in hopes of booking the fight but Till has largely scoffed at actually crossing over and competing in bare-knuckle.
“It’s interesting that he said no to all the money they offered him in bare-knuckle,” Perry told MMA Fighting about Till. “Darren’s been slick with the boxing. He turned down that money, and it’s not just about the money. It’s like when they called me with Jake Paul, it was three weeks’ notice, and I thought instantly, I have to take this. I have to get in the ring and fight this guy. Because I’m constantly proving myself every day in the gym. If anyone wants to get some work in, in the gym, I’m not going to turn a challenge down.
“To be my best self, I’m accepting these challenges. I get that bare-knuckle is a new sport for Darren. He’s taking his chances in the boxing ring for now. That will never die until we get in the ring and punch on each other.”
Till has definitely found success in boxing, which includes his recent knockout over former UFC champion Luke Rockhold.
That doesn’t mean he couldn’t still eventually strike a deal to compete in BKFC, but Feldman admits he can only go so far in his attempts to book the fight.
In fact, Feldman expects to go after Till again — if Perry gets through Stephens — but that may be the last time he pursues that matchup.
“I think we talk right after this fight, his contract’s up with Misfits, we’ll see if he renegotiates it,” Feldman told MMA Fighting. “They’re great people so I’m not going to step on their toes, but I think we have an opportunity to do something one more time, and if it falls through again, of course, I’d have to be stupid to keep going back there.
“If Mike does win, and look this is not a walk through in Jeremy Stephens, it’s a tough fight. If Mike wins … we could try to have that equation.”
As much as Till might provide the most anticipated and hyped fight for Perry, he’s mostly just anxious to stay busy after a largely uneventful past year in his combat sports career.
Perry lost in a boxing match against Jake Paul but he remains the face of BKFC so bare-knuckle is still his primary focus for the future.
With hopes to deliver another devastating knockout and move his BKFC record to 6-0, Perry acknowledges it might get tougher and tougher for the promotion to find him opponents.
Despite getting called out all the time, Perry recognizes that fighters saying they want to face him is a far cry from the ones who actually sign the contract on the dotted line and then climb in the ring to throw hands.
“That’s nice to think and nice to say,” Perry said about struggles finding him opponents “People still talk their trash online and act like they would do it or they’re just clout chasing looking for attention to be honest. They would get in the ring and they would quit like anyone else.
“I’m just looking to show my toughness again, continue to do great in bare-knuckle. I love this company. I love how they treat me. I love the fighting style. I love that it’s so different and dangerous that great competitors think twice about entering and doing it. There’s always going to be somebody talking. I could care less.”
