Mike Perry Calls Bare-Knuckle a "Cheat Code" and Goes Back to MMA

Mike Perry is done with bare-knuckle boxing for now. The former UFC welterweight said on The Ariel Helwani Show on Tuesday that he wants to put his focus on mixed martial arts.

Perry became one of BKFC's biggest attractions after leaving the UFC in 2021. He went 6-0 in the promotion, with wins over Michael Page, Luke Rockhold, Eddie Alvarez and Jeremy Stephens.

He described the format as an advantage for him, and said he made some noise in it. "That bare-knuckle stuff is like a cheat code, I guess," Perry said. "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."

He set the two-minute rounds of bare-knuckle against the five-minute rounds of MMA and the extra work that comes with grappling, kicking and wrestling. MMA is in his foreseeable future, he said, and he plans to give it his best shot.

His BKFC run became a major chapter of his fighting life, and he now wants to challenge himself with gloves back on. Perry did not declare himself retired from the sport. He indicated that he expects to stay away from sanctioned bare-knuckle competition for at least two years. No MMA opponent or date has been announced.

Strickland's UFC pay

The interview also touched on Sean Strickland's frustration with his UFC pay. Perry said fighters do not all have to handle contract talks the same way. "He's playing his cards just the way he feels he needs to play them," he said. He said wanting more money 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."

Source: MMA Sucka