Former UFC fighter Mike Perry, now a bare-knuckle boxer with a perfect 3-0 record, has challenged Sean Strickland to a bout following Strickland’s recent victory at UFC Vegas 76.
On Saturday night at UFC Vegas 76, Mike Perry felt a certain sense of kinship. Perry, once a UFC fighter himself, has since transitioned into a role as the unofficial king of bare-knuckle boxing. This shift occurred subsequent to his signing with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship in 2022. Known by his ring name, “Platinum,” Perry has proven his mettle in the new sport with a flawless 3-0 record. His victories have all been against MMA crossover athletes, including Julian Lane, Michael Page, and the former UFC middleweight champion, Luke Rockhold. Perry’s latest bout with Rockhold ended in a brutal second-round stoppage, bringing more attention to the sport than ever before and cementing Perry’s position as the biggest draw in bare-knuckle boxing.
Aside from Perry’s fans, UFC celebrity and previous two-division champion Conor McGregor was also present to witness the showdown at BKFC 41. After Perry’s triumph over Rockhold, the two had a friendly face-off in the ring. That said, Perry seems to have his sights set on a different UFC headliner. When Sean Strickland claimed a second-round stoppage over Abus Magomedov in UFC Vegas 76’s main event, Perry challenged him by proposing a face-off between the two.
Expressing his challenge through social media, Perry tagged UFC president Dana White and the official BKFC account, saying “Me and Sean Strickland should bare knuckle box, show us the money and make it happen.” However, Strickland has his own list of priorities. Fresh off his second consecutive win at UFC Vegas 76 and with a 9-2 record as a UFC middleweight, Strickland called for the next title shot against UFC champ Israel Adesanya. As for who would emerge the victor in a bare-knuckle boxing fight between Perry and Strickland, a poll showed 52% of the respondents backing Strickland.