Mike Perry, a 32-year-old veteran of the UFC and now the face of bare-knuckle boxing, is set to fight former BKFC champion Thiago Alves in the BKFC KnuckleMania 4 main event, and while he appreciates his current popularity, he insists he’s not coasting on his celebrity and is always ready for the next fight.
Mike Perry’s rise to fame wasn’t a fluke. At 32, this seasoned fighter has earned his place in the spotlight. He’s delivered some jaw-dropping finishes and fights in the UFC. But his real claim to fame? That came after he switched to bare-knuckle boxing. Now, he’s the face of BKFC and the biggest draw in the promotion.
He’s not just a pretty face, though. Perry’s taken down two former UFC champs – Luke Rockhold and Eddie Alvarez. And he’s not slowing down. This Saturday, he’s up against another legend – former BKFC champ Thiago Alves.
Perry’s not one to rest on his laurels. He’s always thinking about his next fight. “We’re talking about the résumé that I have,” he says. “You’ll tune in to watch Mike Perry fight because it’s Mike Perry, but Mike Perry fights great names. Like [Floyd] Mayweather fought the names. He fought the other names and he beat like 26 world champions. The bigger the name, the bigger the movie.”
Perry’s a crowd-puller, no doubt. But he doesn’t think that makes his opponents any less important. He’ll take a big paycheck for a fight against a lesser-known opponent, sure. But he loves the tough fights against established veterans like Alves, Rockhold, or Alvarez.
And let’s not forget the up-and-comers. Perry knows there’s always some new kid on the block looking to make a name for themselves. And those fights can be dangerous.
“I have been fighting incredible matchups, amazing names, and I’m grateful for real, for great opportunities,” Perry says. “Not to say my money isn’t already there on paper and if they did give me a taxi driver — people thought Andy Ruiz was a taxi driver at one time. They didn’t know that he’s going to go in the ring and beat Anthony Joshua and then have a 12-round bout with him again. You’ve got to stay on your toes no matter what.”
He’s not afraid of the unknowns, either. “If I had to fight one of these other chumps who no one knows, who think they’ve got big f*cking shit to talk on their chest, like they’re wearing it — if you get there, you get there, and when you get there, I can show the world what the f*ck I do to a cab driver too, if they pay me for it.”
Perry’s hoping BKFC keeps lining up the big names. And he’s ready to keep knocking them down. “I’m getting names, though,” he says. “God is putting these hard ass fights in front of me with guys who have been fighting for years and we’re still going. We’ve got another 10 or 15 years to keep going.”
Unlike his previous opponents, Alves isn’t one for trash talk. He’s a fierce competitor in the ring, but outside of it, he’s respectful and soft-spoken. Perry’s okay with that. He knows Alves will bring the fight on Saturday night, trash talk or not.
“It’s all good,” Perry says. “Thiago, he brings something cool to the table. Based on the success I’ve had in bare-knuckle, the new faces that have watched and have realized the excitement that they’re tuning into. For someone like me, it’s not a mismatch and that’s what’s going to make it great for me. I have to be something more than I’ve been.”
Perry appreciates Alves for who he is – a person, a fighter, a professional athlete. It’s making him more focused. “I’ve been in the game too. I have a lot of skin in the game. I’ve seen these things to where when we get in the ring, none of this other shit is going to matter other than the training we did, our skills and our abilities.”
Perry’s not just about the fight. He’s an entertainer, even if he looks a little silly sometimes. “That’s OK to me. I like to be loose and relaxed, but I try to speak with the truth with what I say.”