In his latest BKFC appearance, Mike Perry has once again affirmed his status as the King of Brutality, yet a specific UFC event planned for 2026 could spark his desire to return to mixed martial arts. At BKFC 82, which marked Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship’s debut in New Jersey, Perry triumphed over Jeremy Stephens in the main event. ‘Platinum’ repeatedly dropped Stephens throughout the contest, ultimately stopping him in the fifth round and preserving his unblemished record in bare-knuckle fighting.
The most prominent figure in bare-knuckle boxing appears to be interested in donning the smaller gloves again for an opportunity at a highly anticipated event in June 2026. It is worth noting that Jeremy Stephens, his recent BKFC opponent, participated in a one-off fight with the UFC before his BKFC match against Perry. This suggests that a potential agreement could be arranged between BKFC and UFC for Perry’s services.
Perry shared his vision for a potential return to mixed martial arts, stating [via MMA Fighting]:
“I would engage in MMA. I would consider a return to MMA. My aspiration is to compete at the USA, UFC White House event. Who embodies American spirit more than ‘Platinum’ Mike Perry? Let’s make it happen. I require some training and recuperation time, given the 12-week training camp I just completed. It was 12 weeks of intense performance on Oct. 4. I need to regain my rhythm.”
Conor McGregor emerges as a formidable, prospective future opponent for Mike Perry
Mike Perry exhibited dominance in the BKFC ring during another remarkable performance, with Conor McGregor expressing his eagerness to test his skills against the ‘Platinum’ fighter in the future. The narrative between BKFC’s leading star and the co-owner of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship has drawn parallels, likening Perry vs. McGregor to the ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon rivalry in the realm of gloveless combat.
The initial animosity seemed to arise from McGregor’s assertion that Perry was dismissed from BKFC following his defeat in a gloved boxing match against Jake Paul. Leading up to Perry’s return at BKFC 82, tensions between him and McGregor were palpable, with frequent exchanges of heated words.
While McGregor displayed a degree of respect for Perry during the post-fight interviews, ‘The Notorious’ indicated his desire to clash with the King of Brutality within the BKFC ring. Conor McGregor has two fights remaining on his UFC contract and has been inactive since 2021, when he suffered a leg injury during a trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier.
