BKFC founder David Feldman wishes Mike Perry well after MMA return ends bare-knuckle run

Mike Perry’s departure from BKFC drew a measured response from the promotion’s founder and president David Feldman, who told MMA Fighting he holds no grudge against the former “King of Violence” and believes Perry received a career-defining MMA offer that made the split inevitable.

Perry spent several years as the face of bare-knuckle fighting, transforming from a recognisable MMA name into a genuine superstar under the BKFC banner. His aggressive, knockout-heavy style made him a natural fit for the format, which made his decision to walk away and return to MMA full time all the more surprising to observers — though Perry himself reportedly left without criticism of the promotion.

“I think he got a great offer he couldn’t refuse, or that’s what I was told he got a great offer he couldn’t refuse,” Feldman said. “Look, this isn’t talking bad about Mike Perry. He did a lot of great stuff for our company. I’m not going to say we don’t need him, but the money that it costs to bring Mike Perry back to BKFC doesn’t make a lot of sense for us right now.”

Feldman pointed to BKFC’s recent commercial momentum as evidence the promotion no longer depends on marquee names to fill venues, citing 14,000 tickets sold at Fenway Park and projecting 18,000 for an upcoming Philadelphia event, with KnuckleMania VII in Miami also on the horizon.

“I wish him the best,” Feldman added. “I think we revitalized his career. Now he has a chance of doing something in MMA he wants to do. From what I heard, he got an unbelievable offer and that should be announced pretty soon.”

Feldman confirmed the door is not closed on Perry’s return to bare-knuckle, whether that comes after a stint in MMA or if the rumoured deal falls through. He also revealed that a potential Perry vs. Darren Till matchup remains the one marquee fight that got away — and one he would still welcome.

“We would love that fight,” Feldman said. “That would be a great fight for us.”

For now, Feldman says his focus is on developing homegrown talent rather than chasing big-name signings, a strategy he believes the recent ticket sales have validated.