Brandon Jenkins stuns Mike Perry with TKO two days after last-minute call-up

Brandon Jenkins stopped Mike Perry by technical knockout at Duel Arena in Orlando on Saturday, completing a stunning turnaround that began with a phone call just two days before fight night.

Jenkins was brought in as a last-minute replacement for Dillon Danis, and he made the most of the opportunity, finishing the BKFC star and UFC veteran Perry — who was visibly hampered by an injury during the bout — to claim the main event victory.

The late call-up was far from guaranteed to land with Jenkins. Speaking to MMA Fighting after the win, he revealed he was far from the first name on the list. “I’m happy he brought me in here and he picked me, because I heard Nick Diaz got the call,” Jenkins said. “I also heard Tyron Woodley, and also heard Anthony Pettis, so I got picked, so I’m happy about that.”

For Jenkins, the win builds on a recent run of activity. He had appeared on the inaugural MVP MMA event in May, edging Chris Avila by split decision, but he admitted he had not anticipated another high-profile opportunity arriving so quickly.

With Perry now beaten and the Avila connection firmly in mind, Jenkins has already signalled where he wants to go next — a fight with Nate Diaz, a close friend of Avila’s. Whether that bout materialises remains to be seen, but Jenkins has at least given himself a credible platform to make the case.