Matt Brown backs Perry's choice to fight Danis over tougher BKFC return against Till

Retired UFC welterweight Matt Brown has defended Mike Perry’s decision to fight Dillon Danis this Saturday in Florida instead of returning to BKFC for a long-awaited clash with Darren Till, arguing the move makes clear financial and physical sense for the bare-knuckle star.

Perry built his reputation inside the UFC but cemented his status as a genuine combat sports draw through BKFC, going 6-0 with four stoppages in a run that included a six-round war with Michael “Venom” Page and knockout wins over former UFC champions Luke Rockhold and Eddie Alvarez. Despite BKFC president David Feldman repeatedly stating he expects Perry to return, plans for a fight against Till have stalled multiple times. Perry instead fought Nate Diaz on the inaugural MVP MMA card before agreeing to face Danis.

Brown, speaking on The Fighter vs. The Writer podcast, said he appreciates what BKFC offers but fully understands the calculation Perry has made.

“I think fighting a Dillon Danis, he’s just capitalizing on his name,” Brown said. “I’m sure he’s getting paid a great amount for it. He’s probably thinking this is going to be easier than doing a bare-knuckle fight. If he goes bare-knuckle, he’s probably going to be fighting a Darren Till or some killer.”

Brown identified submission as the one credible threat Danis — a world-class grappler with just three MMA bouts on his record — poses to Perry, while suggesting the striking matchup heavily favours the BKFC star.

“Dillon Danis isn’t really that hard of a fight for him outside of Dillon may catch him in a submission,” Brown said. “That’s really the risk you’re running into with Dillon Danis. Other than that, I think he probably blasts Dillon Danis’ f*cking head off.”

The contrast with Till is stark. The former UFC welterweight title challenger knocked out his opponent on his BKFC debut and has also picked up wins in boxing, making him a considerably more dangerous proposition than Danis in any striking-based format.

Brown’s broader point was that every combat sports athlete must weigh risk against reward, and Perry’s choice reflects exactly that logic.

“I think he’s going to get a bag,” Brown said. “He’s going to make some money and I’m sure we’ll see him back in BKFC. He’s going to come back.”