Mike Perry walks away from BKFC to chase MMA future after bare-knuckle success

Mike Perry has confirmed he is stepping away from bare-knuckle boxing and refocusing his career on MMA, telling journalist Ariel Helwani that gloves represent the next chapter for the 15-9 fighter.

“Platinum” spent several years as one of BKFC’s marquee names after leaving the UFC in 2021, when his contract expired following a 7-8 promotional record. In bare-knuckle competition he built a highlight reel of notable victories, defeating Michael Page, Luke Rockhold, Eddie Alvarez and Jeremy Stephens. His most recent BKFC outing was a win over Stephens in October 2025.

Since then Perry has dipped back into MMA, defeating Nate Diaz before suffering a loss to Brandon Jenkins. That mixed-gloves run appears to have sharpened his appetite for the sport he originally made his name in.

“That bare-knuckle stuff is like a cheat code and those two-minute rounds,” Perry told Helwani. “I was good at it. It was fun. I made some noise doing it. And I’m ready for another challenge. I think MMA is in my foreseeable future and I’m gonna give it my best shot. I kind of did my thing over there and now it looks like we’re going a different way. I think it’s gloves for me.”

The announcement draws a line under a BKFC stint that transformed Perry from a polarising UFC prospect into a genuine crossover star. His willingness to fight high-profile opponents — and his record against them — gave the bare-knuckle promotion significant mainstream visibility.

No specific MMA bouts or promotional affiliation have been announced. Perry’s next move in the sport will be closely watched given the profile he built during his time without gloves.