Since parting ways with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in April 2021 (by accident), Mike Perry has won three straight fights, defeating Mike Seals via split decision under the Triad Combat banner, and then rattling off back-to-back wins over Julian Lane and Bellator MMA’s, Michael Page, inside the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) ring.
But, “Platinum” still hopes to one day return to the world-famous UFC Octagon where his career — and popularity — took off.
“Man, I don’t know. What do I want? I can’t lie. I mean, I just keep thinking about the days when — I forget the days of the old matchmaker — back in the days when Rampage [Jackson], Wanderlei [Silva] and Vitor Belfort trained, traveled and fought all over the world … they were back and forth,” Perry said in a recent interview with “The Schmo” (via MMA News).
Of course, the big factor is still pay, and according to “Platinum — who reportedly earned a whopping $250,000 payday to fight for Triad Combat — BKFC is paying him double what he was making for UFC.
“UFC has that big show. So, I would like to get the money I’m getting now over there in that big show, and I’ll put on a big show like I always have. I know the fans have been talking about it, ‘Put Perry back.’ A lot of them hate like, ‘You’re not there anymore!’ I mean, you ask what do I want, and I’m being honest … be able to be on the biggest platform there is in the fight game.”
Perry left UFC after back-to-back losses to Daniel Rodriguez and Tim Means, losing four of his last five fights overall with the promotion. While “Platinum” didn’t have the best run while with the company, UFC fight fans flocked to see him because win, lose or draw, the hard-hitting brawler always left it all in the cage.