Mike Perry to UFC? Manager Claims ‘They’re Asking for Him Back’ with Jake Paul KO

Manager Malki Kawa says "the door to the UFC has been reopened" for client Perry.

Christopher De Santiago | Jul 17, 2024

Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

A return to the UFC isn't out of the question for Mike Perry.

BKFC’s Mike Perry on What It’d Take for UFC Return: ‘I Need to Be Undeniable Like Max Holloway'

Life After The UFC

Perry's time in the premier promotion was memorable, with the fan-favorite fighting 15 times from 2016 to 2021. Shortly thereafter, Perry would test the waters of free agency, where he eventually became the face of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) with five straight wins.

"Platinum" now has the opportunity of a lifetime, scoring a much-desired boxing match with Jake Paul this weekend. Paul (9-1) was originally slated to face Mike Tyson but had to reschedule the event to Nov. 15 after a stomach ulcer from the former heavyweight champion.

Four other ex-UFC stars have tried and failed against Paul, with Perry aiming to be the first fighter ever to knock out the influencer-turned-boxer. But it seems that a win on Saturday would give Perry much more than bragging rights.

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A post shared by Platinum Mike Perry (@platinummikeperry)

Perry's Manager: "The Door To The UFC Has Been Reopened"

Mike Perry's longtime manager, Malki Kawa, says the UFC is apparently interested in re-signing their former welterweight after seeing what he has done outside of the Octagon in three years.

"If Mike Perry knocks Jake Paul out, the door to the UFC has been reopened," Kawa said on the Overdogs Podcast. "I already got that call that said we want him back, the whole nine yards, and this and that. I get that phone call, and I'm entertaining it in my head. I don't even know if I've even told him yet, because as of right now, I don't know if that makes sense. I don't know if it doesn't make sense. I look at the landscape of what it is for him long-term..."

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Kawa says if Perry hadn't been in the promotion years prior, the UFC would've signed "The King of Violence" right out of the gate for his gritty, exciting fighting style, which he's shown time and time again in his tenure in both the cage and the BKFC ring.

"In today's UFC, if Mike Perry never went to the UFC and I took some of his clips from his fights and say, yo, this is this kid, Mike Perry. He'd been the UFC today, right now. They'd sign him in 2 seconds because that's the type of guy they're looking for," Kawa said of Perry.

"You can't be that boring, black belt,13th degree jiu-jitsu world champ. You got to be an entertaining fighter. And that's what Mike is, to the point that they're asking for him back," Kawa continued. "Look at Paige VanZant. They want her back. They brought her to [Power] Slap."

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A post shared by Paige VanZant (@paigevanzant)

Perry's Past Comments On UFC Fighter Pay

Perry has been asked about a potential UFC return for quite some time now, citing that he'd have to be well-compensated if he were to fight there again.

"I'm the only guy outside of the UFC that people are watching," Perry told MMA Junkie in April. "They even say like, 'Oh, come back to the UFC'. But you know, UFC wants to pay bodybuilders $10K and $10K. These new guys $10K and $10K..."

"Who's coming to offer money for an MMA fight? No one. It's boxing matches now. The only opportunity... I need to be undeniable like Max Holloway says. Maybe MMA and the UFC is an option one day if I keep being undeniable," Perry added.

Mike Perry went 7-8 inside the UFC, where he met the likes of Geoff Neal, Vicente Luque, Donald Cerrone and Paul Felder. We'll see if a second UFC stint awaits "Platinum" at what looks to be the prime of his fighting career.

Life After The UFC

Perry's Manager: "The Door To The UFC Has Been Reopened"

Perry's Past Comments On UFC Fighter Pay

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