BKFC president David Feldman says Mike Perry left for an MMA offer BKFC wouldn't match, wishes him well, and says Perry can return if the deal falls through.
From 3 reports by 3 outlets
What we know
- Perry has said he is finished with bare-knuckle and will return to MMA full time.
Reported, not confirmed
- Feldman says Perry received an offer he couldn't refuse that should be announced soon; he is relaying what he was told. MMA Fighting
- Feldman says he would still love to book Perry against Darren Till. MMA Fighting
The face of bare-knuckle fighting is leaving, and the man who runs the promotion says he is fine with it. BKFC president David Feldman said the company would not pay what it would take to keep Mike Perry, and that he is betting its own rising fighters can carry the shows without him.
Perry, who has been BKFC's most recognizable fighter for years, said he is done with bare-knuckle and ready to return to MMA full time. He took no parting shots at the promotion. Feldman answered in kind, saying Perry did a lot for the company and that BKFC helped revitalize his career.
The business case is where Feldman was most direct. He pointed to 14,000 tickets sold at Fenway Park with no big names on the card, and said BKFC aims to sell 18,000 in Philadelphia and do the same at KnuckleMania VII in Miami. He said he is not claiming BKFC doesn't need Perry, but that the cost of bringing him back doesn't make sense right now. Unless a name is unbelievably huge, he wants to build fighters from the ground up.
Feldman said he has been told Perry got an unbelievable offer that should be announced soon. Neither the offer nor its source has been identified. Perry's last MMA appearance in our records was a second-round corner-stoppage win over Nate Diaz at MVP MMA 1 on May 16, 2026. Perry is 35 and fights at welterweight.
The door is not closed. Feldman said Perry could come back if he wants bare-knuckle again or if the MMA deal falls apart. One fight he still wants is Perry against Darren Till, the marquee matchup that never happened. Till, 33, is being linked to a Jake Paul return on Dec. 24 in Dubai, so that booking looks even less likely for now.
Watch for the announcement of Perry's MMA deal. It will show who is paying and whether his departure from BKFC is a short break or a clean split.
Perry, who has been BKFC's most recognizable fighter for years, said he is done with bare-knuckle and ready to return to MMA full time. He took no parting shots at the promotion. Feldman answered in kind, saying Perry did a lot for the company and that BKFC helped revitalize his career.
The business case is where Feldman was most direct. He pointed to 14,000 tickets sold at Fenway Park with no big names on the card, and said BKFC aims to sell 18,000 in Philadelphia and do the same at KnuckleMania VII in Miami. He said he is not claiming BKFC doesn't need Perry, but that the cost of bringing him back doesn't make sense right now. Unless a name is unbelievably huge, he wants to build fighters from the ground up.
Feldman said he has been told Perry got an unbelievable offer that should be announced soon. Neither the offer nor its source has been identified. Perry's last MMA appearance in our records was a second-round corner-stoppage win over Nate Diaz at MVP MMA 1 on May 16, 2026. Perry is 35 and fights at welterweight.
The door is not closed. Feldman said Perry could come back if he wants bare-knuckle again or if the MMA deal falls apart. One fight he still wants is Perry against Darren Till, the marquee matchup that never happened. Till, 33, is being linked to a Jake Paul return on Dec. 24 in Dubai, so that booking looks even less likely for now.
Watch for the announcement of Perry's MMA deal. It will show who is paying and whether his departure from BKFC is a short break or a clean split.
- Summary
- BKFC president David Feldman says Mike Perry left for an MMA offer BKFC wouldn't match, wishes him well, and says Perry can return if the deal falls through.
- Key points (one per line)
- Mike Perry has told BKFC he is done with bare-knuckle and is returning to MMA full time.
Feldman says the money needed to keep Perry doesn't make sense for BKFC right now.
Feldman expects Perry's MMA deal to be announced soon and would still book Perry vs. Darren Till.
- Also reported by (Name | URL per line)
- MMA Fighting | https://www.mmafighting.com/bkfc/518420/bkfc-boss-addresses-mike-perry-after-saying-he-was-done-with-bare-knuckle-i-wish-him-the-best
Combat Sports UK | https://combatsportsuk.com/news/4852a930-ee2b-4fe3-b411-8c3511a13c73/david-feldman-says-bringing-mike-perry-back-to-bkfc-does-not-make-sense-for-now
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/bkfc-boss-says-mike-perry-costs-too-much-to-bring-back-teases-huge-mma-deal
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Fighters in this story
Mike Perry
Darren TillSources
MMA Fighting
Combat Sports UK
Knockout DailySummarized with AI from the sources above. Read the originals for the full story.
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