Perry Open to a McGregor Matchup
Mike Perry believes a bare-knuckle fight against Conor McGregor could genuinely happen if the timing and circumstances align. Speaking ahead of his upcoming bout, Perry noted that he sees a clear path for such a matchup to materialize, provided both parties are fully committed.
BKFC 82 and the Road to McGregor
Currently, Perry is set to defend his King of Violence title against Jeremy Stephens in the main event of BKFC 82 on October 4 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. At a recent press conference, promoter David Feldman mentioned that McGregor wasn’t present because he was keeping an eye on the winner of Perry vs. Stephens. When asked about the potential for a McGregor fight—who remains under a UFC contract—Perry expressed enthusiasm for the idea. He credited his recent focus and discipline in training as key to getting back in contention.
McGregor’s Status and Perry’s Perspective
Conor McGregor, co-owner of BKFC and former two-division UFC champion, hasn’t fought in over four years following a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. While McGregor has teased a return, including the proposed UFC White House card in July 2026, Perry sees a bare-knuckle showdown as a lucrative and exciting possibility. Perry highlighted the financial incentive and the thrill of facing someone of McGregor’s caliber, emphasizing that his current focus remains on defeating Stephens in style. Should he do so, he believes a blockbuster bout with McGregor could become a reality.
Building Momentum
Since leaving the UFC, Perry has made a name for himself in BKFC, scoring stoppage wins over former UFC champions Luke Rockhold and Eddie Alvarez, and defeating current UFC fighter Michael Page. Perry insists that his focus is on his October 4 fight but remains optimistic about future opportunities. “If I make enough noise, and put on a great enough show and performance, the possibilities of Conor coming in and fighting could be very real,” Perry said, stressing the need to take it one step at a time.
