Michael Joseph Perry is an American professional mixed martial artist and bare-knuckle boxer born on September 15, 1991, in Flint, Michigan. He currently competes in the Middleweight division of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), where he is the โKing of Violenceโ champion. Perry also competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 15 times.
๐ Early Life and Background
Perry moved between schools in Michigan and Florida, where he was bullied and often got into fights. This instability led him to drugs, house arrest, probation violation, and jail. He started training boxing at age 11 and got a job as a trainer at a UFC gym after his release from jail for burglary.
โ๏ธ UFC Career Highlights
Perry made his UFC debut on short notice against Lim Hyun-gyu on August 20, 2016, at UFC 202, winning via TKO in the first round. He defeated Danny Roberts via KO at UFC 204 and Jake Ellenberger via KO at UFC Fight Night 108, earning a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus. Perry also won fights against Alex Reyes, Paul Felder, Alex Oliveira, and Mickey Gall.
Perry lost fights to Alan Jouban, Santiago Ponzinibbio, Max Griffin, Donald Cerrone, Vicente Luque, Geoff Neal, Tim Means, and Daniel Rodriguez. He missed weight for the Tim Means fight, weighing in at 175.5 pounds over the welterweight limit. On March 16, 2026, it was announced Perry would return to MMA after a five-year hiatus against Nate Diaz on May 16, 2026, winning by technical knockout via corner stoppage.
๐ BKFC and Boxing Career
Perry signed with BKFC in October 2021 and made his Middleweight debut against Julian Lane at BKFC KnuckleMania 2, winning by unanimous decision. He defeated Michael Page by majority decision, Luke Rockhold by technical knockout, and Eddie Alvarez for the โKing of Violenceโ championship by TKO. Perry also beat Thiago Alves by knockout and defended his title against Jeremy Stephens at BKFC 82.
Perry faced Jake Paul in a professional boxing bout on July 20, 2024, losing by technical knockout in the sixth round. He also fought Michael Seals in a Triller Triad Combat event, winning by split decision. Perry launched a boxing organization called โDirty Boxing Championshipโ on July 19, 2024.
๐ค Personal Life and Controversies
Perry married professional tennis player Danielle Nickerson in 2019, and they separated in 2020. His girlfriend Latory Gonzalez gave birth to their first son on January 6, 2021. Perry has received criticism for his use of racial slurs and issued a public apology for past use of the N-word. In July 2020, Perry was charged with class A assault after an incident at a restaurant in Lubbock, Texas.
| Event | Opponent | Result | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| UFC 202 | Lim Hyun-gyu | Win (TKO) | 2016 |
| UFC 204 | Danny Roberts | Win (KO) | 2016 |
| UFC Fight Night 108 | Jake Ellenberger | Win (KO) | 2017 |
| BKFC 56 | Eddie Alvarez | Win (TKO) | 2023 |