When is Mike Perry's next fight?

If fans learned one thing from Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry, it's that daring to be great does not always work out in your favor. Following the cancellation of Paul's bout with legendary heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, Perry stepped up on a month's notice. This was a pleasant change of opponent to many who believed that the now 58-year-old Tyson was risking much more than just another loss on his 50-6-2 record.

Whether in support of the local fighter or in dislike of his Youtuber opponent, Florida fans rallied around Perry and DAZN was still able to virtually sell out the Amalie Arena in Tampa Florida. But now that the dust is settling after Perry's sixth-round TKO loss to Paul, we are left with the question of where the BKFC star goes from here.

Though he was able to survive multiple knockdowns in the opening rounds, Perry's grit and determination proved not enough to outweigh the deficit in size and power coming at him from Paul. Spending the majority of his professional fighting career at 170 pounds, it was apparent in the opening minutes that the sudden change to an opponent weighing over 200 pounds would be too much.

Moving Perry's pro boxing record to 0-2, it seems the traditional Queensberry ruleset does not favor the do-or-die style of the former UFC fighter. After his 2021 release from the UFC and subsequent debut boxing loss to Michael Seals, Perry shifted to the Bare Knuckle Boxing Championship where was able to string together five straight wins over fighters most fans would have never imagined within Perry's realm of capabilities just a few short years ago.

Finishing his last three opponents, including former UFC champions Luke Rockhold and Eddie Alverez, inside two rounds, Perry has voiced some complications with sourcing big-name opponents within the organization. Whether contract negotiations or the sheer physical damage risked when competing bare-knuckled, not many pro boxers or MMA fighters find themselves eager to step into that realm with Perry.

Though he will need some time to recover after this boxing match, Perry seemed eager to find his next venture within combat sports. Pending any injuries, it seems likely that Perry will return to fighting either in December or in the early months of 2025 if he has his way.

Who should Mike Perry fight next?

1. Cowboy Cerrone

There are a few clear options that check the "big name" box needed for a return. The first of which is Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone. Competing against Cerrone in 2018, Perry was submitted via armbar relatively early in their bout. But without having to worry about the risk of Cerrone's ground game within the Bare Knuckle Boxing ruleset, a rematch with the beloved MMA legend is an option that not only gives Perry the opportunity to avenge a loss but also brings the eyes of countless fans that are diehard "Cowboy" supporters.

Bowing out of his legendary 38-fight UFC run in 2022, Cerrone has since found a renewed love for training due to his use of TRT after leaving the UFC's testing pool. This adds a unique element for fans wanting to see one last great performance from Cerrone after he was unable to secure a win in his final seven fights.

2. Darren Till

Another clear option for Perry is to finally settle his long-standing beef with former UFC title challenger Darren Till. For years now, Perry and Till have traded verbal jabs at one another, volleying for a possible match-up between the two during their time with the UFC. Though their paths never crossed in the Octagon, both fighters have shown difficulty with the grappling aspects of mixed martial arts, prior to shifting to other ventures. Till has recently reinserted himself into combat sports with a boxing match just weeks prior to Perry's bout with Jake Paul. Though Till's boxing debut ended with some controversy surrounding strikes to the back of his opponent's head, now may be a perfect time to pivot to a high-profile fight with Perry under either the BKFC banner or the new Dirty Boxing Championship.

With both fighters being more than able to hold their own on the microphone, the build-up for a striking-only match between these two would be full of viral clip-worthy barbs and laughs for the fans. But more importantly, it is a perfect opportunity for one of these men to secure a notable win following major upsets on their paths to greatness.

Was Mike Perry really fired by Conor McGregor?

Now that news has come out that Conor McGregor is a partial owner of the BKFC, fans have waited for when his first major changes to the promotion would surface. After news of Perry's involvement and co-ownership of the emerging Dirty Boxing Championship, McGregor wasted no time taking to Twitter to voice his disappointment with Perry's lackluster performance against Paul.

McGregor tweeted, "You can go and compete in your smelly dirty boxing championship thing, the smell of it, good luck. You're fired." Perry has responded, "We're both part owners of BKFC. He can't fire me." So even though McGregor might not be happy about it, it looks as though Perry will continue to compete under the Bare Knuckle moniker at least until the Dirty Boxing Championship organization is up and running.