Mike Perry has chosen between his old rivals Luke Rockhold and Darren Till ahead of their upcoming fight.
As the UFC takes a bye week, Misfits Boxing returns with a massive doubleheader featuring some of their former champions.
Once the UFC Middleweight Champion of the world, the 40-year-old Luke Rockhold headlines Misfits 22 against former title challenger Darren Till this Saturday from Manchester, England.
Rockhold and Till will compete for the Misfits bridgerweight title. In the co-main event, former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson challenges for another title in his first post-UFC appearance against influencer-boxer Salt Papi.
Mike Perry, a former UFC star who has history with both fighters, has given his pick for this weekend’s main event.
Mike Perry picks Darren Till to outbox Luke Rockhold after fight breakdown
‘Platinum’ Perry never got his hands on Till in the UFC Octagon, but the former welterweights did face each other in a sparring session behind closed doors years ago.
As for Rockhold, Perry made the former champ quit in his BKFC (bare knuckle boxing) debut in 2023 by cracking his teeth.
So, who does Perry have winning Till vs. Rockhold?
“I watched their face-to-face [interview],” Perry told Bloody Elbow.
“Sometimes it’s hard to tell with Darren, what he’s really thinking or if he’s just saying things to mess with the opponent. Luke, you can kind of mess with him. He’ll take what you say and get upset about it or something.
“Luke was like, have you ever put on no gloves? That was funny. Then, Till was saying, Luke is chinny, that he can’t take a punch and that he doesn’t hit hard. I just don’t think that that’s true,” Perry continued.
“I think Luke, that punch that I hurt him with because it was bare knuckle, it knocked his teeth and split his lips. But I think he ate that shot. And he was like, ouch, like, my face was hurting, but he ate that shot. He was fully there.
“[Rockhold] also hit me with a shot that could have been it. So, it’s an interesting fight.
“I think Till will outbox Luke,” Perry predicted.
“But I wouldn’t mind seeing Luke with gloves on be a new mythical fighter,” Perry added.
Mike Perry faces his 23rd UFC veteran in next fight
Mike Perry has shared the ring with some top competition in his combat sports career.
From the Octagon to the grappling mat to BKFC’s Squared Circle, Perry will have fought 23 fighters from the UFC when he takes on Jeremy Stephens.
Stephens is one of the most experienced UFC vets Perry has faced, as ‘Lil Heathen’ is tied for sixth-most fights in UFC history at 35.
Stephens also holds the record for most losses in the UFC (19). The 39-year-old is 3-0 so far in BKFC.
Perry, on the other hand, is a perfect 5-0 in bare knuckle boxing.