Mike Perry: Michael Page is ‘in for a rude awakening’ at BKFC 27
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LONDON – While Mike Perry fought for the UFC, he was well aware of Michael Page’s work in Bellator.
“MVP has been doing good things in the fight game for a long time,” Perry told MMA Junkie on Thursday. “He’s knocked some people out, he’s made some highlights, the same as myself. I’ve done the same things. This fight was talked about years ago, and it’s here now in bare-knuckle boxing, the realest of combat sports.”
An MMA fight between Perry and Page really wouldn’t have been possible “years ago” considering the UFC’s stance against cross-promotion with other organizations, but the two longstanding welterweights will do battle Saturday when they headline Bare Knckle FC 27 at Ovo Arena Wembley.
Perry, who fought in the UFC from 2016 to 2021, will make his second BKFC appearance after winning a five-round unanimous decision against Julian Lane this past February. Page, who remains under contract with Bellator, is competing in a bare-knuckle boxing match for the first time after Bellator president Scott Coker signed off on it.
Perry called this “the biggest fight of my life” – and of Page’s life. Even though Page is well versed in MMA and has competed in both boxing and kickboxing, a bare-knuckle fight will be a new experience. Page might be confident given his overall combat sports experience, but Perry said he better watch out.
“We’ll see. It all depends. He thinks it’s just normal fighting,” Perry said. “… It’s gonna be different. He’s gonna learn some things. Maybe he doesn’t think he’s gonna learn anything in there, (but) he’s in for a rude awakening. Because he’s sleeping already. I’m gonna wake his ass up and then lay his ass back down.”
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Perry has been doing his part to sell what is an intriguing BKFC matchup on paper between a former UFC standout and current Bellator title contender. He’s hoping for big-fight energy on Saturday.
“We can’t all be Conor McGregor up here. If he was here, the line would be out the door. There’d be crowds rioting down the street,” Perry said. “I kind of want that. I want to be able to have an effect like that. I think this fight deserves an effect like that. Maybe I ain’t ready for that, I guess. I don’t know. I’m ready to knock someone out, though, I know that.”
