Mike Perry stops Luke Rockhold in bare-knuckle bout
Mike Perry can now say he's beaten a former UFC champion - in bare-knuckle fighting.
Perry, a former UFC welterweight, defeated ex-UFC middleweight champ Luke Rockhold via TKO (corner stoppage) at the 1:15 mark of the second round in the Bare Knuckle FC 41 main event on Saturday night in Broomfield, Colorado.
Following an exchange of punches, Rockhold appeared to signal to referee Dan Miragliotta that there was an issue with his mouth, which was bloody, and Miragliotta waved off the fight.
BKFC president Dave Feldman said afterward that Rockhold wasn't able to continue because some of his teeth "got cracked."
Perhaps the most bizarre moment of the event came during Perry's postfight interview. He asked if he could do a staredown with Conor McGregor, who was ringside at BKFC 41. Moments later, the UFC superstar entered the ring and shared some friendly words with Perry and did a brief staredown. McGregor told Perry he would fight him "no problem" and that he is "never retiring." The Irishman then said on the microphone that he is "into this game."
Mike Perry calls out Conor McGregor for a face-off and @TheNotoriousMMA accepts. He enters the ring with the BKFC title over his shoulder.#BKFC41 | LIVE on #FITE pic.twitter.com/DoCw7OZTZP
— FITE (@FiteTV) April 30, 2023
Perry said he also wants to face former UFC fighter Donald Cerrone, who retired from mixed martial arts last July and will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer. Perry lost to Cerrone in a UFC bout by submission in 2018.
"After I beat you, then I'll beat Conor McGregor," Perry said.
Perry and Rockhold got off to a fast start in Round 1. Late in the frame, Rockhold tagged Perry with a straight left. Then Perry returned fire by rocking Rockhold with a left hand and a flurry of punches.
Perry moves to 3-0 in BKFC after earning decisions over Julian Lane and Michael "Venom" Page in 2022. He parted ways with the UFC in 2021 on the heels of two straight losses.
Rockhold was making his bare-knuckle debut. The 38-year-old signed with the promotion earlier this year after being granted his release from the UFC. He returned to MMA last August following a three-year hiatus and lost to Paulo Costa by decision.