Mike Perry says the UFC told him he ‘can’t beat Top 5 guys’ in recent phone call inquiring about desired comeback

Mike Perry says he was close to making a UFC comeback before negotiations with UFC matchmaker Hunter Campbell went south.

Perry will return to the Bare Knuckle FC ring against former UFC standout Thiago Alves on April 27th. He returns after 2023 wins against former UFC titleholders Luke Rockhold and Eddie Alvarez in bare-knuckle boxing.

Before he emerged as the face of BKFC, Perry made a name for himself in the UFC Octagon. While he never surged into title contention, he earned some impressive wins, including over Paul Felder and Jake Ellenberger.

Perry still keeps an eye on MMA despite his newfound love for bare-knuckle fighting. He’s hinted at an MMA comeback, but after a recent phone call with Campbell, it appears it won’t happen in the UFC.

Mike Perry reveals tense phone call with UFC matchmaker Hunter Campbell

During a recent episode of The MMA Hour, Perry revealed that he recently tried to return to the UFC, but the promotion shut it down.

“I called the UFC a couple of times, I don’t think Hunter Campbell will pick up my calls anymore because I blasted him,” Perry shared. “I told him a while back ‘Hey man, before I sign my contract, I can go from these two-minute rounds back to [MMA], but you guys have to make it worth my while’…I was on my way to the gym about to train and had my wife in the car, I asked for guarantees and more fights than what I had on my BKFC contract…

“It was to make it worth their while…and he tried to call me out and said I can’t beat the Top 5 guys in our divisions right now. Well, sign me for one of the fights, and pay me like I’m fighting a Top 5 guy! Bring me in, and watch what happens. He didn’t want to deal with that, so they were just looking other places and they want these bodybuilders that come in for [$10k show, $10k win money].”

As of this writing, the UFC and Campbell have yet to confirm nor deny Perry’s allegations. Perry’s last MMA fight was a loss to Daniel Rodriguez in April 2021.

Perry still has an itch to return to MMA, but he’s changed his life in many ways through BKFC. He’s a significant reason why BKFC continues to expand, including in states like California and Nevada.

If Perry’s claims about Campbell and the UFC are true, it’s an intriguing look at how the promotion deals with some free agents, particularly former fighters who vy for a return to the Octagon.