Former UFC fighter Mike Perry is hoping to make a comeback to the Octagon, and if that happens, he wants to fight superstar Conor McGregor.
Perry returns to MMA next Saturday when he fights Nate Diaz on the MVP MMA card on Netflix. For Perry, this will mark his return to mixed martial arts after leaving the UFC five years ago. Since then, he has competed mostly in bare-knuckle fighting, going 6-0 in BKFC and becoming that promotion’s biggest star, plus losing his lone professional boxing match against Jake Paul in 2024. So while he hasn’t been fighting in MMA, Perry has been staying very active in combat sports.
Mike Perry Open to UFC Comeback Fight Against Conor McGregor
In August 2016 at UFC 202, Perry made his UFC debut with a knockout win over Hyun Gyu Lim. The main event of that card? None other than the rematch between McGregor and Diaz, which McGregor won by majority decision in a five-round war.
Nearly a decade after Perry debuted on the undercard of McGregor-Diaz 2, Perry fights against Diaz on Netflix, and if things go his way, he’ll take on McGregor in the UFC next.
Speaking to MMAjunkie.com, Perry admitted he is interested in a UFC comeback if he beats Diaz on Netflix, and if that happens, he wants to fight McGregor in the Octagon next.
“I still believe that the return to the UFC is coming. Other guys have done it. I go out here and have success. I think there are some fights in the UFC that got my name on them,” Perry said.
“That (expletive). He’s always talking (expletive) while I’m out here fighting and working. And I would love to (fight him). One, I already did take the trilogy with Nate from him, and I’ve got to go out here and perform on May 16. Then, yeah, absolutely: Me and him. UFC, hit me up. We’ll make the McGregor fight. We’ll fight at 170. I’m going to 170 for this one, and I’m going to shut his mouth.”
Conor McGregor Rumored to Return at UFC 329
Although nothing is official yet, heavy rumors are floating around that McGregor will make his debut long-awaited return to the Octagon at UFC 329 in July. The opponent who has been linked to McGregor is a rematch against Max Holloway, whom McGregor defeated by decision in 2013. Given that they are two of the most popular fighters in the UFC, it makes sense that McGregor and Holloway get booked against each other, especially since they would both likely stand and trade, something that the fans surely want to see.
Depending on how his return fight against Holloway goes, it will be interesting to see what’s next for McGregor. While he would surely love fighting for the lightweight or welterweight titles in the UFC, it seems more likely the promotion will give him fun fights against other big names like Jorge Masvidal, or, potentially, Perry or Diaz. This fight between Perry and Diaz, then, could have very real ramifications not just for those two fighters’ UFC futures, but for McGregor’s, too.
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