Mike Perry Reacts To BKFC 82 Matchup Against Jeremy Stephens

Shortly after the BKFC announced the matchup, Perry offered his hyped reaction on Instagram. The undefeated brawler expressed his belief that "Lil' Heathen" will merely be his next victim, calling Stephens "light work."

Perry then reacted to the announcement with a short video on his Instagram story.

"Mike, who you fighting Oct. 4 in New Jersey?" Perry said. "Well, he's predominantly known as 'Who the f*** is that guy.'"

Perry's quip referenced the infamous UFC 205 press conference. Stephens, who was then preparing to face former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, attempted to insert his name into the Conor McGregor hype when the Irishman was asked who he would like as his next opponent. McGregor swiftly shut him down by mocking Stephens with the "Who the f*** is that guy?" line.

Mike Perry returns to BKFC ring after eventful year-long layoff

Perry is 5-0 in the BKFC but has not fought since knocking out Thiago Alves in the first round at Knucklemania IV in April 2024. He put the gloves back on to fight Jake Paul two months later in a bout that ended with a sixth-round TKO.

After his loss to Paul, McGregor, a part-owner of the BKFC, claimed he "fired" Perry on X, formerly Twitter. During his ensuing hiatus, Perry admitted that he did not hear much from the promotion.

'Platinum' was eventually welcomed back to the promotion at a press conference in July, during which McGregor claimed he let Perry back into the organization.

Over the last year, Perry has also notably started his own promotion. Although still committed to BKFC, Perry launched Dirty Boxing in 2024, an organization that has since become a competitor in the niche combat sports market.

Stephens, 39, is 3-0 in the BKFC with wins over fellow UFC veterans Eddie Alvarez and Jimmie Rivera. However, since his TKO win over Alvarez in January, Stephens returned to the UFC to fight in his hometown at UFC Des Moines. He suffered a unanimous decision loss to Mason Jones, dropping his MMA record to 29-22 with one no-contest.

Since Perry last competed, Stephens has gone 2-0 in BKFC and had his fight with Jones in the UFC. The two have continued to trade barbs on social media, engaging in aggressive yet respectful exchanges.