Perry Confirms Pay Cut For Danis Fight

Mike Perry accepted a pay cut to fight Dillon Danis.

The former UFC welterweight and current Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship standout faces Danis in the main event of Duel Arena 1 at Kia Center in Orlando on July 28. Perry told Ariel Helwani in a recent interview that his purse for Danis falls short of what he earned against Nate Diaz at MVP MMA 1, but that he took the bout anyway. "I'm taking one now to fight Dillon Danis; they are paying what they can, but I had to take this opportunity," Perry said, per MMA Mania.

Why Perry Pursued The Danis Matchup

Perry stopped Diaz in two rounds this past spring in a bout that streamed on Netflix and delivered his biggest payday to date. He hinted at a UFC return afterward, but no serious offer materialized. When asked if the promotion reached out, Perry said his team had conversations but nothing concrete. "If they want me, what are we talking about?" he said. "Fighting for money is the prize — life-changing money and opportunity."

Danis remains undefeated in professional MMA despite a limited fight resume and a reputation for generating controversy outside the cage. Perry views the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt as a name worth chasing. "Dillon Danis is a big name. Believe it or not, he is a big name," Perry said. "I want his 0." He added that if he beats Danis convincingly, the next fight better come with a significant raise.

Perry acknowledged he would also consider a pay cut to return to UFC, though he stopped short of specifying how large a reduction he would accept. The fight takes place in his hometown of Orlando.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — ‘Prize fighter’ Mike Perry took ‘pay cut’ to fight ‘ big name’ Dillon Danis – ‘I had to take the opportunity’