Taken from JRE MMA Show #141 w/Mike Perry:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5NnstGx7gYZ5hNgwlTULl6?si=73725fb7ce1f4aa4

The Jerogan Experience This bare knuckle boxing thing has been fascinating to watch, man, because it's like someone designed the perfect sport for you.

Like you are particularly well suited for that.

And it's, I find it so fascinating Because there's there's a certain and I really wanted to ask you about this because there's a certain something that applies to bare-knuckle fighting That just it's like there's a pain and there's a danger and there's a wildness of it that even some very great fighters, they get to a certain, they're in there and they're like, I don't like this.

They're too used to gloves, they're too used to whatever they're used to.

They don't want that experience once they find it, once they're in there.

Even though, I mean, I still go to the gym and I do MMA with the guys.

Cause I'm cool to take a punch, get hit, that's fine.

I'll take a hit to land a better 1 on you.

And in Bare Knuckle, I mean, there's a lot of opportunity to fight guys who...

I mean, I did fight Julian Lane, who had experience in it.

And then I fought 2 guys who hadn't done it yet.

gotta see, it's just, like, let's talk about those 2 guys.

When you watch him fight in MMA, and he's a guy that I kind of predicted 1 day.

I was like, the 1 skill that you don't see a lot of in MMA is this crazy blitz point fighting style.

Cause those guys can cover crazy distances.

Those are those really good point fighters.

And he was the first guy that kind of showed how that style could apply in MMA.

After I beat him, I thought, you know, maybe they'll try to make that fight happen in MMA now, but I do feel like I would overpower him grappling-wise.

I mean, that last guy he fought, he kicked him in the leg and it was over.

Yeah, he's very dangerous That not the knockout of cyborg was fucking crazy.

His legs are dangerous Interesting to me to want you know, I'm hungry for fights.

Well, I think with a guy like that, it's funny, I was watching Stylebender was on Andrew Schultz's podcast, and they were talking about him boxing some days, like boxing is too limited, it's too limited to fight.

You think about a guy like him who applies this full wild range of things especially with Michael Venom page because he's so good at closing distance and kicking you and kneeing you and that the knee the Timing of that need I mean Magnificent, right?

Yeah, and when you take all that away and you only have these it's a big difference.

it's a gigantic difference It's it's so interesting.

I have the same difference and I like it.

I mean I did boxing I had 1 pro boxing match I'm still oh and 1 as a professional boxer But then I did that Triller thing in the triangle and I fought Michael Seals, who was 27-3 in a mixed boxing match with turtle back MMA gloves.

Turtle back are like the training MMA gloves.

But it was it was like while Metallica was playing.

Oh, so they're like kind of big MMA gloves.

Another time I got hit in the back of the head and the ref saw it and I went down a little bit, but I got right back up.

So what is the biggest difference about bare knuckle for you?

So like when I fought Julian Lane, his little head hurt my hands.

Because a lot of the time with boxing gloves on, your hands are like open, and you try to close it at the right time.

But you know, if you do that bare knuckle, because you know how if you're squeezing your fist, it's a little harder to move.

But in bare knuckle, you have to learn how to move while you're tense and keep your hands close, because with gloves, you can block a shot like this.

But in bare knuckle, you got to be closed up tight and Squeezing your fist so hard so that when you hit them in the head you're you don't destroy your hand

Yeah There's like there's 3 levels of vulnerability in the level number 1 is like you would see a lot of the like the glory guys they keep their hands in a shell, like Alistair Overeem or like Badr Hari, those guys would shell up.

They shell up, but they have those big ass gloves.

And you see that when they come to MMA, some of those shots sneak through.

But then, bare knuckle, it's another level of sneaking through.

It's a totally different, it's really interesting to watch a really good fighter like Luke Rockhold, you know, and you.

And you know, Luke Rockhold is very skillful.

And when you were putting it on him, I was like, this is a totally different thing.

And you are like uniquely suited for this totally different thing.

And remember when Pauly Malignaggi fought Artem Lobov?

Well, Pauly, I mean, he's a scrawny dude.

It was a good fight, to be honest, But the jabbing and moving that Pauly did didn't work for him and Luke I don't know, you know, that's kind of what we were talking about when you brought up Luke we were talking about I was talking about the tight fist and like how bare knuckle is different and it's like I figured out how to utilize the bare knuckle.

I hit him by the time I caught him, and then he was like, I'm not trying to get hit like that again.

I haven't talked to him about it or asked him cuz I don't I mean you know he lost or whatever so I don't talk to losers but I try to do what winners do man I try to think about winners but when I hit him with that shot he didn't want to get hit again.

He had hit me, I got a little knot on my face right there, but I took it and I bet it hurt him.

I told him before the fight, you're gonna punch me in the head, it's gonna be the hardest thing you ever hit.

And then I'm gonna headbutt you in your hands and I'm gonna punch you in your face and you're gonna quit and that's what he did Wow, yeah, that's good stuff man.

I think I can do it in any gloves though any sport I could fight in the UFC I have a mindset and I fight with these guys I do MMA I see your belt on the wall in there when I went and did the cold plunge your it's like a red belt or a black belt with red stripes.

No no it's John Jock Machado when he when he got his coral belt he gave some of them out to some of his students.

Coral belt stuff, I'm going to chase back my black belt.

I'm a purple belt, 4 stripe for years now.

I trained with some of the best jujitsu practitioners I just choose to sprawl and brawl.

I think it's the best off button I enjoy it and it's exciting and it's entertainment business, right?

I mean, look, people love to watch you fight.

I would love to, please, give me opportunities.

I want to show and be, I want to be a fucking Coral belt in my own right in my own way and people know When Mike Perry walks down the street, it's like that's what the baddest motherfucker that ever lived dude Mike Perry they're gonna talk about me just like they did Mike Tyson.

Because you were always a really good fighter, but it seems like over the last few years, you're on a completely different level.

It's like I stopped making fucking excuses and fucking was like, you know, cause I'm hurt all the time.

I'm like, all right, fuck it I got to wake up every day and feel this shit.

You can't fucking hurt me because I'm in enough pain.

I take anything you got and give it back That's fighting and I got and I do it for you know, I do it for fighting.

That's, even though it hurts, it fucked my face up.

I've hate, It's a love-hate relationship.

And if you tell yourself just, who cares?

Like, just no 1 cares about your problems or anything so just handle your business.


Speaker 0: The Jerogan Experience This bare knuckle boxing thing has been fascinating to watch, man, because it's like someone designed the perfect sport for you. You know what I mean? Yes. Like you are particularly well suited for that. And it's, I find it so fascinating Because there's there's a certain and I really wanted to ask you about this because there's a certain something that applies to bare-knuckle fighting That just it's like there's a pain and there's a danger and there's a wildness of it that even some very great fighters, they get to a certain, they're in there and they're like, I don't like this.

They're too used to gloves, they're too used to whatever they're used to. They don't want that experience once they find it, once they're in there. But you seem to thrive on it.

Speaker 1: You know, it's just a real fight to me. Even though, I mean, I still go to the gym and I do MMA with the guys. I love boxing so much, though. It's my forte. It's like what I'm good at.

Cause I'm cool to take a punch, get hit, that's fine. I'll take a hit to land a better 1 on you. And in Bare Knuckle, I mean, there's a lot of opportunity to fight guys who... I mean, I did fight Julian Lane, who had experience in it. He had 9 fights in it when we fought.

And then I fought 2 guys who hadn't done it yet. So, you know. You

Speaker 0: gotta see, it's just, like, let's talk about those 2 guys. Like, first of all, Michael Venom Page. That guy is super talented. I mean, He's extraordinary. When you watch him fight in MMA, and he's a guy that I kind of predicted 1 day.

I was like, the 1 skill that you don't see a lot of in MMA is this crazy blitz point fighting style. Cause those guys can cover crazy distances. Those are those really good point fighters. And he was a really good point fighter. And he was the first guy that kind of showed how that style could apply in MMA.

He's so elusive and so hard to hit. And you know, you just put it on him.

Speaker 1: It's a... Well, it was different, you know? It was...

Speaker 0: It's different.

Speaker 1: It was boxing.

Speaker 0: Yeah.

Speaker 1: I mean, he beat a couple guys boxing. Yeah. But it's, I mean, because he's good MMA. After I beat him, I thought, you know, maybe they'll try to make that fight happen in MMA now, but I do feel like I would overpower him grappling-wise. But his legs are very dangerous.

I mean, that last guy he fought, he kicked him in the leg and it was over.

Speaker 0: Yeah, he's very dangerous That not the knockout of cyborg was fucking crazy.

Speaker 1: Yeah, that was great. Okay ball. Yeah, crazy

Speaker 0: I mean he caved his forehead in

Speaker 1: I mean his legs. That's what I'm saying. His legs are dangerous Interesting to me to want you know, I'm hungry for fights. I wanna fight all these motherfuckers.

Speaker 0: Well, I think with a guy like that, it's funny, I was watching Stylebender was on Andrew Schultz's podcast, and they were talking about him boxing some days, like boxing is too limited, it's too limited to fight. You think about a guy like him who applies this full wild range of things especially with Michael Venom page because he's so good at closing distance and kicking you and kneeing you and that the knee the Timing of that need I mean Magnificent, right? Yeah, and when you take all that away and you only have these it's a big difference.

Speaker 1: Yeah,

Speaker 0: it's a gigantic difference It's it's so interesting.

Speaker 1: I have the same difference and I like it.

Speaker 0: Mm-hmm.

Speaker 1: I like it fits me. I mean I did boxing I had 1 pro boxing match I'm still oh and 1 as a professional boxer But then I did that Triller thing in the triangle and I fought Michael Seals, who was 27-3 in a mixed boxing match with turtle back MMA gloves. And I won. I mean, I just put the pressure on him.

Speaker 0: What are turtle back MMA gloves?

Speaker 1: Turtle back are like the training MMA gloves.

Speaker 0: Oh okay.

Speaker 1: But it was it was like while Metallica was playing. Oh yeah, here it is.

Speaker 0: Oh, so they're like kind of big MMA gloves.

Speaker 1: He was 27 and 3 as a professional boxer. He drops me like once. They counted it Once he dropped me. Another time I got hit in the back of the head and the ref saw it and I went down a little bit, but I got right back up.

Speaker 0: So what is the biggest difference about bare knuckle for you?

Speaker 1: I've learned though. So like when I fought Julian Lane, his little head hurt my hands. Because a lot of the time with boxing gloves on, your hands are like open, and you try to close it at the right time. But you know, if you do that bare knuckle, because you know how if you're squeezing your fist, it's a little harder to move. You're kind of tense.

But in bare knuckle, you have to learn how to move while you're tense and keep your hands close, because with gloves, you can block a shot like this. But in bare knuckle, you got to be closed up tight and Squeezing your fist so hard so that when you hit them in the head you're you don't destroy your hand

Speaker 0: Yeah There's like there's 3 levels of vulnerability in the level number 1 is like you would see a lot of the like the glory guys they keep their hands in a shell, like Alistair Overeem or like Badr Hari, those guys would shell up. They shell up, but they have those big ass gloves. And you see that when they come to MMA, some of those shots sneak through. But then, bare knuckle, it's another level of sneaking through. It's a totally different, it's really interesting to watch a really good fighter like Luke Rockhold, you know, and you.

And you know, Luke Rockhold is very skillful.

Speaker 1: He's a

Speaker 0: very skillful guy. And when you were putting it on him, I was like, this is a totally different thing. And you are like uniquely suited for this totally different thing. It's different than regular boxing, man. And remember when Pauly Malignaggi fought Artem Lobov?

Speaker 1: Well, Pauly, I mean, he's a scrawny dude. Yeah. And Lobov was just a little dog. He's a dog. Yeah.

That dude's an animal. It was a good fight, to be honest, But the jabbing and moving that Pauly did didn't work for him and Luke I don't know, you know, that's kind of what we were talking about when you brought up Luke we were talking about I was talking about the tight fist and like how bare knuckle is different and it's like I figured out how to utilize the bare knuckle. I mean, I knocked his teeth out. I hit him by the time I caught him, and then he was like, I'm not trying to get hit like that again. It was a matter of time.

The gap was closing. It takes a second. He hit me too, and I told him, I bet it. I haven't talked to him about it or asked him cuz I don't I mean you know he lost or whatever so I don't talk to losers but I try to do what winners do man I try to think about winners but when I hit him with that shot he didn't want to get hit again. He had hit me, I got a little knot on my face right there, but I took it and I bet it hurt him.

I bet it hurt his hand. I told him before the fight, you're gonna punch me in the head, it's gonna be the hardest thing you ever hit. And then I'm gonna headbutt you in your hands and I'm gonna punch you in your face and you're gonna quit and that's what he did Wow, yeah, that's good stuff man.

Speaker 0: It's a different thing man. It's a different thing

Speaker 1: I think I can do it in any gloves though any sport I could fight in the UFC I have a mindset and I fight with these guys I do MMA I see your belt on the wall in there when I went and did the cold plunge your it's like a red belt or a black belt with red stripes.

Speaker 0: That's John Jock's belt.

Speaker 1: That's not your belt?

Speaker 0: No no it's John Jock Machado when he when he got his coral belt he gave some of them out to some of his students.

Speaker 1: Man, dudes like that, you know? Coral belt stuff, I'm going to chase back my black belt. I'm a purple belt, 4 stripe for years now. Coulda been had my brown belt. I got great jujitsu.

I trained with some of the best jujitsu practitioners I just choose to sprawl and brawl. I like to punch people. I think it's the best off button I enjoy it and it's exciting and it's entertainment business, right? So You know Fucking lost my

Speaker 0: There's something to be said for

Speaker 1: that, for sure.

Speaker 0: I mean, look, people love to watch you fight.

Speaker 1: Thank you, I appreciate it.

Speaker 0: I was always a giant fan.

Speaker 1: That's what my point was. Yeah, you had wild fights, man. I would fight anyone, anywhere. I would love to, please, give me opportunities. I want to show and be, I want to be a fucking Coral belt in my own right in my own way and people know When Mike Perry walks down the street, it's like that's what the baddest motherfucker that ever lived dude Mike Perry they're gonna talk about me just like they did Mike Tyson.

I feel like Mike Tyson. I feel different. I'm better.

Speaker 0: What changed in you? Like, how did you come into your own? Because you were always a really good fighter, but it seems like over the last few years, you're on a completely different level.

Speaker 1: I have a family. I love them so much. And, you know, I'm a human. I fuck up. I make mistakes and shit.

But, you know, I know I don't give up. I keep going and I push. And I took David Goggins type shit. It's like I stopped making fucking excuses and fucking was like, you know, cause I'm hurt all the time. I'm always fucking hurt.

I don't care. I'm like, all right, fuck it I got to wake up every day and feel this shit. You can't fucking hurt me because I'm in enough pain. I take anything you got and give it back That's fighting and I got and I do it for you know, I do it for fighting. I love fighting like, that's my shit.

That's, even though it hurts, it fucked my face up. I've hate, It's a love-hate relationship. My family can hurt my feelings, too. So it's all emotional feelings. And if you tell yourself just, who cares?

Like, just no 1 cares about your problems or anything so just handle your business.

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Mike Perry on Transitioning to Bareknuckle Boxing