Issue 162

December 2017

Mike Perry is guaranteed to show you a good time.

Life is never dull when Mike Perry’s around. When he fights, it’s a good bet that he’ll be getting his hand raised within minutes and his opponent will be lying unconscious on the canvas. He’s knocked out four opponents in just 13 months as an Octagon athlete, which has propelled him to a UFC welterweight top 15 berth.

Even though he was left without a high-profile opponent when Thiago Alves pulled out of their fight in Pittsburgh, his finish of Alex Reyes was special enough to keep people talking and his ascent going.

The fun doesn’t stop outside the cage, as he spends much of his time calling out anyone and everyone in his weight class that will facilitate his climb up the ranks.

Now he has the chance to finish the year in style with his biggest challenge to date where another spectacular stoppage should see him rise again to join the 170lb top 10 for the start of 2018, and make his demands for a title fight a possibility.

‘Platinum’ talks how he plans to take on his next challenge, how he’s handling the rewards of success and his favorite ways to celebrate.

How significant was getting another vicious knockout against Alex Reyes?

I remember the money I made that night. I remember all the talk that got going from doing what I did that night. It got me the fight that I have now – a top 10 opponent in Santiago Ponzinibbio. To be honest, I’ve forgotten about the last one. I’m on to the next one. We are just going to keep doing what we have been doing. Same show, but different components to get the knockout with.

How do you feel about Ponzinibbio being your next opponent?

The fight came to be because it’s part of the plan. It’s however the world turns. It just happened to be that way. This fight is full-circle from a year ago. It is my opportunity to rise to the occasion and show the world what I am made of. I will be prepared.

How do you see the fight going?

I am excited to see what this guy can dish out and what he can take. I am going to get in there and headbutt this motherf**ker if I have to. There ain’t no games around here. Urijah Faber said you have a dance partner and I was thinking, there ain’t no f**king dancing.

You have to be relaxed in there. You have to swag out. I am already p**sed off. It’s a dance of death. It’s a different type of dance, so I will go with that. I look forward to it. I will rise to the occasion and we will continue to change my life.

How cool is to see your name in the UFC rankings and get the chance to take on a top 10 opponent?

It’s fantastic. I get a little tickle inside because it was Alan Jouban’s dream to make it to the top 15. He got that top 15 fight and it didn’t go his way. Then it didn’t go his way for his opponent (Gunnar Nelson) and that’s that full circle right there.

Now I am in the top 15 because I came back from that stupid little track race (against Jouban) with two devastating KO finishes, one against a legend and the other where me and everybody else believes I was in fantastic shape to finish anyone or anything that stood in front of me that night. It didn’t matter who the opponent was. I had already mentally defeated Thiago Alves.

I have moved on from the Jouban fight and I can talk about it because I have grown from it. I see this full circle coming. I am going to hit this motherf**ker at 100 miles an hour with my head leaning straight in. I am going straight through that wall. Let’s go!

What was the reason for your rooster dance to celebrate your KO against Reyes?

It’s just being comfortable in the gym and messing with my body in martial arts and various forms.

There are a lot of different animal styles in martial arts and fighting. I am a big fan of anime, like Dragon Ball Z and stuff like that. I am a fan of Chinese martial arts movies, like Jackie Chan.

That was my rooster strut. I put that boy down in a cockfight. There’s nothing to it. I have lots more animals in the cage that I can break out.

What animals can you break out that we’ve not seen before?

I am a mixed martial artist who can fight anyone, any way. You guys still haven’t seen my ground game. If somebody can get me down there and hold me there, then I will put them in dangerous submission positions.

I am a jiu-jitsu guy. I am a purple belt with the gi on. With that and the hammers I got in my hands to hit people with, I feel comfortable at all times. It has been proved to be quite dangerous. I always seem to find the adjustment necessary in a fight.

I am becoming quite the 25-minute fighter. You see the pressure early and I believe I can keep that pressure for 25 minutes. I am on that level. I look forward to an opponent who is able to withstand that for a couple rounds.

You’ve earned back-to-back bonuses and bought a house. Are you becoming more responsible and investment-savvy?

Something like that. Conor (McGregor) was talking about 60Gs. I done made a hundred twice. I’m over here like ‘what the hell did he invest in?’ The numbers changed for him quite drastically. Respect to him for that.

I am looking to become quite the businessman. I have put everything into this fighting. I have this dream to be the greatest fighter on the face of the planet. It really is a childhood dream that I am living up to. I am trying to continue on that path. Everything else just falls in place and leads to a wonderful life. I am excited about everything I am doing. It is making that much easier to get better.

Yesterday, I was thinking there is no way I can get better tomorrow and then I feel like I grow, my mind grows. If you are alive and your heart is beating you have work to do.

I have a much better head on my shoulders. It’s like when you say if you could go back to high school and do it again because you know so much more now. I am getting that opportunity.

Your girlfriend, Danielle, corners you and you work out together. How vital is she to your career?

It’s a lot of mental stuff. Our minds connect. Without that connection… She just fills in all the gaps. Together we are the dominant duo. I don’t believe that there is a better match. Conor has been with his girl for a long time. There is someone to look at and look up to, what they have accomplished together. My girl is in the martial arts. She hasn’t fought, but I teach her. She was at sparring today with all the guys.

She plays tricks on them. She knows the game. She teaches tennis and is a very understanding coach. She understands how to coach someone. She sees flaws in techniques and angles.

I have great minds around me. Because of who I am, my mind only allows me to open up to certain people and we just mold together.

What does a ‘Platinum Party’ involve after a win?

There are bunches of single women for my single homeboys. There are drinks being passed around. Maybe a little bit of CBD, a little THC, good music, good vibes and good times. Everybody is dressed to impress. We are just celebrating life. That is a Platinum Party.