Things got weird in the first faceoff between Mike Perry and Luke Rockhold.
On April 29, Rockhold starts the next chapter of his fighting career by removing the gloves and competing in bare-knuckle boxing. The former UFC middleweight champion signed with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship earlier this year, with his promotional debut scheduled for BKFC 41 against Perry.
Rockhold and Perry appeared at Tuesday’s BKFC 41 press conference, leading to their first faceoff shortly after. The interaction started with the former UFC middleweight champion squaring up with his arms resting on ‘Platinum.’
Rockhold followed up with a fake knee to Perry’s groin, which led to Chael Sonnen stepping between them to ensure it didn’t escalate. After facing the cameras and flexing, ‘Platinum’ picked his nose and wiped it on Rockhold’s jacket, which got a laugh from Sonnen.
Since parting ways with the UFC in 2021, Perry has found tremendous success in BKFC with wins against Julian Lane and Bellator’s Michael ‘Venum’ Page. Meanwhile, Rockhold last fought in August 2022, losing against Paulo Costa for his third consecutive defeat. The California native requested his release from the UFC to explore other options, and the promotion accepted.
Who else is fighting at BKFC 41 besides Mike Perry vs. Luke Rockhold?
Besides Mike Perry vs. Luke Rockhold in the BKFC 41 main event, nine other fights are scheduled for the April 29 event. In the co-main event, Chad Mendes returns for his second BKFC appearance against promotional newcomer Eddie Alvarez, who signed with the promotion at the same time as Rockhold.
Former UFC fighter Bec Rawlings is making the trip to Colorado with hopes of becoming the women’s 125-pound champion by dethroning Christine Ferea. Rawlings is always dangerous without gloves, but Ferea has won four consecutive bouts under the BKFC banner.
BKFC 41 also features former UFC fighters Chris Camozzi and Dan Spohn going toe-to-toe. Ben Rothwell was supposed to be competing on April 29, but his opponent recently pulled out, and they are looking for a replacement. The event takes place inside the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado.
