Former UFC and Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold made his debut in bareknuckle FC on Saturday at BKFC 41. He faced off with the always-game Mike Perry, known for his colorful personality and antics.
The hype for this event was not short of drama, with Perry suggesting he would headbutt Rockhold’s hands to break them during the bout. The two even had a funny moment during the weigh-ins, adding to the anticipation of a heated affair.
As the action began, Rockhold stayed on the outside, while Perry closed in and clinched up. However, just as the action was getting going, Perry landed a low blow, temporarily halting the bout.
After a brief pause, Rockhold continued, and moments later, he wobbled Perry with a left hand. Although he couldn’t finish him off, Perry hit back, and both men traded blows, hurting each other in the process.
Round two started with a Rockhold jab, followed by a Perry combo. Despite eating shots, Perry showed Rockhold no respect and continued to close the distance.
After some more exchanges, Rockhold appeared to complain about a low blow, but the ref didn’t see it, allowing the action to continue. However, moments later, Rockhold disengaged, indicating an issue with his mouthpiece, and the referee waved off the action, giving Perry the win.
Luke Rockhold and Mike Perry exchange big punches at the end of the first! #BKFC41 | LIVE on #FITE pic.twitter.com/7RGVl7yei8
— FITE (@FiteTV) April 30, 2023
BKFC president David Feldman was asked to comment if Rockhold had suffered an injury:
“Luke Rockhold got- some of his teeth got cracked. So that’s why he wasn’t able to continue in case a lot of people were worried. His teeth got messed up pretty good.”
Following the main event, Perry requested a face-off with Conor McGregor, who was brought into the cage, though it was only for show, given that McGregor is under contract with the UFC.
Perry also called for a clash with Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, who was in the crowd, but since Cerrone is retired, that’s unlikely to happen.