MMA is known for its intense rivalries and feuds, forged both inside and outside the cage, and few fighters exemplify this more than Conor McGregor. From his heated clashes with Khabib Nurmagomedov to his epic showdowns with Nate Diaz, McGregor’s rivalries have become legendary. Now, after becoming a part-owner of BKFC, the Irishman has sparked yet another feud—with ‘Platinum’ Mike Perry. For the unversed, following Perry’s loss to Jake Paul last year, McGregor took to X to mock Perry’s performance, even going so far as to claim he was “fired.”

Perry, however, wasn’t having it, firing back with, “He doesn’t f–king have a promotion, because me and him are both owners of BKFC, so he can’t fire me.” But in a surprising twist, McGregor’s tone has recently softened. Whether it’s the financial hit from his civil lawsuit or the lack of UFC matchups on the horizon, something seems to have changed his mindset. The former double champ recently expressed respect for Perry ahead of BKFC’s Florida event at the show’s presser. “Mike should come home, he still shows love to the game and we’ll always have love for Mike Perry for sure. And yeah, me and Mike would be a great fight for sure, 100 percent.”

In response, Perry remained upbeat, welcoming the apparent shift in attitude and leaving fans speculating about a potential clash between the two. A snippet from Ariel Helwani’s interview with Perry was posted on X by the MMA reporter. ‘Platinum’ said, “I mean, all respect to Conor for everything he’s done, and he promotes quite well… He said that because maybe you’re about to see me come back, and then it kind of looks like he is leading the way over there. You’re not seeing it the way that you do when Platinum steps in there.”

Perry believes that Conor McGregor might be looking to bring him back because BKFC is thriving right now. Perry still has three fights left on his contract and remains eager to step into the ring and throw down. Following his knockout loss to Jake Paul, Perry launched his own Dirty Boxing Championship promotion. In the first episode of Down and Dirty docuseries, Perry addressed McGregor’s insults, where the Irishman hinted at firing him from BKFC. Unfazed, Perry responded, “It’s good for him. It’s good for everybody. Go ahead, chirp, chirp.” Ironically, McGregor is now saying positive things about Perry and wants him to come back “home” to BKFC.

While a Perry vs. McGregor matchup has fans buzzing, it’s not the only potential fight stirring excitement. Many are calling for a rematch between Perry and Jake Paul. However, former UFC champion Rashad Evans believes that if the two were to clash again under Perry’s DBX banner, the fight would look entirely different.

Rashad Evans weighs in on Mike Perry vs. Jake Paul 2.0

During a conversation on the Overdogs Podcast, former 205lbs champ Rashad Evans shared his thoughts on a potential rematch between Mike Perry and Jake Paul. The 45-year-old veteran believes Paul would face significant challenges in Perry’s domain.

“That’s where Mike is more comfortable. But more importantly, like, there are elements in that style that Jake just hasn’t been able to, he is just very different. But I feel like in a situation like that, Mike will come alive a lot sooner, just because of the fact that he’s got that kind of conditioning in the bag. You know what I am saying? He probably can jump off and do a good 10 rounds like that just because of the fact that he’s always consistently training in that manner. You know, so I think that Mike will smash him.”

Perry himself has echoed similar sentiments, asserting that Paul would never face him in BKFC, despite ‘The Problem Child’ expressing interest. During an appearance on The MMA Hour, Paul remarked, “I want to do an MMA fight, and I think Perry is actually a good opponent for MMA and maybe bare-knuckle. I haven’t thought about it, but I’m down.”

Perry, however, dismissed the notion and stated, “One thing I want to remind Jake over and over again is that he wouldn’t do a bare-knuckle fight.” Given Perry’s perfect 5-0 record in BKFC, it’s clear why he feels confident about his chances against Paul in the bare-knuckle arena.

With McGregor now hinting at wanting Perry back home to BKFC and fans buzzing about a possible rematch between Perry and Paul, the combat sports world is rife with speculation. Will ‘Platinum’ return to BKFC to face McGregor, or will Jake Paul step up to the challenge and enter Perry’s gritty domain? Share your thoughts in the comments below!