For mixed martial artists, their moniker becomes their identity. They tend to flaunt it wherever and whenever they can. But Mike Perry has taken the competition to the next level with his nickname inked right on his face. Backed by his fighting prowess, the tattoo is a medium to show his opponents why he’s called ‘Platinum’. 

‘Platinum’ might be the first ink you see on the bare-knuckle boxer’s body out on the streets. However, it’s a whole other story when he takes his shirt off while entering the arena for a showdown. With about 6 visible tattoos, he sure likes to intimidate his opponents. Today, let’s take a deep dive into Perry’s ink stories.

Mike Perry shocks everyone with a face tattoo

Of course, the first thing you notice on Perry’s face is the word ‘Platinum’ spelled out above his right eyebrow. Well, it was the first thing that he got inked with after stepping into the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In an interview with the UFC Unfiltered, the American fighter revealed the story behind the face tattoo.

Perry revealed, “After my UFC debut. Once y’all putt me on camera I was like ‘that’s it, I’m getting them. It was after my UFC debut, I was like ‘y’all let me in, I done shocked the world. Now that you let me in I’m gonna shock them again and get a tattoo on my face. I’m gonna keep shocking y’all.’”

Perry fought with Hyun Gyu Lim in his UFC debut match. It was the August of 2016, when ‘Platinum’ showed the world of mixed martial arts his skillset as he knocked Lim out cold within the very first round. Needless to say, the face tattoo isn’t the only thing he has inked on his body. 

Other tattoos on Mike Perry’s body

Let’s begin with the intricate ‘Yin and Yang’ tattooed on the edge of his palms. The picture completes itself when Perry claps his hands together and draws some awestruck eyes. In case you are wondering, it is indeed derived from his belief in martial arts. Another piece of tattoo is the ‘Tiger’s Mouth’ on top of his left hand. It does look like Perry has the mouth of the big cat when he puts his left hand on his mouth. This piece signifies ‘biting’ his opponents with the left hook. 

Then comes his ‘Robot Arm’ with flint on the inside, just to show how dangerous his left arm can be for the fighters standing against him. On his right arm, he initially had the word ‘Relentless’ spelled out. But later, he decided to turn that into a ‘Brick Wall’. Symbolic of a strong defense, don’t you agree?

But the ‘Dragon’ on the middleweight’s right arm and shoulder was actually a prize. Back when his MMA record read 5-0, he posted a pic on social media. But guess what… Perry once claimed that he won it without even posting. Crazy, right? And this dragon never fails to scare off his opponents in a fight. 

On his chest, Perry has a combination of two tattoos. One is a ‘Cross’ with his name on it, to signify his faith in Christianity. But it was a tattoo that he dedicated to his father. He also has another cross printed on his left cheek. The other one right beside the cross on his chest is an ink of ‘Michael The Archangel’, which looks like the ‘Knight of Swords’ if you know about tarot.

However, the most prominent piece when he stands tall, posing for the camera, is the ‘God’s Gift’ on his abdomen. It is quite an intricate piece of art that took about 9 hours to complete. Initially, it was just the words, but now, it’s a phenomenal tattoo that seemingly justifies his strength in the arena. 

Did you know about the challenge that Jake Paul threw in Perry’s way? Well, it was also linked to a tattoo.

Jake Paul offers a ‘tattoo bet’ to Mike Perry

Before Perry’s fight with ‘The Problem Child’, Paul proposed a wager. He challenged ‘Platinum’ to get a ‘W’ tattooed on his face if he lost the bout. On the other hand, if Paul was handed the defeat, he would have to face Perry in the realm of bare-knuckle fighting. However, the former UFC contender wasn’t ready for the bets. 

Perry rejected the offer right away, stating, “I ain’t getting any more tattoos. II haven’t had a tattoo in 10 years; I put that one up with God, so f*** your little tattoo bet. I’m not taking any of your bets; I came here to sign my cheque and beat your a**, Jake. I’m here for your a**, Jake.”

Nevertheless, Perry is a proud martial artist, and the tattoos on his body show just that. Talking to the UFC, he once said, “All my tattoos have to do with fighting because I dedicated my life to this a long time ago.”