LAS VEGAS – Luke Rockhold says Mike Perry is in for a rude awakening at BKFC 41.
Rockhold makes his bare-knuckle boxing debut when he faces Perry in a 185-pound matchup, which headlines the April 29 event in Denver and airs live on BKFC.tv pay-per-view.
Although Perry has experience boxing without the gloves after a unanimous decision win over Julian Lane and a majority decision win over Michael Page, Rockhold expects his size and power to be a problem.
“I’m confident in my abilities to put this kid away,” Rockhold told MMA Junkie Radio. “I don’t think he understands the danger that’s coming, and that’s the thing that works to his advantage, too. He doesn’t understand danger; he’s so f*cking dumb. It makes him effective, but also I think it’s gonna leave me the opening so I can put this kid away. I’m big, and I hit hard. I don’t think you’re ready. I’m not an 80-year-old man you can knock the f*ck out. You f*ckng piece of sh*t.”
Rockhold, 38, parted ways with the UFC following a Fight of the Night war against Paulo Costa last August. Rockhold requested his release from the UFC after the fight and revealed that he’s gotten offers from both PFL and Bellator.
So why BKFC? Rockhold says it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.
“It was the opponent, it was the payday – you guys would get up and fight the f*cking fight if you knew what I was getting paid,” Rockhold said. “But it’s also the opportunity. It’s a challenge, it’s something new, and it puts me right where I want to be. I’m not making a career – who knows? You never know, but I like the fight, I like the stage, I like the payday. I don’t know what’s next; we’ll see. We got a lot of things in the works right now. I’ve just got to go out there and handle business.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for BKFC 41.