Why would the UFC release a name like Alex Caceres? That was the question ricocheting through the MMA world when reports emerged that the featherweight veteran known as ‘Bruce Leeroy’ was stepping away from the Octagon. For over 14 years, Caceres had been a mainstay on the UFC roster. A fan favorite since his Ultimate Fighter 12 debut, he went toe-to-toe with names like Urijah Faber, Yair Rodriguez, and Sergio Pettis.

So, when news broke that Caceres would be making his next appearance under Dirty Boxing Championship, Mike Perry‘s wild, new-age fight league—heads turned. Why leave now? Why trade the Octagon for a smaller ring and a more chaotic format? Caceres recently opened up and finally shed some light on his UFC exit and what the future holds for him!

Alex Caceres confesses Mike Perry’s promotion drew him after UFC exit because he wanted to ‘express’ himself

In a clip from the Overdogs Podcast shared on Instagram, Mike Perry, the founder of Dirty Boxing Championship, began by asking, “What was it that brought you over? Was it our interesting fighting style with dirty boxing? Are you excited to throw hands and elbows? Or was it something else?”

Alex Caceres is scheduled to take on another former UFC veteran, Saidyokub Kakhramonov, at the DBX 2 co-main event on June 14. As such, he responded to Perry’s question by confessing, “A lot well, a lot of things, you know. I’m always looking for interesting ways of expressing myself. So, I definitely always wanted to try out some boxing in the future, but dirty boxing is more right up my alley. You know? So that definitely works out.”

For the record, he’s not just dipping into boxing, he’s diving into something far closer to combat chaos. With four-ounce gloves, elbows, slaps, spinning backfists, and standing ground-and-pound all legal, Dirty Boxing is the kind of fight where creativity meets violence.

Still, it wasn’t just the format that drew him in. Caceres shared, “But mainly because, I was just being inactive for such a long time. You know? The UFC had me on the shelf for a while because our contract had ended, and so we didn’t re-sign the new contract yet.”

His last fight inside the Octagon came in May 2024, where he lost a decision to Sean Woodson at UFC On ESPN 56. Before that, he had fought Giga Chikadze in 2023, and with the long gaps between the outings, something had to change.

Caceres continued by stating that the UFC told him he was still in their plans, but that they hadn’t found an opponent. As such, he revealed, “We’re just gonna sit around and wait till we find you a good opponent. But it’s been over a year, so I’m like, I gotta go do something. So they basically told me, like, well, you’re a free agent.”

With a co-headliner spot on DBX 2 and fighters like Jairzinho Rozenstruik also featured on the card, the event is shaping up to be a spectacle. And make no mistake, Mike Perry’s DBX isn’t just another combat sports league. It was built for chaos. Smaller rings. Faster rounds. No split decisions, because if the judges can’t decide, fighters go one more round.

It’s a natural fit for a guy like Caceres with his unorthodox and unpredictable style. But that doesn’t mean his time with the UFC is over as he claimed, “Whenever we resign you again, that’s when you you’ll be fighting for the UFC again. So I’m just just kinda waiting.”

So, no burnt bridges. Just a temporary detour. The question now is, can ‘Bruce Leeroy’ turn his DBX debut into the kind of moment that makes the UFC take notice again? It remains to be seen. But while he’s hoping for a return to the Octagon, Mike Perry is calling out another UFC star to settle their score once and for all in a different arena!

‘The Notorious’ and Perry continue their feud as calls are made for a clash in the BKFC

Mike Perry and Conor McGregor‘s feud doesn’t seem to be fading away anytime soon. It all started with an Instagram Story. McGregor took a swipe at Perry while congratulating new BKFC light heavyweight champ Josh Dyer. The jab? “You have never been bare-knuckle world champion. We made a fake belt for you… don’t mention Bare Knuckle FC again.”

Perry and McGregor have traded shots before, verbally, not physically. Back in 2024, after Perry lost a boxing match to Jake Paul, McGregor, who’s part-owner of BKFC, “fired” him online. Perry didn’t stay quiet then either, saying the Irishman would lose to Jake Paul worse than he did to Floyd Mayweather.

But this time, Perry wants more than words. With McGregor inactive since 2021 and uncertain to return, Perry made his offer clear. “If he wanted to fight somebody, he should fight me.” He added that he’s ready to get back in the ring, make a spectacle, knock someone’s teeth out, and then line up the McGregor fight for the big bucks.

To wrap things up, Alex Caceres is using DBX to stay sharp, stay relevant, and keep doing what he loves while the UFC figures out its next move. Meanwhile, Mike Perry is flipping the script in combat sports altogether. With his wild resume and bolder-than-ever callouts, he’s not just building a promotion, he’s building momentum. Whether it’s Conor McGregor, chaos, or cash, Perry’s aiming for all three!