Conor McGregor and Mike Perry reunited in a heated press conference in Hollywood, Florida. It marked the first time the two came face-to-face since ‘The Notorious’ fired ‘Platinum’ following his boxing loss to Jake Paul on July 20, 2024. It kicked off a wildly entertaining beef between the two. As expected, chaos erupted when both of them shared the stage at the BKFC champions’ summit. According to Perry, things didn’t calm down afterward either, as the duo had a wild encounter later that night.

The former two-division UFC champion and part-owner of BKFC, Conor McGregor, made headlines by announcing a massive $25 million openweight tournament. He also revealed the signing of former UFC middleweight title challenger Yoel Romero, generating serious hype. But all of that took a backseat when McGregor and Mike Perry faced off. Things exploded as the 36-year-old Irishman and part owner of the BKFC declared to the ‘The King of Violence’: “You’re welcome back because I welcomed you back. October 11 is your date—you’ll dance for me, boy. You’ll dance for the owner.” However, it didn’t stop there. 

McGregor continued by teasing a “hell of an opponent” for Mike Perry to throw down with in BKFC—just to see if “he’s worthy.” Only then, the UFC star would consider stepping in to fight him. That summed up most of the verbal fireworks from the presser. But the drama continued. Perry reveals that their interaction spilled over into a casino later that night, where he admitted he couldn’t understand a single word the Irishman was saying.

‘Platinum’ told Helen Yee in an interview, “Yo, last night, I was playing a game in the casino—the little bubble popping dice. And, Conor came up and said, ‘Wassup’ to me! Telling me how he changed his clothes and s–t. I don’t know what else he said. It’s so crazy to me, cause when he was talking to me, he was speaking like wild Irish English. And I was like, how does he do it when he gets on the mic? At BKFC, he speaks so good on the mic! But, when he spoke purely, just me and him, I don’t know what the f– he was saying! That sh-t was crazy!”

“I didn’t know what he was saying. He was like ‘(mouths jibberish)’. I was like, ‘Damn bro! For real,'” the 33-year-old wondered. It seems despite not being able to understand McGregor’s English, things were comparatively cordial off camera between the two of them, well, at least as cordial as can be.

Perry not being able to understand McGregor at times is totally understandable. The Irishman often leans heavily into his thick Dublin accent, which can be tough for the average English speaker to follow. That said, BKFC seems to be picking up serious momentum. And if things keep heading this way, it could quickly become one of the top destinations for brutal, bare-knuckle action outside the UFC.

To help make that vision a reality, BKFC president David Feldman is confident fans will eventually see McGregor trading punches without gloves. So, let’s take a look at what he had to say about ‘The Notorious One’ possibly stepping into the bare-knuckle ring.

David Feldman says Conor McGregor fighting in BKFC is possible, but not soon

Conor McGregor might just be the perfect fit for a bare-knuckle fight—sharp, precise, and powerful, with all the tools in his arsenal to deliver a true superfight. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say ‘The Notorious’ has already graced the BKFC ring with his presence. However, there’s still a major hurdle. Despite his optimism about McGregor eventually fighting in BKFC, president David Feldman acknowledges a significant constraint that’s currently holding things back. 

The BKFC president told MMA Junkie, “If he gets those two [UFC] fights done, 100 percent he does. But that’s a long way away. If he has the drive to do it, which I think [he does]. I’ve seen a different Conor McGregor. You see different Conor McGregors. You see a guy who’s like, ‘Hey, let me run for President, and let me do different things.”

McGregor has two fights left on his UFC contract. And one of them is the potential showdown at Donald Trump’s highly anticipated UFC White House spectacle next year. But whether he’ll step back into the Octagon first and then make the leap to BKFC to fight Mike Perry or someone else, remains a story only time can tell. So, Feldman’s caution makes perfect sense.

That said, it has to be acknowledged: a Conor McGregor fight in BKFC would skyrocket the promotion’s stock overnight. So, who do you think would be the ideal opponent for him to face bare-knuckle? Drop your picks in the comments below!