Outside the UFC’s return to Shanghai this weekend, Mike Perry’s grudge match against Dillon Danis is another event that has generated plenty of interest among combat fans. The two were scheduled to collide in a welterweight bout at Duel Arena’s inaugural event in Orlando, Florida, on August 29. However, the anticipated showdown has now fallen apart after Danis withdrew from the headliner because of an injury, forcing an ex-UFC fighter to step in on short notice.

As expected, ‘The King of Violence’ wasn’t pleased with his opponent’s withdrawal and didn’t hold back while addressing the situation at the pre-fight press conference.

“I appreciate everyone for being here and everyone who supported this card. All these professional athletes who have showed up, prepared to make weight tomorrow morning and fight on Saturday night,” Mike Perry said. “But let’s not beat around the bush. This p—y a– b–ch, Dillon Danis, didn’t show the f–k up. He’s not here. He backed the f–k out because he’s a p—y.”

Dillon Danis’ withdrawal marks another high-profile setback involving the former Bellator fighter, who has previously seen several major matchups fall apart, most notably his boxing bouts with KSI and Anthony Taylor.

However, Perry’s frustration is understandable given the long-running animosity between the two.

Perry and Danis have been feuding with each other for over two years, with their animosity beginning shortly after Conor McGregor’s teammate suffered a disqualification loss to Logan Paul in their 2023 crossover boxing match. The two continued exchanging insults on social media, and their rivalry nearly spilled into the ring when Perry challenged Danis to a bare-knuckle fight. That matchup sadly never came together.

Fortunately for the event, former UFC fighter Brandon Jenkins has answered the call and accepted the matchup against ‘Platinum’ on just 48 hours’ notice, and Mike Perry was quick to praise his replacement opponent for stepping up to save the headliner.

“I want to give a shoutout to my new opponent, Brandon Jenkins,” Perry added. “He’s getting on an airplane right now. He’s flying here to weigh in in the morning like a professional and fight me on Saturday night. I no longer have to cut any more weight, so I’ve accepted this fight at a higher weight class.”

The promotion has yet to officially confirm whether Perry and Jenkins will compete at a catchweight or at middleweight. 

Reflecting on Jenkins’ UFC run, we can definitely say it was both brief and underwhelming. He competed twice inside the Octagon, suffering stoppage losses to Rong Zhu in September 2021 and Drakkar Klose in April 2022. Since leaving the promotion, however, he has remained active across organizations including Gamebred FC and Karate Combat, most recently getting a win over former UFC fighter Chris Avila in their catchweight showdown at MVP MMA 1 event in May on the Rousey vs. Carano card.

While Jenkins deserves credit for accepting such a late replacement opportunity, there’s little doubt that the original Perry-Danis matchup carried significantly more intrigue. And shortly after Perry criticized Dillon Danis for withdrawing, the former Bellator fighter revealed exactly why he was unable to compete.

Dillon Danis shares gruesome injury after withdrawing from Mike Perry bout

Following Mike Perry’s fiery comments, Danis took to social media and shared graphic footage of the injury that forced him out of the fight. The video showed a doctor stitching up a significant wound on Danis’ arm, with a large flap of skin visibly hanging from the injury.

“S—t happens in the fight game,” Danis wrote in the caption of the video on X. “Beyond disappointed.”

The injury adds to Danis’ history of physical setbacks. In 2019, Conor McGregor’s teammate suffered a knee injury following his Bellator debut against Max Humphrey, forcing him to undergo surgery and spend years away from competition. The controversial MMA star eventually returned to action in 2023 against Logan Paul.

However, the arm injury appears to be an entirely different issue and is the first time the 33-year-old has publicly displayed such a severe wound while preparing for a fight.

While Dillon Danis hasn’t revealed exactly how the injury occurred, it appears to have happened during his training camp.

The severity of the wound also raises questions about how quickly Danis can return to competition. Depending on how the injury heals and whether any complications develop, he could potentially face several months on the sidelines. For now, though, the biggest disappointment for Danis is that an anticipated grudge match against Mike Perry has once again slipped away.