The last time we saw UFC fighter, Mike Perry he was caught on camera punching an older man and knocking him out at a bar in Texas, early July. Since then Mike himself has admitted to having a problem with his anger and drinking that had hindered his growth as a fighter and person. The UFC made it very clear that couldn’t happen again and that Perry needed to seek treatment to continue with the organization.
Now, this weekend, we will see the return of Perry after apparently taking steps the UFC said he must take to return to action. He will get UFC Vet Tim Means on short notice in a main card welterweight bout. Coming into this week it has been the typical Mike Perry lead up with cryptic tweets about his difficult weight cut, and also fans wondering who would be in his corner this time out after only having his girlfriend in his last fight and victory over Micky Gall back in July.
Who do you have at welterweight? 😤@PlatinumPerry vs @MeansTim on #ESPNPlus PPV.
[ Order now: https://t.co/5hyUH7SOn5 ] pic.twitter.com/slHUxsi6YC
— UFC (@ufc) November 20, 2020
Tim means is not worried about any of that and when offered the fight with “Platinum” there was no hesitation from Means. In fact it was more exciting to him then anything.
“It was a yes right away,” Means told MMA Junkie Radio. “We had a couple other fight offers on the table. I was looking to fight on Nov. 14. That was the fight that had been offered, so when they came back with Mike Perry (on) the 21st, I just thought, ‘Heck, I get a little more time to cut some weight, and we get to have a fun-ass fight and a guy that truly likes to fight and get in there and come after you.’ So it was a no-brainer. ”
He knows what Perry brings to the table whether he’s right or not he said. “Knowing Mike behind the scenes, knowing the guy that you get on camera and off camera is who he portrays on TV, so I respect the originality out of the guy. It’s who he is, and it’s not a front. Exciting fighter, a guy that comes and gets in your face and tries to hurt you, so he’s not a guy that you have to go look for.”
“He’s gonna meet me in the middle of the Octagon, and we’re gonna figure out who the better fighter is and who the bigger dog is,” Means said. “With that being said, we were talking about violence earlier, and this will be a violent fight, so I’m excited for that.”
Perry himself is facing more problems then just bouncing back from a disturbing incident last July he is also allegedly facing the worst weight cut of his life going into the fight as he said on his Twitter page Thursday.
Can’t believe I’ve even been here this long. Maybe I should just lay the gloves down. I don’t want it. I’m just in over my head with this weight. I was just 189 and now I’m 177 and I can’t sweat. I ran with a nice sauna suit , got in the portable sauna for 15 minutes , nothing
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) November 20, 2020
*Note Mike Perry Missed the welterweight limit of 171 by 4.5 pounds, weighing in at 175.5 pounds.
Mike Perry enters the bout with a pro record of 14-6 (7-6 UFC) He is currently riding a one-fight winning streak.
Tim Means enters the bout with a pro record of 30-12-1 (12-9 UFC) He is current riding a one-fight winning streak.
My prediction: Perry already being a typically fast starter will come out even more desperate and rushed for a finish after missing weight this weekend. He will be swinging wide and wild looking for a KO, and while Means does a great job at first countering and staying away from the big shot about 2-3 mins into round 1 Perry flatlines Means out cold with a big right hand for your Winner by 1st round KO/TKO Mike Perry.