Mike Perry is a free agent following his BKFC win over Luke Rockhold, but promotion president David Feldman is hoping to see him return. Aljamain Sterling, meanwhile, says he verbally agreed to fight at UFC 292, but his health is a concern. It’s your Sunday MMA Quick Hits!
Glismann hits inverted omoplata at Oktagon 43
Louis Glismann told Cageside Press that he wanted another highlight reel victory over Melvin van Suijdam at Oktagon 43, where the pair met for the second time. Glismann hit a kneebar when the pair first met in 2018; Saturday, as part of the Tipsport Gamechanger welterweight tournament, he managed to land an inverted omoplata.
Louis Glismann pic.twitter.com/AGJiPCndV8
— Neo Vale Tudo (@NeoValeTudo) May 20, 2023
Mission accomplished.
Aljo Opens Up About Quick Turnaround for UFC 292
The announcement of Aljamain Sterling vs. Sean O’Malley for UFC 292 in Boston this August took many by surprise, given Sterling is fresh off a win over Henry Cejudo. Sterling’s own camp questioned the announcement, but Sterling admitted this past week that he had verbally agreed to the bout — though whether he makes it to the fight remains to be seen.
“I told them yes, verbally agreed,” Sterling said on his Weekly Scraps podcast (h/t MMA Junkie). “But, of course, my body has to agree. It’s kind of like Manel Kape vs. Deiveson Figueiredo and he thought he was good to fight, and then his eye – whatever, whatever. And then I have to test my bicep again to see because I definitely feel like I tweaked it in the fight, but it held up. Even flexing right now hurts.
“So, I don’t know. We’ll see. So, you guys have the inside scoop. Gonna try to make this happen. This would be a sick, insane turnaround. But where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
KSI’s win over Joe Fournier overturned to No Decision
Youtuber KSI has seen his win against Joe Fournier overturned to a no decision, after the fight ended due to an apparent elbow/forearm making contact.
Misfits Boxing hosted the card at the OVO Arena at Wembley in London, England, which was overseen by the Professional Boxing Association. It was the PBA who conducted a review of the outcome, and moved swiftly to overturn the result.
A press release issued by the PBA reads in part:
“Even though KSI was winning the fight, the blow with the forearm/elbow has been found to be accidental and the obvious disappointment will follow, it has been decided that the contest is declared a No Decision in accordance with the rules.
“The PBA has conducted the review properly, fairly, and with legal assistance throughout as the bout was sanctioned and regulated under the unified rules of boxing. We have ensured this process was conducted swiftly and fairly to uphold the integrity of boxing.”
Don’t expect this one to be run back, however.
David Feldman hopes Mike Perry returns to BKFC
Following his smashing success against Luke Rockhold last month, Mike Perry is a free agent — but BKFC President David Feldman hopes to keep him in the fold.
“I want to bring him back, absolutely,” Feldman told MMA Fighting recently. “He personifies everything that I’m looking for in this sport as far as fighting, as far as the way he acts, he sells himself, he’s doing good with the sport. I think we have a great relationship. I think he’ll come back. [A] great offer’s on the table, and if he doesn’t [re-sign], I wish him the best. But I don’t think that’s going to be the case.
“He’s built for this sport. He’s truly, truly built for this sport. If he goes back to mixed martial arts, he’s not a grappler, he’s not a ground guy — although he can grapple, I don’t know if that’s his calling. I know this is his calling. He’s already a superstar here. He’s become a well-recognized star already and I think he can be a superstar with us. Hopefully he comes back. I think he’s going to come back, but time will tell.”
Perry parted ways with the UFC in 2021 and immediately defeated boxer Michael Seals in Triad Combat, before running up a 3-0 record in bareknuckle boxing for BKFC. That run includes the fight against Rockhold, plus wins over Michael “Venom” Page and TUF alum Julian Lane.
