Michael ‘Venom’ Page vs. Mike Perry Bare-Knuckle Brawl Set as BKFC 27 Main Event

** Huge Announcement ** Michael 'Venom' Page will be facing Mike Perry in the main event at #BKFC27 on Aug 20th! https://t.co/HLL6nJaKgl
▶️Pre-Sale Ticket Signup: https://t.co/B9CKDdozj8 pic.twitter.com/XKrkrfAWVE

— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) June 9, 2022

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Editor's note: The article has been updated at 4:45 p.m. ET on June 9 to add a statement from the promoter.

It appears Michael Page is taking his recent loss in Bellator MMA for the title a little harder than anyone expected.

On Thursday, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship announced the main event of its jaunt to London on Aug. 20. The fight card at the OVO Arena Wembley will be capped off by a middleweight (175 pounds) tilt between Page and Mike Perry. Both men longtime MMA veterans, this match will be contested under bare-knuckle boxing rules over five rounds, each two minutes in length. Per MMA Junkie, Page has not been released nor fought out of his Bellator contract, and rather that this is a one-off arrangement.

Over the course of @MichaelPage247’s 18-fight career at @BellatorMMA, we’ve allowed Michael to challenge himself outside our cage in professional boxing. We wish him luck in this match as he resets for another run at the Bellator title.

— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) June 9, 2022

Bellator head Scott Coker confirmed this in a statement on Twitter shortly after the announcement, saying: "Over the course of Michael Page's 18-fight career at Bellator, we've allowed Michael to challenge himself outside our cage in professional boxing. We wish him luck in this match as he resets for another run at the Bellator title."

Page last competed in May, where he fell short to Logan Storley in a contentious split decision that ranged with scorecards from 50-45 for Storley to 49-46 for Page across scoring media members. That loss snapped a six-fight win streak that included four knockouts, as well “MVP” avenging his lone career defeat by taking a decision over Douglas Lima in October 2021. Page reportedly sought out a boxing match for the summer, and his promotion allowed him to join the BKFC ranks for this show instead. In addition to his 22-bout MMA career, Page is a 2-0 pro boxer and has one win as a kickboxer as well.

“Platinum” Perry made his own BKFC debut in February, where he snagged a decision over “The Ultimate Fighter” Seasons 16 and 25 competitor Julian Lane. Before joining BKFC, Perry competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship 15 times, leaving the organization with a 7-8 record that included four knockout wins. Prior to his time in the UFC, Perry fought once as a professional boxer, losing by fourth-round knockout to Kenneth McNeil.

BKFC 27 will serve as the bare-knuckle league’s first foray to England when it comes to London on Aug. 20. The OVO Arena Wembley will play host to a fight card that will capped off by the Page-Perry battle, and it is not the only fight currently scheduled for the evening. At welterweight (165 pounds), Britain’s Connor Tierney squares off with Joe Elmore in search of an elusive title shot at Elvin Brito’s throne. Additionally, in the heavyweight category, Mick Terrill represents the U.K. against former title challenger Sam Shewmaker.