Create a free account to unlock this article! Get Started Already a subscriber? Log In

UFC welterweight Mike "Platinum" Perry may have just suffered his first career loss, but he's a man already looking for retribution.



Perry was defeated by fellow American Alan Jouban at UFC on Fox 22 on Dec. 17, dropping a unanimous decision on the main card opener. While for some their first loss is a devastating experience, Perry has seemingly accepted what happened and has already highlighted several technical areas where he needs to improve.



The art of promotion

While cognizant of some errors he made in the cage against Jouban, Perry didn't backtrack on the way he built up the fight prior to the bout. Instead, he said it was all in the name of promotion.



"I wouldn't say it's 'bygones-be-bygones,'" Perry said. "I've asked for a rematch. I just like to talk s**t. I just like to talk trash. He took it all personally, called me a bully and said that he'd use me as an example for his son or something. Like, whatever, man.



[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BOGcewYhXc3/" hide_caption="0"]



"My favorite thing was looking at the weigh-in photo of Urijah Faber and (Brad) Pickett, Mickey Gall and Sage Northcutt, and Paige VanZant and Michelle Waterson--they were just in each other's faces. Then there was my picture and I'm like, 'Ahhhhh!' with my tongue out. I thought that was the greatest photo. I mean, they had their moments. Michelle and Paige danced up there, but you know what, we were all just trying to be a little different."



Pre-fight bird flipping

One man who didn't appreciate Perry's pre-fight talk was Jouban, who came out after the fight and said that he purposely tried not to engage with it. Perry did, however, say that during fight week, the tension between the two never got out of hand and at times was even a bit lighthearted.



"Maybe he's just a nice guy," Perry said. "There were no problems the week of the fight. I ran into him a few times in the hotel, and we even had some laughs. He said something about me flipping him off at the breakfast table, but we were laughing about it. He thought it was hilarious, and we were all laughing about it. It was a harmless joke.



"As far as I'm concerned, you shouldn't care about what people say or think about you anyways. I mean, Jesus, the same people after I lost the decision are all over the internet trashing me. Even before, people have been hating on me for a while. I don't have no quarrel or problems."



Dealing with the haters

As you can imagine, Perry's social media mentions weren't exactly pleasant after the fight.



Having not done any major media since the fight, Perry took the opportunity to clarify his stance on Jouban, stating what he thought about him having gone toe-to-toe.



"I don't know the guys that I'm going to fight," Perry said. "I don't know them personally, so I just make some jokes. People are like, 'Oh, he humbled you,' or [they're] saying, 'You should be humbled by that fight,' I should have more respect for these guys. I'm like, listen: I showed the man respect when he beat me. He out-pointed me very well, and he did a great job.



"I'm showing him respect by saying that now but f**k him. I would fight him again in a heartbeat, and I'd rip his head off. I don't care--I showed the man respect because he did well. He sounds like a little b***h whining about it, calling me a bully, trying to make me feel bad and saying that my girlfriend was no better because she was laughing in his face.



[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BONeyeLB877/" hide_caption="0"]



"Boo hoo though, man. Why you crying so much about it? Why do you care about what other people are saying? Either someone is going to KO him or he's going to have another great performance against someone and keeping fighting the same way he fought me."



To Perry, Jouban's calculated strategy is effective, and he expects it to lead Jouban to more victories inside the eight-walled cage.



"I think if he keeps fighting that way there is no way anyone can give him trouble and he will beat and outpoint a lot of people," Perry said. "I'm going to get back to him and beat him, or if someone beats him, I'll then take that person out and beat that person to make up for it. I'll go fight Albert Tumenov. I'm trying to talk to them about another fight [and] another contract right now. I'm ready to go."



Who next?

When he gets back in the Octagon, Perry has a few names in mind who he'd like to face, and, as usual, he had no problems sharing his targets.



"There are no names right now [that I've been offered] but I'm calling people out," Perry said. "I'm calling out Tumenov because he beat Jouban, and I think it would be a great fight. I'll fight Mickey Gall or Kamaru [Usman] who's ranked number 15. He's getting better, but I don't think he's that good. He's a big, strong guy, but I think I can knock him out. Jake Ellenberger is coming off a loss, [Jorge] Masvidal is fighting [Donald] Cerrone.



"If I'd won the fight I was going to call out Cerrone or Nate Diaz or Conor McGregor. I'm going to keep working my way back up to Tyron Woodley. I don't care about a little point loss, man. If I made one adjustment at any moment in that fight I could've ended that fight, just like I did against Danny Roberts."



Perry then issued a warning for whoever steps into the cage opposite him next.



"Whoever the next guy is, I'm going to terrorize the man," he said.



Ain't no stopping me

Despite the loss and the backlash that has come with it, Perry remains resolute in the belief he's destined to go to the top. He had one final message for his fans.



"There ain't a damn thing going to change, man," Perry said. "I'm going in there to put on a show and to knock somebody's head off their shoulders, and I'm going to talk s**t while I do it. I'm just having fun. If these guys take it personally, then I'm good with that. I'm just trying to get in their head, and if I'm making them angry or they are taking it personally, I'm doing that.



"At the end of the day, it's not going to change who's going to win that night. We've both trained hard and we are both going to give our efforts. There is going to be a winner that night, and I'm willing to bet nine times out of 10 it's going to be me.



"Whatever you do, there ain't nothing you can do to stop me."



[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BON6iGdhCqw/" hide_caption="0"]





