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Mike Perry has only been in the UFC a matter of months, but it’s quickly become one of the organization’s more controversial figures.



Having got into England on Monday, a full six days ahead of his fight, the American has been keeping a low profile with the media and fans. Known for his trash talking and no nonsense attitude, Perry gave a rare interview to Jonathan Shrager, and addressed why he thinks the public have such a poor perception of him.



“I mean, yeah I'm a bit of an asshole man; if you ain't in my life and if I don't know who you are spiritually in life each day, then I don't you really care what you have to say about me,” Perry said. “I don't really care for what you're doing. If you're helping the community that's great. I'll help the community when I can.



“I do care for people don't get it twisted. Because I'm talking shit to somebody who wants to take my head off in a couple of days I'm going to take their head off first. There’s nothing wrong with little shit talk. People can take it how they want to take it, but like I said, I don't care how you take it or how you feel. If I affect your life in any negative way well that's good for me because you can kiss my ass.”





Perry set the record straight on his previous legal troubles and explained what hoops he had to jump through to get the go ahead and enter the U.K. for his fight this Saturday.



“I'm not on bail, I'm on probation,” Perry said. “I was arrested a long time ago and I've been dealing with it and I've learned a lot from my mistakes. Like I said, people gotta learn when they don't have the guidance proper in their life and I've learned and I've become a better person after everything.



“I'm almost done with probation. I mean, probation let me leave the country so I'm obviously doing something right. There were no legal restrictions. I had to get permission, but that's fine you know. I’m saying all I had to do is ask and if it's a good reason they let me go. I guess this being my job and it was a pretty good reason.”



Having served his time and taken his medicine. Perry then explained how he believed MMA had made him a better person, and how his renewed focus on his career took him away from his previous troubles.



“I've been doing martial arts well before and I just always believed in myself,” Perry said. “when I was 11 years old I wanted to be the champion of the world and I've been working for that ever since the bad things actually took me away from that and then when I got in trouble.



“After that, I became more focused about chasing my dreams and thinking of taking the time to actually do what I wanted and loved in life rather than to get everything now. I waited and I was patient and I’m here now living out the dream. This is a great life and I couldn't ask for anything else.”