Love him or hate him, Mike Perry embodies a timeless formula for MMA entertainment. He says ridiculous things, acts completely outlandish at weigh-ins, and in general, looks like he could fit in as a guy who would wear a bedazzled flying skull T-shirt in 2008 or as a dude going through a one-night tournament in 1993. Perry is MMA. Every fight he’s in is entertaining, and before his fight against Max Griffin at UFC: Orlando, he went extremely old school, and tried to pants his opponent.
Pantsing is something usually reserved for the baby boomer’s generation of high school bullies. It’s something that seems like a plot device or running joke in a sequel to Animal House no one asked for. In other words, it totally fits Perry’s weird sense of humor. He’s a manchild that can knock out just about anyone at 170 pounds, and he’ll make you smell his finger.
Alas, he wasn’t able to pull off the full pantsing, but he tried. The effort is what matters.
The first ‘pantsing’ in UFC weigh-in history ?@PlatinumPerry vs @MaxPainMMA kicks off #UFCOrlando on BIG @FOXTV! pic.twitter.com/zsn4UUrD3S
— UFC (@ufc) February 23, 2018
Of course, some thought it was disrespectful, but others, like the UFC’s Aljamin Sterling, said he wouldn’t even know how to react. That’s Perry in a nutshell. How do you even react to the guy?
So close .. @PlatinumPerry @MaxPainMMA #UFCOrlando pic.twitter.com/nmR6RnCzmj
— UFC (@ufc) February 23, 2018
😂😂 I wouldn’t even know how to respond https://t.co/uAlot2eP2R
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) February 23, 2018
Because if someone did that to Mike Perry, he would've been totally chill about it and probably just snickered. https://t.co/qAkcn6Ztlu
— Brian Martin (@TheBMartin) February 23, 2018
Yeah, and Griffin was trying to be serious and it was clear that he didn't know how to respond, either. "Do I laugh? Do I play it off like he didn't just get me? Do I pretend nothing happened? Do I get even more serious? Do I keep talking shit?" He was confused AF 😅
— Original Clyde Aidoo (@clydeaidoo) February 24, 2018
As we can see, he didn’t pull it off (literally), so maybe he shouldn’t get too much credit. That said, can he ever try this again? His opponents will be ready.