UFC: Mike Perry vs. Mickey Gall – ‘One of the Dumbest Fighters vs. One of the Smartest’

They’ll meet Saturday night under the bright lights of UFC on ESPN 12. Mike Perry will take on Mickey Gall in the co-main event in a highly anticipated welterweight fight. Perry (13-4) enters as the favorite but has dropped three of his last four fights. Gall (6-2) said Perry is ‘regressing’ and is looking to take advantage.

Mike Perry hoping to turn things around

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Mike Perry has been slumping as of late. He has dropped his last two fights, three out of his four, and five of his final seven. Despite the slump, he’s eager to face Mickey Gall, who recently said Perry was regressing. “I’m going to be prepared for the best Mike Perry, but if I really think about it, I think he’s been regressing,” said Gall during UFC on ESPN 12’s media day. “I know I’m getting a lot better and I think he’s on a downward slide.”

Perry, however, said he doesn’t believe he’ll have any issues with Gall. He said his record is deceiving because he has fought quality opponents. He admits he’s struggled lately, but his struggles will come to an end when he meets Gall.

In a tweet earlier this month, Perry thanked the UFC for scheduling the fight with Gall. “All my opponents have been top tier for the past 3 years,” Perry wrote. “The best welterweights out there. So I’ve struggled a bit. To have a weak ass opponent like @mickeygall for a real paycheck is a dream come true.”

Gall fires back at Perry

Mickey Gall, who is a college graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in communications, believes Mike Perry isn’t one of the brightest guys around. Gall said he’s a “low-key fan” of Perry, but he believes Perry doesn’t have a very high fight IQ, according to mma.fighting.com.

“The dude’s fun, he’s exciting, violent,” Gall said of Perry. “He’s a savage. But I’m a killer. I think it’s one of the dumbest fighters versus one of the smartest. I may be the one with less experience, but I’m a smart kid and I’m athletic as hell. I’ve got a lot of kill moves that I’m going to put on display and I think Perry’s going to be a good win for me.

“I hope he thinks I’m a weak-ass opponent,” Gall said. “I hope he thinks that. We’ll see what happens on the 27th. Like I said, he’s going to be a savage, I’m going to be a killer in there. I’m going to take my time. I’m going to find what I need. I’m going to take him apart.”

Perry’s motivation for the fight is his new girlfriend

According to CBS Sports, Perry split from his wife of seven months, professional tennis player Danielle Nickerson, earlier this year. Nickerson played a role in Perry’s career, acting as his corner woman and sparring partner. Perry announced on Twitter that his new girlfriend, Latory Gonzalez, would be training him for the fight with Gall and would be the lone person in his corner.

“This is a ‘Platinum’ Mike Perry fight, bro, and there’s one person in this world who deserves the opportunity for that front row seat,” Perry said. “That’s the most beautiful thing that I ever saw. It’s my girl, Latory Gonzalez.

“(Gonzalez) is new motivation, the best motivation and the motivation I’ve been looking for my whole life,” Perry said. “What does a guy fight for? Deep down, the animalistic features we have say that ‘if I could beat that guy and bite his neck before he bites mine, I get to take the pretty girl home.'”