Dirty Boxing, the newly launched combat sports promotion spearheaded by UFC veteran and BKFC star Mike Perry, is making waves with some exciting additions to its roster. The promotion recently announced that former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski will make his return to competition at DBX 1: Romero vs. Hylton on Sat., March 22, 2025, inside The Hangar at Regatta Harbour in Miami, Florida. This marks Arlovski’s first fight since parting ways with the UFC, adding significant star power to the debut event. ‘The Pitbull’ will compete against Terrance Hodges who holds a 3-2 overall record.
For the unversed, Arlovski last competed at UFC 303, and after a string of four consecutive losses, the 46-year-old was cut in July 2024. But that’s not all Perry has in store. In a surprising twist, he’s bringing in another well-known UFC figure — not for a fight, but for commentary duties. Enter former 185lbs kingpin Sean Strickland! Known for his hard-hitting style both inside and outside the Octagon, Strickland is no stranger to controversy. Perry confirmed in a recent video on Dirty Boxing’s official page that Strickland will join him in the commentary booth for DBX 1.
“I reached out to Sean Strickland yesterday,” Perry revealed. “I figured and my team thought me and I in the commentary booth would be pretty spunky. You know I think we’ve had a good time talking fights. Be realistic as far as from a fighter’s standpoint we have the eyes to watch the action and explain to you what is happening.”
However, remember that ‘Platinum’ and ‘Tarzan’ previously clashed over UFC and BKFC fighter pay? When Perry claimed the UFC paid its fighters less, Strickland agreed but still delivered a scathing response. Strickland posted on X, “UFC pay is utter garbage lol They’re signing guys at 10/10 that should be criminal… but the vast majority of BKFC fighters are getting paid way less than that….. As a ufc fighter, I advocate for better pay for me and the entire roster…… You should do the same for your guys.”
It seems that rivalry has cooled, now that Perry is bringing Strickland in for a commentary role at Dirty Boxing. Meanwhile, Strickland has been keeping busy since his recent UFC 312 loss to Dricus Du Plessis. Fans are eager to see what’s next for the outspoken middleweight star.
Sean Strickland and Eric Nicksick mend ways after UFC 312 disappointment
After Strickland failed to deliver on his promise of a victory over DDP, losing the bout in a rather underwhelming fashion, his coach Eric Nicksick publicly criticized him. On Ariel Helwani’s show, the head coach of Xtreme Couture expressed his disappointment with Strickland’s performance, calling it “uninspiring.” However, the Xtreme Couture head honcho later admitted that he regretted airing his frustrations publicly. In a recent interview, he revealed that he and Strickland patched things up shortly after the controversy.
Nicksick shared, “He broke his nose. He was out for a few days and came back in. I saw him the day after the whole Ariel interview, and he was like, ‘Yeah. Everything you said was accurate. I’m kind of being a little b*tch right now.’ And I’m like, ‘I know, bro.’ Then I said, ‘I’m sorry. The timing was bad on my part.’”
November 9, 2024, Las Vegas, Nv, Las Vegas, Nv, United States: Eric Nicksick and Sean Strickland at UFC Apex for UFC Fight Night – Magny and Pirates on November 9, 2024 in Las Vegas, NV, United States. /PxImages Las Vegas, Nv United States – ZUMAp175 20241109_zsa_p175_140 Copyright: xLouisxGrassex
While Nicksick acknowledged the timing of his comments was wrong, he stood by his point that Strickland needed to take responsibility for how the fight with Du Plessis unfolded. On the flip side, the coach also reflected on the lesson he learned about not publicly disparaging his fighters.
Now that the two have reconciled and Strickland’s relationships with his team and coach are restored, the question remains: Do you think Strickland will accept Mike Perry’s advice moving forward? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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