UFC welterweight Mike Perry on Wednesday denied domestic violence allegations made by his ex-wife, Danielle Nickerson, saying he hopes “she can move forward and find some better life for herself.”
Speaking publicly for the first time since MMA Junkie first reported Nickerson’s allegations, Perry was subdued in answering questions about his ex-wife’s detailed account.
“Yes, I deny the allegations,” Perry said during UFC 255 virtual media day. “Our relationship – if you wanna call it that – had its ups and downs, and it’s long past due. We’ve been legally divorced, and there’s just nothing really to back what she is saying.”
Last month, Nickerson said that Perry – with whom she was in a relationship for five years – physically abused her “a handful of times,” starting shortly after they got married in September 2019. The worst of it, according to Nickerson, came earlier this year in the early morning hours of Feb. 10, when Perry allegedly “ground-and-pounded” her in their home in Orlando, Fla. Afterward, Nickerson said she fled to a neighbor’s house where she was picked up by Perry’s mother, Sabra Young, who drove Nickerson back to her home. Young called 911 when Perry arrived.
“I did not assault her that night. I don’t believe that necessarily those allegations were made about the night that that 911 call took place,” Perry said. “The night that took place, what happened was Danielle just went over to my mother’s house, and I went over to talk to my mother to tell (Danielle) to come outside and speak to me. My mom said ‘no,’ and I was like, ‘What the heck? Can we have a conversation?’”
On the 911 audio obtained by MMA Junkie, Young told dispatch that she was “scared for (her) life” while Perry acted “violent” and revved his engine outside. Perry drove off about a minute later, peeling out over his mother’s lawn.
Police arrived several minutes after Perry was gone, and no arrest was made. Perry downplayed how Young conducted herself on the 911 call.
“My mom is a savage,” Perry said. “I’ve never disrespected my mother – that night only. And that was by revving my engine, and I drove across her grass. So she called the cops on me.”
He continued, “She’s always been over-dramatic and acting up since her and my dad had me. My dad was a wild dude, so she always expected something from me. That’s probably one of the reasons why I never disrespected my mother ever.”
Nickerson, who sought a restraining order from Perry, filed for divorce in March, and it was finalized in late July.
The allegations made by Nickerson were a culmination of a downward spiral for Perry, who fights Saturday against Tim Means at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Less than two weeks after his June 27 win over Mickey Gall, Perry was caught on video knocking out an elderly man with a punch outside of a restaurant. That prompted the UFC to order Perry to seek treatment for an alcohol problem, which he reportedly did.
Perry is expecting his first baby – a boy – with girlfriend Latory Gonzalez. With the UFC electing to keep Perry on UFC 255 in the wake of Nickerson’s allegations, he’s thankful for still being able to compete Saturday.
“I feel that the truth is always out there,” Perry said. “I’m grateful for my opportunities, especially with all the things that seem to come against me. I’m still here. I believe that I’m a good person, and I don’t mean no harm on nobody unless we sign a death waiver.”
