As much as Mike Perry impressed in his UFC debut against Hyun Gyu Lim at UFC 202, he also kicked up some controversy. Or at least, his corner did.
During the introductions to the fight a voice can be overheard from Perry's corner pepping him up, and in the process slinging an ethnic slur. "He can't even open his motherf---ing eyes, boy," the voice says, in reference to Lim, who is a Korean fighter.
Perry was a guest on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour, and the insensitive comment was brought up. When asked about it, Perry defended his cornerman.
"Well, I guess I said something about it, which isn't my place," he said. "I think it needs to be taken up with him, that individual, more than my words. I can’t speak for another man. I do know that man well, and I know he’s a kind-hearted individual who loves all people he comes across, unless he is crossed by those people. But I don’t believe there was any harm intended. That’s all I have to say about that. Everything else should be taken up with him."
The cornerman in question is Alex Nicholson, who later put out a statement via Twitter.
"I respect every man who steps in the cage and my comments were insensitive towards lim I was hype for my brother it was all love no hate," Nicholson's tweet read.
Perry scored an impressive TKO victory over Lim on the main card of UFC 202. He downed the much bigger Lim on multiple occasions, and the fight was officially stopped at 3:38 of the first round. The comments that his corner made marred the victory, and left him to answer for the people he was surrounded with.
Asked if he shared those sentiments, Perry queried as to what was actually said.
"What did he say? People may have taken it wrong," he said. "I think people's opinion on this has been blown way out of proportion and they need to calm down."
When told it was something to do with Lim's facial features, which would be considered insulting, Perry spun his version of events.
"I don't know," he said. "I don't think any of my competition can see me, and when I hit Lim I opened a lot of people's eyes."
Told that the comment was made before he hit Lim, Perry joked.
"Well, we can see the future."
The UFC didn't respond for a comment on the matter, although when asked about it on Twitter, UFC Vice President of Public Relations Dave Sholler responded that the promotion was "looking into" it.
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