Former UFC star Mike Perry and Jake Paul needed to be separated by security during a face-off on Friday ahead of their upcoming fight.
Paul was initially set to fight former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson on Saturday, although Tyson was replaced by Perry after the 58-year-old pulled out due to a medical issue. Perry currently fights in the middleweight division of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, owning a perfect 5-0 record.
Paul has a 9-1 record since he turned to boxing following his days on YouTube, recording a first-round knockout win over Ryan Bourland in his last bout on March 2.
Prior to his current role with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, Perry amassed a 14-8 record in 22 MMA fights. He only has one professional boxing match under his belt, as he was knocked out in the fourth round of a 2015 bout.
The two fighters have been taking shots at each other throughout the weeks leading up to the fight, and it became clear on Friday that tensions are rising even further.
"We've never been friends," Perry told TMZ Sports on June 28. "He's never been cool with me, he wanted to beat me up, and he's a sneaky little snake, and I'm gonna f--king knock the teeth out of his mouth."
Meanwhile, Paul is focused on embarrassing Perry as well as the BKFC.
"I'm going to embarrass their whole entire league,'' Paul said on Thursday, per USA Today's Josh Peter. "This guy [Perry] has no skill. Those are just brawlers, idiot street fighter dudes who have no idea what the sweet science is.''
The two are set to face off on Saturday night at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
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