Derek Perez stepped onto the BK scene at KnuckleMania 3 where he faced Anthony Sanchez of whom he'd created a rivalry with beforehand in MMA. Perez had scored a knockout with a head kick to ground and pound when they'd faced each other previously, and the hate carried over into the Squared Circle where they threw a combined 596 strikes. They started hot and Sanchez dominated round one, wobbling Perez with his very first punch. But the chin of Perez more than held up and he scored an impressive unanimous decision win.

Derek Perez's brother Gene also fights in the BKFC and they together run a gym out of Belen, New Mexico. Brittany Horton who made her debut in 2024 trains out of the small gym as well.

Perez hopes to hold a belt in the near future, actually calling his shot of becoming champ before 2025. His loss to now champ Keith Richardson set him back no doubt, but if there's one thing you can take from both Perez brothers, they don't give up.

Derek Perez will be a contender as long as he chooses to throw hands at 135 and with solid technique, reach and a hard chin, all bantamweights should be on notice for years to come.