When Michael “Venom” Page finally signed with the UFC in December 2023, fans expected the flashy knockout artist from his Bellator days to light up the Octagon. Instead, his UFC run has been far less spectacular than many expected.
The numbers tell the story. Page has gone 5-1 across his six UFC appearances but has yet to score a single finish inside the Octagon. His latest outing at UFC Paris last week was another underwhelming performance, as he picked up a boring decision win over Nursulton Ruziboev in what was also the final fight on his current UFC contract.
Things had already taken a frustrating turn for “MVP” earlier this year when he faced Sam Patterson at UFC London in what was arguably one of the dullest fights of his career. With a flashy performance seemingly needed in his final contracted bout to make a case for another deal, Page once again failed to deliver a finish.
Now, it appears the UFC may have moved
Now, it appears the UFC may have moved on. The biggest indication came when the promotion removed Page from its rankings eligibility following his UFC Paris appearance, suggesting that the Englishman is currently a free agent. On Monday, MMA reporter and UFC rankings panel member John Morgan shared an email he received from the promotion on social media confirming the change.
The message read, “Dear Panellists, Michael Page has been removed from rankings eligibility effective immediately. If you ranked him in your middleweight division already, we ask that you please re-rank that division to make sure you have 15 athletes.”
Of course, Page can still return to the UFC if both sides agree to a new deal. Dana White could have plenty of motivation to keep the 26-3 striker around, especially with Page potentially having other options with MVP MMA or the PFL.
Page himself didn’t sound particularly optimistic about
However, Page himself didn’t sound particularly optimistic about his UFC future following his Paris victory. Speaking at the UFC Paris press conference, “MVP” admitted he didn’t expect the promotion to offer him a new contract.
He had said, “They weren’t happy with me before, they’re not gonna be happy with me now. If I put myself in their shoes, it’s like, same thing. ‘We can sign him again, but are we gonna see much more?'”
If Page does decide to move on from the UFC, though, he shouldn’t have too much trouble finding a new home. And it didn’t take long for one potential opponent to throw his name into the mix.
Former UFC middleweight contender Derek Brunson called out
Former UFC middleweight contender Derek Brunson called out Page on social media, seemingly pitching a fight between the two free agents in the PFL. Brunson enjoyed a lengthy run in the UFC’s middleweight division, picking up notable wins over the likes of Darren Till, Kevin Holland, Lyoto Machida and Uriah Hall.
He eventually signed with the PFL but fought just once for the promotion, leaving his future in combat sports somewhat unclear. Now, however, Brunson appears to have found an opponent he wants to share the cage with.
He posted an AI-generated poster featuring himself and Page with the caption, “Two free agents,” while hinting at a potential showdown in the PFL.
For Page, the UFC door may not be completely closed just yet. But if the promotion doesn’t come calling with a new deal, Brunson’s callout could give “MVP” an interesting option for the next chapter of his career.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
