Tag: Michael Page

Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Sean Brady submits Leon Edwards, Jones-Aspinall update, UFC Mexico City preview, more

On Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses Sean Brady’s submission win over Leon Edwards, the Jones-Aspinall update, and more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Mike Bohn and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • [autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag] made a big statement Saturday, going into enemy territory and submitting former UFC champion [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag]. It was a big win for Brady, who’s now knocking on the door of a title shot. We break down Brady’s win at UFC Fight Night 255 and discuss what’s next for both fighters at 170 pounds.
  • Brady wasn’t the only fighter who shined in London. We discuss and analyze some of the key results outside the main event of UFC Fight Night 255, including [autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag] defeating former champion [autotag]Jan Balchowicz[/autotag] and [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag] getting back to his winning ways. 
  • Big topics circled in last week’s news cycle. UFC CEO [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] commented on the highly anticipated matchup between [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] and where things stand in the making of the title unification bout. Additionally, [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] commented about two potential opponents for his next bout. We weigh-in on those two topics, plus more. 
  • The UFC returns to Mexico City this week. A key flyweight bout between former champion Brandon Moreno and ex-title challenger Steve Erceg headlines UFC on ESPN 64. We dissect the main event and highlight other bouts from the card.
  • Lastly, we open things up for you to participate on the show. We’ll be doing a live fan Q&A in which we’ll answer your questions about any topic in the MMA world. Submit your question during the show on the YouTube live chat. The best submissions will get featured on the show. 

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Michael Page targets Colby Covington or Kamaru Usman for next UFC fight

Michael Page is headed back to welterweight and wants former UFC champ Kamaru Usman or multi-time title challenger Colby Covington.

LONDON – [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] wants his next fight to be against an elder statesman of the UFC welterweight division.

Page (23-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC), who’s coming off a unanimous decision victory over Shara Magomedov at UFC Fight Night 250 in February in a one-off bout at middleweight, is looking to make a return to welterweight.

MVP sees matchups against former 170-pound champion Kamaru Usman or controversial longtime contender Colby Covington as ideal options.

“I haven’t a clue (what’s next), but everyone seems silent at the moment,” Page said at a UFC fan Q&A on Friday at The O2. “I don’t know if that last fight has worried a few people, but everyone seems a bit silent. There’s many names out there.

“I think me and Usman would be a good fight. I want to punch Colby in his face for some reason. I don’t know why. There’s guys out there. I’m just waiting for them to respond to the call.”

Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) hasn’t competed since a majority decision loss to Khamzat Chimaev in a short-notice middleweight bout in a October 2023. He is currently on a three-fight losing skid, but has teased a return to competition this year.

Covington (17-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) is one of the most polarizing figures in MMA. It’s a matchup that interest “Venom” a lot, and one that he’d like to finish in the same manner as his Bellator fight against “Cyborg” Santos – a famous skull crushing TKO.

“I’m hoping for a repeat of a jumping knee to the face,” Page said. “You all saw how that went, so I’m hoping that way.”

As far as the timeline, the 37-year-old Page is looking to stay as active as possible, he said. The Brit would like to get back in the octagon as soon as possible.

“If I can get two more fights in (this year) that would be great,” Page said. “I’m trying to get one as soon as possible. There’s shows in May that I want to be on, and again at the end of the year. So two more fights, definitely.”

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Shara Magomedov details slew of health issues after UFC Saudi Arabia loss to Michael Page

“I’ve never felt this sick in the cage,” Shara Magomedov said after his loss to Michael Page.

[autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag] says he was dealing with a slew of health issues at UFC Fight Night 250.

Magomedov (15-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) suffered his first-career loss when he dropped a unanimous decision to [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] (23-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) this past Saturday at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After the loss, Magomedov released a statement hinting at a “nightmarish health condition” and went into details about what exactly it was that he was experiencing.

“I’ve never felt this sick in the cage,” Magomedov told Red Corner MMA in a translated interview. “My legs were gone, my arms felt weak, and I’ve got a lot of health issues I don’t want to reveal. It was a whole bunch of problems that affected my performance. My mind was there, but my body was off. I’ve got dysbacteriosis and parasitosis in my intestine, and I’ve got problems with my bile flow. I hoped to fix this issue, at least before the fight, but it’s still there.

“That’s why I could not keep the proper pace. I was feeling sick after throwing just a few punches, so I needed a break. After every couple of punches, just moving on my feet for a minute, I was even afraid that I could throw up in the fight. When I was going back to my corner after the first round, I felt like I was about to throw up. All of that bile stuck up here didn’t let me work. It’s still there even now. My legs were gone.”

MVP responds

Page was asked about Magomedov claiming he was compromised during their fight.

“If I was to give any advice moving forward, if you accept the fight knowing that you have had anything prior to the fight, then the result is the result,” Page said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “If you win, you can say what you want.

“If you lose, you know, just keep it to yourself. It just looks – maybe later down the line you can say you had a few issues. But directly afterward, he could be completely factual, but it just comes across wrong. It comes across as an excuse. That would be my only advice for him.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 250.

Why Michael Bisping suggests Michael Page remain at middleweight after UFC Saudi Arabia

Michael Bisping thinks Michael Page is better suited for middleweight after UFC Fight Night 250.

[autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] is better suited for middleweight after UFC Fight Night 250.

Page handed Shara Magomedov his first-career loss in a unanimous decision win Saturday at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. “MVP” told MMA Junkie prior to the fight that he planned on dropping back down to welterweight after the fight, and his stance remains the same.

However, Bisping argues that competing at 185 pounds could provide Page (23-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) better stylistic matchups.

“MVP, I would like to see him stay at 185 – but he told us at the post-fight show he wants to go back down to 170,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel. “He wants that (welterweight) belt. He feels he’s still got work to do, and I question that because there’s a lot of wrestlers at 170 pounds.

“Of course, you’ve got Belal Muhammad, you’ve got Shavkat Rakhmonov that you’d think would definitely wrestle MVP if he was to fight him. There’s Kamaru Usman and many, many others.”

“I’ve got a lot of respect for (Magomedov), but I’ve got to call it like I see it. MVP was by far the better man tonight,” Bisping said. “He was the better striker, he was in control, he was dominant and he was owning the octagon. More importantly, he was frustrating Shara ‘Bullet.’ Shara is a really good striker. He’s very aggressive and he’s got really fast kicks, but he’s kind of conventional.

“That is why MVP probably called him out because he’s seen that style a thousand times. MVP with the traditional sport karate background, with the hands low, with the precision striking, with the one-shot kind of power – MVP has seen that style many, many times, but Shara ‘Bullet’ hasn’t seen that style. And not many people who have that style can deliver it and execute it with the precision that Michael ‘Venom’ Page can.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 250.

Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Israel Adesanya stopped at UFC Saudi Arabia, Bryce Mitchell’s hideous comments, UFC 312 preview

On the latest Spinning Back Clique, the panel discusses Israel Adesanya’s latest defeat, Bryce Mitchell controversy and much more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Dan Tom and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] suffered his third consecutive defeat courtesy of [autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag]. The former middleweight champion was stopped in the second round of the main event of UFC Fight Night 250 in Saudi Arabia, putting him in a difficult career situation. We discuss both Adesanya and Imavov future in this sport following their big clash.
  • Outside of the main event, UFC Fight Night 250 saw many interesting results. [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] handed [autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag] his first professional defeat, while [autotag]Sergei Pavlovich[/autotag] returned to the win column with a decision win over [autotag]Jairzinho Rozentruik[/autotag]. We dissect these two fights among other highlights on the card.
  • Well, [autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag] talked himself into arguably being the biggest headline last week, and all for the wrong reasons. The UFC featherweight made some gross comments on his own podcast praising Hitler, Holocaust denial, gay bashing and more. He later apologized in part and said he’s “not a Nazi.” This triggered a massive response in the MMA community and even from UFC president [autotag]Dana White[/autotag]. What’s going on with MMA’s culture? Should the UFC have cut ties with Mitchell? We react to the situation.
  • This Saturday, UFC 312 goes down with two big title fights. In the main event, [autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag] defends his middleweight belt against [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag], and [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] defends her strawweight title vs. [autotag]Tatiana Suarez[/autotag]. We break down and preview these two championship fights, along with other bouts on the card.

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Michael Page interested in U.K. fight vs. Leon Edwards after UFC Saudi Arabia win

Michael Page calls for a fight against former UFC champion Leon Edwards following his UFC Fight Night 250 win in Saudi Arabia.

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] is ready for them all, but he does have his eye on a specific fight.

Following his decision over Shara Magomedov in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 250, the flashy striker made his call for one of the biggest British fights you can make in MMA today. Page (23-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) showed his interest in fighting former UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] in U.K. soil.

“The only one I talk about is Leon Edwards, but that’s more so at a specific location,” Page told reporters in Saudi Arabia in the post-fight press conference of UFC Fight Night 250. “It’s only for the U.K. It’s not because of him. I just think the fight would be great for my fans over in the U.K.”

For this performance, Page moved up from 170 to 185 pounds to take on Magomedov, a then undefeated striker. Although won the fight decisively despite being the underdog against a heavier and much younger fighter, “Venum” is not too happy with his showing. He’s still looking for those highlight-reel finishes that made him famous over at Bellator.

“I want to make a lot of noise and I haven’t gotten the highlight I’ve wanted – yet,” Page said. “But if I can keep getting some exciting matchups, why not (continue fighting)?”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 250.

Dana White reacts to Shara Magomedov’s first career loss at UFC Saudi Arabia

UFC CEO Dana White shares his thoughts on Shara Magomedov’s loss to Michael Page at UFC Fight Night 250 in Saudi Arabia.

[autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag] lost his undefeated record Saturday at UFC Fight Night 250.

The middleweight sensation came up short in a unanimous decision against [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] in the co-main event of the Saudi Arabia card. Although many expected him to win, given he was the favorite and younger fighter, UFC CEO [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] said he thought Magomedov (15-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) had a tough fight ahead.

“You have to be aggressive with Page, but it’s a weird situation to be in because he’s a counter-striker and he sort of sits back and waits for you,” White said. “You’re dammed if you do, damned if you don’t.”

When asked if Magomedov lost his buzz by losing his undefeated record against Page (23-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC), White was supportive. He sees MVP as a tough fight for anyone in the sport and said he thinks Magomedov’s stock remains strong.

“I think styles make fights, and MVP is a very tough style to fight,” White said. “He lays back and counter punches. If you go in guns a’blazing, he’s a real good counter puncher. And if you have a hard time getting off, there’s a lot of standing around and staring at each other.

“(Page is) just a hard style to fight. I don’t think this diminishes (Magomedov) in any way, and I don’t think it had anything to do with him freezing. Let’s not forget: The guy has one eye. That doesn’t help.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 250.

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Shara ‘Bullet’ says first UFC loss came in midst of ‘nightmarish health condition’

Rising UFC star Shara “Bullet” says his first UFC loss came as he was dealing with a “nightmarish” health condition.

[autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag] lost for the first time in his career at UFC Fight Night 250 and is now indicating he did so while battling a medical issue.

Hours after Magomedov (15-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) lost to [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] (23-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) in Saturday’s co-main event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, he issued a statement on Instagram in which he wrote his preparation and performance was impacted by a health condition, though remained unspecific to the nature of the ailment.

“The pirate sails into the harbor, but I will return!

“I knew all the risks when stepping in with such a nightmarish health condition and preparation. I felt that despite everything, I could still win—but it didn’t work out, and that’s it.

“Thank you to the @ufc organization for this opportunity and to everyone involved. I wanted to put on a show and meet expectations without canceling the fight.

“Thank you to everyone who stands by me in any situation! Alhamdulillah.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DFjHf7FtcpY/

Magomedov, 30, hits a bump in the road after four wins including two finishes in the UFC. His fighting style and image garnered much fandom and attention since even before his promotional debut in 2021. He now has the opportunity to attempt a bounce-back for the first time.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 250.

UFC Fight Night 250 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Israel Adesanya leads card

The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program has now paid out $31.5 million to athletes since its deal began with Venum.

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 250 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $137,500.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC Fight Night 250 took place at ANB Arena. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 250 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Sergei Pavlovich[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Vinicius Oliveira[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Said Nurmagomedov[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Mike Davis[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Muhammad Naimov[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Kaan Ofli[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Shamil Gaziev[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Thomas Petersen[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Terrance McKinney[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Damir Hadzovic[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Jasmine Jasudavicius[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Mayra Bueno Silva[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Bogdan Grad[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Lucas Alexander[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Hamdy Abdelwahab[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Jamal Pogues[/autotag]: $4,500

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2501 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2025 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $617,000
2024 total: $8,280,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $31,634,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 250.

Michael Page def. Shara Magomedov at UFC Fight Night 250: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Michael Page’s unanimous decision upset win over Shara Magomedov at UFC Fight Night 250.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag]’s unanimous decision upset win over [autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag] at UFC Fight Night 250 at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Fight, venue photos via UFC, Reuters)