Tag: Michael Page

UFC’s Stephen Thompson agrees that Michael Page ‘could possibly be a very boring fight’

Stephen Thompson also believes a fight against Michael Page could turn out to be lackluster.

[autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] also believes a fight against [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] could turn out to be lackluster.

After Page defeated Kevin Holland in his octagon debut last month at UFC 299, many threw out Thompson’s name as his next opponent. Page (22-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) shut down that idea, suggesting that, with their striking styles, the fight could end up being boring – and Thompson (17-7-1 MMA, 12-7-1 UFC) agrees.

“Even when he was in Bellator, everybody was like, ‘Man, you know MVP vs. ‘Wonderboy,'” Thompson told Inside Fighting. “Great performance, I think he did a really good job out there. Distance management, covering the gap, being tricky – especially with somebody like Kevin Holland. But, you know, everybody asks that, and I think actually Michael ‘Venom’ Page said it very well: A positive and a positive doesn’t always make a positive. We have such similar styles, it could possibly be a very boring fight for everybody.

“We’re both counter strikers, very similar styles, so it could possibly be me and him bouncing out there in the middle just waiting on somebody to do something and even though we have similar styles, that doesn’t always make it an exciting fight. So he’s a good friend of mine, good martial artist, karate guy. At this point, I don’t think it’s necessary, but he’s going to keep working his way up, and he might even jump past me to fight some of these guys because he’s on such a hype train right now.”

Thompson is coming off a submission loss to undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 296. While he’s open to facing another strong grappler next, if he’s matched up against a striker, he wants it to be a show for the fans.

“It gets so much hype around it and when it’s not exactly what everybody expects, it’s known as one of the first fights out there,” Thompson said. “I’m in the entertainment industry, and I want my fights to be entertaining. I want the fans to go, ‘That was epic.’ Kind of like the Kevin Holland fight that I had because he was game.

“This was a guy that (has a) completely different fighting style as Michael ‘Venom’ Page. He comes forward, he likes to duke it out, he’s got charisma, he likes to chat out there, things like that. Ian Garry would be another possible one that I would love to step out there in the cage, as well, and to test myself.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=420030788]

Ian Machado Garry not interested in UFC fight with Michael Page

Ian Machado Garry doesn’t see a fight against Michael Page making sense for him.

[autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] doesn’t see a fight against [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] making sense for him.

Page (22-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) said on The MMA Hour that he’d like to fight Garry next, but Garry doesn’t reciprocate his sentiment.

Garry (14-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) has been campaigning to fight Colby Covington, and sees no benefit facing in lower-ranked Page.

“No – his number is not higher than mine,” Garry told Sky Sports. “I want to be the best in the world, and unless your number is higher than mine, I’m not interested.”

Page made good on his promotional debut when he defeated Kevin Holland at UFC 299 earlier this month, which landed him in the No. 13 spot in the UFC’s welterweight rankings. Garry initially said there’s no way “MVP” beats Holland, but has no issues eating his words.

“I’m glad he punched the mouth off Kevin Holland – that guy talks a lot of smack, as well,” Garry said. “That just proves he’s not good enough to be in the top 10. I’ll admit that I said I don’t think he beats him, but he surprised me. Well done. Kevin Holland looked terrible.”

With Garry ranked at No. 7 after beating Geoff Neal at UFC 298, he does not plan on fighting backwards.

“Unless he passes me in the division somehow and his number is higher than mine, (I have) zero interest,” Garry said.

[lawrence-related id=2724514,2724239,2724132,2722823]

Scott Coker ecstatic over Michael Page’s UFC debut win: ‘This guy is so talented’

Former Bellator president Scott Coker reacts to Michael Page’s UFC debut win.

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] is the latest Bellator fighter to transition to the UFC, and naturally, former Bellator president [autotag]Scott Coker[/autotag] is rooting for him.

Coker, who promoted Page for many years, was happy to see Page get his hand raised in his UFC debut. MVP defeated veteran Kevin Holland by unanimous decision on the main card of last Saturday’s UFC 299 in Miami. It was a solid debut win that had him show out for the UFC audience – which Coker was happy to see.

“I was so happy,” Coker told MMA Junkie Radio. “I texted him, I said, ‘Go show that boy what it’s all about because he’s out here talking all that mess.’ At the end of the day, it’s not about what letters you fight for, what alphabet you fight for. At the end of the day, you’re either a great fighter or you’re not, and MVP is a great fighter.

“He’s one of my most favorite athletes as a fighter because he can do things that you just can’t do. How many people can do what he does? To knock out the people he’s knocked out and the way he’s done it. Sure, he’s had some losses along the way but everyone loses in this sport. Everyone except Khabib (Nurmagomedov) – but if you’re Khabib, you’re at another level. This guy is so talented. I’m happy he got a win. He’s now able to show his skills to a different audience, but I saw this guy 10 years ago and was blown away by things he was doing 10 years ago, so I’m happy for him.

Page is one of many Bellator fighters who’ve transitioned to the UFC and found success. Coker, who prides himself on the promotions he’s built in MMA, has kept track of his guys’ success, and with Page, it was no different.

“I got my clicker out like baseball,” Coker said. “When we sold Strikeforce to the UFC, before they bought it, it was like Dana was out there saying, ‘Oh, these guys stink. Strikeforce has the worst fighters in the world,’ and I’m sitting back with the clicker going, ‘Ok, we’re 7-1, now we’re 8-1, 9-2, like the baseball umpires. I was like, ‘Ok, these fighters all suck, but now they’re kicking your guys’ booties over there.’

“To me, it’s about the fighters. We’ve developed some of the best fighters in the world. I did it in Strikeforce and I did it in Bellator, and we’ll do it again wherever we go.”

Coker parted ways with the Bellator brand in November after its parent company Viacom sold it to the PFL, ending his 10-year run with the promotion. It was recently announced that Coker would be working as an executive producer and helping former fighter Gilbert Melendez start and run combat sports promotion, Fight Night at the Tech. It’s unknown if Coker will dive further back into MMA promotion.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=420030788]

Michael Page: Me vs. Stephen Thompson ‘could potentially be a boring fight’

Michael Page says a fight with Stephen Thompson wouldn’t be as entertaining as people think.

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] says a fight with [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] wouldn’t be as entertaining as many people think.

Page (22-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) made good on his promotional debut when he frustrated Kevin Holland with his movement and blitzes en route to a unanimous decision win Saturday at UFC 299.

Many have salivated at the idea of Page and Thompson’s karate stances going up against each other, but “MVP” says their styles may just end up cancelling each other out.

“You know what’s interesting – and I always tell this: A positive and a positive doesn’t always make a positive,” Page told Sportsnet. “Because we are such similar-styled fighters, it could potentially be a boring fight because we’re going to be faking – we’re going to know so much.

“We’re going to be reading so much between each other, that only really elite athletes are going to look at it and be like, ‘Oh OK, I see what just happened’ – but nothing much is happening. So I don’t actually think it’s going to be a great fight, and I love that guy too much to want to kick him. I don’t know. We’re all prizefighters, so whatever happens, happens. But for right now, that’s not really a focus.”

Page isn’t concerned about who’s next. He doesn’t see himself having a hard time getting matched up moving forward.

“(I want) nobody specific,” Page said. “I don’t care to call anybody’s name. I feel like I put a spotlight on myself, there will be people that are drawn to me. I want that challenge, so let’s go from there.”

[lawrence-related id=2723804,2722823]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

5 biggest takeaways from UFC 299: Time for Sean O’Malley to do right by bantamweight division

Analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC 299, including Sean O’Malley, Dustin Poirier, Michael Page and more.

What mattered most at UFC 299 at Kaseya Center in Miami? Here are a few post-fight musings.

* * * *

[autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] put himself back in the heavyweight contender title mix when he hammerfisted Jailton Almeida’s head into next week for a second-round TKO after get stifled by the Brazilian’s grappling in the first frame.

Blaydes (18-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) called for a rematch with interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall after his triumph, and it was pretty well received. Why? Because it makes sense given the messy state of the weight class at the moment.

We know the deal. We’re all waiting for Jon Jones to return from injury to fight Stipe Miocic. Aspinall has been annoyed by the situation, but has seemingly opened up to the idea of defending the interim belt while Jones and Miocic handle their business.

The problem with that, however, is there wasn’t a completely sensible opponent for him to face. Until now. Blaydes hold a 15-second TKO win over Aspinall from July 2022, but it came as the result of an injury when Aspinall blew out his knee just seconds into the UFC Fight Night 208 main event in London.

It’s always seemed logical to run that fight back, and now with Blaydes getting the emphatic win, it’s a good idea. And Aspinall agrees, as he stated on social media after the event (via X):

[autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] got the most crucial win of his career when he outworked Song Yadong for a unanimous decision to snap his three-fight losing streak.

The former UFC bantamweight champion Yan (17-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) needed this one in the worst of ways. Many people, myself included, thought Yan was going to be a long-reigning champion when he won the belt. But it just got weird afterward, starting with becoming the first fighter in UFC history to lose a title by disqualification when he landed an illegal knee on Aljamain Sterling in March 2021.

There’s an argument to be made that Yan should have beaten Sean O’Malley in October 2022. He got thwarted by Merab Dvalishvili – like everyone does – but in this fight against Song he showed he’s still very relevant at 135 pounds.

Yan needs another top-ranked contender next. If he can win that and get some momentum, then look out.

Former Bellator title challenger [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] delivered in his debut with a unanimous decision win over Kevin Holland, proving many naysayers wrong that his unique style wouldn’t translate to the UFC level.

Holland largely was a willing participant in letting Page (22-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) style on him. That won’t be the case for many other welterweights in the promotion, but at minimum, “MVP” earned the chance to fight them.

At 37, it’s hard to think Page can make a legitimate title run. However, he does have an advantage if Leon Edwards continues to reign in that a fight between them would be huge in the U.K. He’s going to need a couple more wins, though, or some extreme luck to break his way.

[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] showed he’s still an elite lightweight contender when he stifled the rise of Benoit Saint Denis with a classic fight and second-round knockout finish in the co-main event.

Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) took a huge risk in accepting the matchup with Saint Denis, which is the type of fight many accused him of never being willing to take. It looked like a bad idea to start, but Poirier’s boxing once again came through for him as he survived the storm and put the lights out on Saint Denis.

The result adds to Poirier’s many records, and keeps him in the mix for a 155-pound title shot. At this point, he’s not more deserving than Justin Gaethje if he beats Max Holloway, or the winner of Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan – both of which take place at UFC 300 on April 13. But if some reason things don’t line up right for other contenders, or the timeline somehow shifts in his favor, it’s not impossible he could find himself in another championship opportunity sooner rather than later.

[autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] got what he wanted for his first title defense in avenging his lone career loss against Marlon Vera by unanimous decision.

All due to respect to “Chito,” but he wasn’t the most deserving title challenger. It’s totally understandable why the fight happened from O’Malley (18-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC), Vera and the UFC’s angle. The storyline of this rematch was juicer than anything else that could be done in the bantamweight division given the result of the first meeting, and it’s impossible to know when it would be at least logical to put it together any other time.

The outcome was a completely uncompetitive fight, though, and now it’s time to get serious.

We should all be happy O’Malley’s callout of featherweight champion Ilia Topuria for UFC’s debut in Spain seemingly fell on deaf ears with UFC CEO Dana White. That means it’s time to give a rightful challenger a shot at the belt, and that would be [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag].

With 10 straight wins and a style that’s seemingly a huge nightmare for O’Malley, a showdown with Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC is the most intriguing championship bout that can be made at 135 pounds. There shouldn’t be a slight consideration given to anything else, and if the UFC goes any other direction for O’Malley’s next fight, it would be a massive injustice.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

Michael Page felt ‘miles better’ than Kevin Holland at UFC 299, despite not performing to his expectations

Whether it was ‘octagon jitters’ or something else, Michael Page says he was a little off game in his UFC debut against Kevin Holland.

MIAMI – [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] felt a little off his game at UFC 299, but that did not prevent him from frustrating his opponent en route to a promotional debut victory.

Page is a showman, inside and out of the cage. From his WWE-themed entrance he said was toned down at the UFC’s request, to mid-fight taunts against Kevin Holland in his main card bout at Kaseya Center, it appeared “Venom” was as comfortable as ever. In reality, he may have been dealing with the infamous “octagon jitters” that some fighters experience in their UFC debut.

“It’s weird because from start to finish, I felt confident, but when I got in there – it wasn’t like I wasn’t confident, I was still feeling confident – but my body just wasn’t functioning in the way I wanted it to,” Page said at the post-fight news conference. “I don’t know what it was down to, but it’s the first one. I did what I needed to do to win.

“I felt miles better than him, I just felt like I could have done a lot more and definitely have got the finish if I was in order, but we got the dub.”

Winning a unanimous decision behind his typical bouncing, point karate side stance, Page seemed loose and fluid in his movement during the fight. Like a snake, he darted in and out with quick strikes, and removed himself from danger before Holland could respond. Hence the nickname, “Venom.”

[lawrence-related id=2722492,2722823,2722457]

It was a performance that fans of Page were used to seeing, although he was unable to get a highlight reel finish. His style is not an easy one to deal with, causing Holland to become frustrated as the fight wore on, despite a few lighthearted verbal exchanges in the clinch.

“I could definitely see he was frustrated,” Page said about Holland. “… From the outside looking in, it’s easy to go, ‘Oh, I’ll just do this. Just kick his leg and do this.’ Then when you’re actually in there, the reality check is real. I am a lot faster than it may seem. People can say, ‘Oh yeah, I can see that he’s fast,’ but when I actually hit you with something, it’s really fast when you’re trying to land shots and nothing is landing.

“He’s used to being in a fight, and that’s what he feeds off. I’m used to not being in a fight. I’m just used to beating people up, so it just worked better for me.”

With the first UFC victory under his belt at 36, Page is not looking to call out anyone specific, or make up for lost time, because he believes he is already in the top tier of the welterweight division.

“The reason I put myself in the deep end first is so I’m not starting from far behind and having to make too many jumps forward to get there, because now I don’t feel in a rush,” Page said. “I fought an amazing athlete in Kevin Holland, very high, towards the top of the table of the UFC. So, I don’t need to rush, I’m already there.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

UFC 299 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Sean O’Malley’s $42,000 tops card

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 299 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $359,000.

MIAMI – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 299 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $359,000.

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 299 took place at Kaseya Center. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

The full UFC 299 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag]: $42,000
def. [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag]: $32,000

[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Benoit Saint-Denis[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Jack Della Maddalena[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag]: $21,000;

[autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Katlyn Cerminara[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Mateusz Gamrot[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Kyler Phillips[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Philipe Lins[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Michel Pereira[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Michal Oleksiejczuk[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Robelis Despaigne[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Josh Parisian[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Asu Almabaev[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]CJ Vergara[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Joanne Wood[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Maryna Moroz[/autotag]: $11,000

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 2011 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 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $1,362,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $24,069,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

UFC 299 results: Michael Page frustrates Kevin Holland to win octagon debut by decision

Kevin Holland had no answer for Michael Page’s striking at UFC 299, who won his debut behind his signature style.

[autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag] had no answer for [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag]’s unorthodox striking.

As a part of the UFC 299 main card at Kaseya Center in Miami, Page (22-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) made good in his octagon debut when he outstruck a frustrated Holland (25-11 MMA, 12-8 UFC) in their welterweight bout, earning unanimous scores of 29-28 from the official judges.

UFC fans were treated to Page’s unique style and his flair for the dramatic from his walkout inspired by WWE’s Undertaker, until the end of the fight.

Page landed a leg kick, followed by a blitz to start Round 1. Page started taunting Holland, who fired back with a leg kick. Holland clinched, but Page broke free. Page lunged in with a big elbow which connected. Page then landed a body kick, followed by a big right hand as he initiated the clinch. Page landed another big leaping right and a spinning back elbow which briefly connected to end the round.

“MVP” opened up with a spinning back kick as Holland fired back with a big right hand. Holland went back to the clinch, but wasn’t able to keep Page there. Page continued to find a home for the right, but slipped on a kick attempt which allowed Holland to jump on him and press him down to the mat. Holland briefly locked in a choke, and landed some big ground and pound. Page exploded out with less than two minutes left. Page appeared to hurt Holland with a big right.

At the start of Round 3, Page didn’t shake Holland’s hand and dropped him with a one-two combination which bothered Holland. Page apologized. Page started to frustrate Holland, as he continued to explode with lunging shots. Holland mocked Page’s taunting, and clinched him against the fence as the bell sounded.

After 19 fights under the Bellator banner, Page successfully made his highly-anticipated UFC debut. The 36-year-old striker has a style that will likely give many peers in the 170-pound division trouble in future matchups.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 299 results include:

[lawrence-related id=2722492,2693752,2722798]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

Michael Page def. Kevin Holland at UFC 299: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Michael Page’s unanimous decision win over Kevin Holland at UFC 299.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag]’s unanimous decision win over [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag] at UFC 299 at Kaseya Center in Miami. (Fight and venue by Sam Navarro, USA Today Sports)

UFC 299 ‘Embedded,’ No. 6: ‘Your worst nightmare is about to come true’

In the final installment of UFC 299 “Embedded,” Sean O’Malley and Marlon Vera exchange heated words in final faceoff before title fight.

The UFC is back for its third pay-per-view of 2024, and the popular “Embedded” fight week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

UFC 299 (pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Kaseya Center in Miami.

In the main event, bantamweight champion [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) makes his first title defense against [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] (21-8-1 MMA, 15-7 UFC), with the champ looking to avenge his only loss, which came against “Chito” by TKO in 2020. The co-headliner is a five-round lightweight showdown between veteran [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] (29-8 MMA, 21-7 UFC) and rising contender [autotag]Benoit Saint-Denis[/autotag] (13-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC), who has a golden opportunity to make a name for himself on a big stage.

Also featured on the main card is the debut former Bellator star [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] (21-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) against [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag] (25-10 MMA, 12-7 UFC) in a welterweight bout; [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag] (22-6 MMA, 15-6 UFC) vs. [autotag]Jack Della Maddalena[/autotag] (16-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in another welterweight showcase; and former bantamweight champion [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] (16-5 MMA, 8-4 UFC) looking to get back on track against rising Chinese star [autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] (21-7-1 MMA, 10-2-1 UFC).

The sixth and final episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

Champion Sean O’Malley and opponent Marlon “Chito” Vera wrap up their weight cuts. Michael “Venom” Page gets a visit from Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Athletes make weight on Friday. Curtis Blaydes has lunch with his team before ceremonial weigh-ins.

Also watch:

[lawrence-related id=2721594,2721445]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.