Tag: Michael Page

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)

UFC Fight Night 250 results: Michael Page declares captainship after becoming first to defeat Shara ‘Bullet’

Michael “Venom” Page became the first man to defeat rising UFC star Shara “Bullet.”Michae

In a highly-anticipated battle of technical strikers, [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] became the first to hand [autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag] a loss in MMA.

Saturday in the UFC Fight Night 250 co-main event, Page (23-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) handily defeated Magomedov (15-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28). The bout took place at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The fight generated a lot of buzz due to the unique fighting styles and personalities of the combatants involved. The bout much more resembled a chess match than a barnburner. Both men were supremely technical in their approach. Page was more willing to make the fight grindy and dirty as his clinch became an effective weapon against the cage.

It was clear Page had the upper hand for nearly the entirety of the fight. His success came mainly from punches, though he also wowed those in attendance with the occasional flashy strike attempt whether it was a spin kick or a flying knee.

After the victory, Page declared, “I am the captain, now,” a play on Magomedov’s pirate persona. He also discussed his first trip up to middleweight in the UFC and admitted there was a mental and physical adjustment in competing there.

With the win, Page, 37, bounces back from a defeat to Ian Machado Garry in June. The loss came in his second UFC appearance. His UFC debut was a win over Kevin Holland.

Magomedov, 30, encounters defeat for the first time as a professional martial artist. Prior to Saturday’s bout, Magomedov defeated Bruno Silva, Antonio Trocoli, Michal Oleksiejczuk, and Armen Petrosyan in succession under the UFC banner.

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 250 results include:

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

‘I would hate to fight MVP’: Fighters react to Michael Page’s win over Shara Magomedov at UFC Fight Night 250

The MMA community reacted to Michael Page’s dominant victory over a listless Shara Magomedov at UFC Saudi Arabia.

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag]’s move to middleweight paid off Saturday when he halted the undefeated streak of [autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag] in the UFC Fight Night 250 co-main event.

In his return to the middleweight division after more than a decade, Page (23-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) produced one of the more meaningful wins of his career with a unanimous decision victory over Magomedov (15-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) in their clash at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Check below for the top X (formerly Twitter) reactions to “MVP” beating “Shara Bullet” at UFC Fight Night 250.

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UFC Fight Night 250: Magomedov vs. Page odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 250 odds between Shara Magomedov vs. Michael Page, with MMA picks and predictions.

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In a 3-round middleweight bout on the main card, Shara Magomedov and Michael Page meet at UFC Fight Night 250 — also known as UFC Saudi Arabia and UFC on ESPN+ 108 — Saturday at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. . Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s UFC odds around the UFC Fight Night 250: Magomedov vs. Page odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.

The prelims begin at 9 a.m. ET (ESPN+) with the main card approximately starting around noon ET.

Records: Magomedov (15-0-0) | Page (22-3-0)

Magomedov, also known as Sharabutdin Magomedov, has won all 4 of his fights at the UFC level starting with a unanimous-decision win over Bruno Silva at UFC 294 in October 2023. He has 2 UD victories and a pair of KO/TKO wins, including a 2nd-round stoppage against Armen Petrosyan at UFC 308 Oct. 26, 2004.

Page is looking to bounce back after a unanimous-decision loss to Ian Machado Garry at UFC 303 June 29, 2024. In 2 fights since switching over from Bellator to UFC, Page has split a pair of unanimous-decision fights — he defeated Kevin Holland at UFC 299 in his company debut in last March.

Page enters the octagon with a huge 6-inch reach advantage. He can do work on the canvas if needed, although he hasn’t had a professional win via submission since an Achilles lock victory over Jeremie Holloway at Bellator 153. He is 3-0 via the method in his career, though, so it can’t be ruled out entirely.

Magomedov has 15 career victories in 15 tries, with 12 coming via knockout. The other 3 have been unanimous-decision victories, coming in his previous 6 fights, including against Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC on ABC 7 Aug. 3, 2024 .

Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.

UFC Fight Night 250: Magomedov vs. Page odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 11:02 p.m. ET.

  • Fight result (2-way line): Magomedov -185 (bet $185 to win $100) | Page +150 (bet $100 to win $150)
  • Over/Under: 2.5 rounds (Over -250 | Under +185)
  • Will the fight go the distance? (Yes -200 | No +150)

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UFC Fight Night 250: Magomedov vs. Page picks and predictions

Fight result (2-way line or moneyline)

PAGE (+150) is an intriguing underdog in this matchup. He heads to the octagon with a 6-inch reach advantage, and that shouldn’t be discredited. That’s a big difference.

While Magomedov (-185) has been a punching machine since landing in the UFC, both fighters are equally accurate strikers. The switch-stance Page has plenty of experience at Bellator, too. He nearly won a championship with that company, coming up just short against Logan Storley at Bellator 281 in May 2022.

In 25 career bouts, Page is 13-1 via KO/TKO, although he has 2 decisions in 2 fights as the UFC level. The safer play is to back PAGE BY DECISION (+275) on the 5-way line, or just take him straight up on the 2-way in the event of a knockout. Either way, it’s plus-money.

Over/Under (O/U)

Over 2.5 Rounds (-250) is too expensive, costing 2½ times the potential return. Even going ‘Yes: Will the fight go the distance?’ (-200) will set you back twice as much as your return. That’s not really a recommended option. Get specific and choose a fighter to win by decision for a much better payday.

PASS.

Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and us on Facebook.

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Shara Magomedov vs. Michael Page prediction, pick, start time for UFC Fight Night 250

Flashy strikers Shara Magomedov and Michael Page clash in the UFC Fight Night 250 main event. Will there be a highlight knockout?

[autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] meet Saturday in the co-main event of the UFC Fight Night 250 main card at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

Last event: 3-2
UFC main cards, 2024: 6-5

Shara Magomedov vs. Michael Page UFC Fight Night 250 preview

Magomedov (15-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) puts his undefeated record on the line against a career welterweight. “Bullet” made three appearances in 2024, stopping Antonio Trocoli and Armen Petrosyan while also picking up a unanimous decision over Michal Oleksiejczuk. … Page (22-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) will move up to face an opponent seven years younger. “Venom” is .500 in the UFC, winning his debut against Kevin Holland by unanimous decision, but dropped his next decision to Ian Machado Garry.

Shara Magomedov vs. Michael Page UFC Fight Night 250 expert pick, prediction

The co-main event in Saudi Arabia features a striker’s delight at middleweight between Magomedov and Page.

Despite being a career welterweight, Page will be temporarily moving up to 185 pounds for a challenge he couldn’t refuse in Magomedov.

Between fight fans’ fetishization of fighters from Dagestan to the Hollywood interest “Bullet” gathers from his unique James Bond villain looks, Magomedov has acquired more glaze than anything you can buy at Voodoo Doughnuts after midnight.

Although Magomedov’s violent rap sheet continues to be conveniently overlooked in the praise he receives, there’s no denying the fight-to-fight improvements he’s showing as a martial artist.

In his last fight opposite Armen Petrosyan, Magomedov displayed an improved overall boxing presence – particularly in his lead hand. That said, Page can be a tricky customer to get a beat on and is very difficult to look good against.

A self-proclaimed snake charmer, Page will distract his opponents by making them look at the proverbial birdy before delivering pinpoint punches down the pike. And though Page traditionally competes at welterweight, his usual speed advantages and attributes could be amplified at middleweight.

Still, I suspect that the leg kicks of Magomedov will be the looming threat worth watching for in this fight.

At first glance, this should be a clear pick for Magomedov. Aside from the tactical and size advantages on paper, Magomedov is the younger fighter who is clearly being put in place to succeed.

That said, I can’t help but see Page’s experience, swagger and defensive savvy frustrating Magomedov and making him emotional. An impressive knockout on either side is on the table, but I’ll officially pick Page to somewhat surprisingly end up on the right side of the scorecards for a decision win.

Shara Magomedov vs. Michael Page UFC Fight Night 250 odds

Despite the oddsmakers opening the Englishman as a slight favorite, public money has flipped the line in the Russian’s favor, listing Magomedov -192 and Page +154 via FanDuel.

Shara Magomedov vs. Michael Page UFC Fight Night 250 start time, how to watch

As the co-main event, Magomedov and Page are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 1:40 p.m. ET. The fight will stream on ESPN+.

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

Michael Page would consider wrestling Shara Magomedov but not out of danger

Michael Page clarifies that he won’t rule out a grappling game plan vs. Shara Magomedov at UFC Saudi Arabia.

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] won’t rule out a grappling game plan vs. [autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag].

Page (22-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) meets Magomedov (15-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in a middleweight bout, which co-headlines UFC Fight Night 250 (ESPN+) Saturday at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Page vowed to make Magomedov shoot for a takedown first, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t potentially shoot for a one himself. He highlighted the difference in their approach should the fight hit the ground.

“The thing is, when I said it, I wasn’t talking about who was going to do it first,” Page said during Wednesday’s media day. “I was simply saying he would. I can make him do it. I’m happy to shoot a takedown. This is an MMA game. So, I’m happy to do it. I’ve been working on that area, but I don’t feel like I’ll need to. There’s a difference.

“I may get to a point where I feel like it may be worth draining him out on the floor a little bit, landing some shots, elbows on the floor. So I may do that, but I don’t think I’m going to need to. Whereas, if he shoots a takedown, it’ll be for a completely different reason. If I do it, it’s just part of my game plan. If he does it, he’s in danger. That’s the difference.”

Page is coming off a close decision loss to Ian Machado Garry at UFC 303 where he was taken down two times and controlled for over seven minutes. He has since competed in a grappling match, defeating Carlos Condit at Polaris 30.

“Since my journey, I feel like a lot of things have clicked for me,” Page said. “It happened to me in my kickboxing career, as well, where I was doing OK, then something just landed, and I was going into flow state. It was different, and I feel like a similar thing is happening with the jiu-jitsu for me. Obviously, I focused on jiu-jitsu before coming into this fight.

“So, I feel confident in myself to be able to perform the way I want to perform during our fight. MMA is a very, very small world, and I hear he (Magomedov) doesn’t really like doing jiu-jitsu and wrestling. He maybe neglects some of his jiu-jitsu and wrestling so, I’m definitely confident. If he decides to go there, it’s going to be even more of a problem for him.”

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

‘Shara Bullet’ vows to maintain ‘no takedown’ career at UFC Fight Night 250 vs. Michael Page

Legend has it that rising UFC star Shara Magomedov has never shot for a takedown in his career. He plans to maintain that at UFC Saudi Arabia.

Legend has it “Shara Bullet” has never shot for a takedown in a fight – and he doesn’t plan on changing that Saturday at UFC Fight Night 250.

[autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag] wants fans to know that while both he and opponent [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] are elite on the feet, there’s a difference in their attack.

“He’s a 10-time kickboxing champion with light contact kickboxing,” Magomedov told MMA Junkie on Tuesday through a Russian-language interpreter. “I’m a Russian muay Thai champion. I’ve fought in stadiums in Thailand and other places. I have the status of Master of Sports in different fighting categories, in different fighting sports. I have better striking. I have better cardio. I think when we’re in the octagon together, there’s going to be nowhere for him to run.”

“… That’s different because kickboxers they usually just fight for points. They lightly touch. They tap. They slap, almost. But when it comes to muay Thai and Lethwei, the folks who do those type of sports, they kick and hit so hard as to break a bone of their opponent. It’s every punch and every hit could be a fight-ending punch.”

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Through four UFC appearances, Magomedov (15-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) has two decision wins and two knockout finishes. A strike-happy fighter, Magomedov often spends much of his defensive effort trying to fend off opponents’ grappling attempts. Don’t expect the script to flip Saturday vs. Page (22-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“I’ve had 20 fights in MMA at this point, and I’ve never went for a takedown,” Magomedov said. “I watched his fights. It doesn’t look like he goes for takedowns too much. But I’m going to be that person. I’m going to make MVP be the first one to jump for a takedown.”

If he wins, Magomedov will be 5-0 in the UFC. Where will a victory land him, he’s not exactly sure. But he thinks victory will prove to the world that he’s one of the best in the world.

“It shows that I’m one of the best strikers when it comes to the middleweight division or the welterweight division,” Magomedov said. “I’m going to show when it comes to my striking, there’s no equals to me. In this fight, on my side, is the strength, the power. On his side is the speed and the movement.

“… As for the knockout on Feb. 1, all I’m going to say is, do not blink. Just watch the fight. You want to see it. You don’t want to miss anything.”

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

Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Usman Nurmagomedov defends Bellator title, Conor McGregor’s career update, GFL draft, more

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” we discuss Usman Nurmagomedov’s Bellator title win, Conor McGregor’s career update, 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 Mike Bohn, Nolan King, 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]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] was able to retain his Bellator lightweight title, but not without a fight. Nurmagomedov edged out Ireland’s [autotag]Paul Hughes[/autotag] in a competitive fight in the main event of  PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series on Saturday. We break down this big title fight, and some of the other key results on the card.
  • MMA wasn’t the only sport around this past weekend. BKFC’s KnuckleMania 5 went down this past Saturday, and it hosted the hometown return of former UFC and Bellator champion [autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag] against [autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag]. Unfortunately for Alvarez, Stephens had his hand raised, as Alvarez had a corner stoppage in between Rounds 3 and 4. Immediately after the fight, Stephens had a fiery faceoff with Conor McGregor. Additionally, “Big” [autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag] crowned himself BKFC heavyweight champion after knocking out Mick Terrill in just 36 seconds. We react and go over the bareknuckle boxing action.
  • [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] is back in the headlines. The UFC superstar was all over the map, as he was present for Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration where he ran into [autotag]Logan Paul[/autotag], who he’s had public discussions with about a potential boxing match. Additionally, he was in Philadelphia promoting BKFC’s KnuckleMania 5. We discuss the latest with the Irishman.
  • Global Fight League had its draft, making its first step towards inauguration this year. The newly minted MMA promotion hosted a draft show on Friday, where the leaders of six teams picked 20 fighters out of a pool of hundreds of notable MMA, including many former UFC and Bellator champions. We react to the team selections and this new format in MMA.
  • Looking ahead, the UFC returns with a Fight Night event across seas. UFC Fight Night 250 goes down this Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and it features a big middleweight bout between [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] and [autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag] in its main event. We preview this bout, and others on the card, including [autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag].

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Michael Page: UFC Saudi Arabia just one-off at middleweight, still unfinished business at 170

Michael Page plans on dropping back to welterweight after UFC Fight Night 250.

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] plans on dropping back to welterweight after UFC Fight Night 250.

Page (22-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) takes on [autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag] (15-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in a middleweight bout that co-headlines the Feb. 1 event at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (ESPN+).

When Magomedov called out Israel Adesanya after UFC 308, Page suggested that they fight instead. The UFC jumped on board, but “MVP” says middleweight will not be his new home.

“To be fair for me anyway, it’s back to work at welterweight,” Page told MMA Junkie. “If there is another opportunity at middleweight that looks good, looks juicy, looks tasty, 100 percent I’ll be there to do it again. For me, timing wise, going to middleweight, knowing I had to go through Christmas and everything, it helped. It helped a lot.

“It meant I could enjoy my Christmas a lot more. But in general, I’ve still got a lot of business that I want to handle at welterweight. So for me, this is a one-off, exciting fight at that weight. Maybe in the future you see me there but for now, I still find it comfortable to get to welterweight, and I’ve still got people I’d love to fight.”

Amongst those Page would love to fight is former welterweight champion Leon Edwards (21-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC), who headlines UFC Fight Night 255 when he takes on Jack Della Maddalena at The O2 in London.

“I still think the fight with me and Leon would be great – in the U.K. though,” Page said. “I wouldn’t take it anywhere. If somebody offered me that fight anywhere else, I wouldn’t take it. It does a disservice to our country. I think that fight needs to be over here. I know we’ve got the U.K. card coming, obviously we’ve missed that boat. Let’s say that’s the only one they do this year, then that wouldn’t happen. Again, I’m saying all this with all due respect.

“I just think it’s a great fight to have. I would have loved for it to have been for a belt, but just in general, I think it’s a great fight anyway. The division is wide open. I think we’re going for a bit of a change. Colby (Covington) didn’t look too good in his last fight and obviously lost. There’s a change of the guard that’s happening in that division at the moment so, I think it’s wide open for everybody, and I just want to be in the mix of it.”

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

Michael Page: Shara Magomedov ‘knows the danger that awaits him’ at UFC Saudi Arabia

Michael Page is excited to test his striking skills against Shara Magomedov’s at UFC Saudi Arabia.

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] is excited to test his striking skills against [autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag]’s.

Page (22-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) takes on Magomedov (15-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in a middleweight bout that co-headlines UFC Fight Night 250 on Feb. 1 at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (ESPN+).

Page called for the matchup and got his wish. When asked about Page prior to their fight being officially booked, Magomedov suggested that his
Lethwei background was far more dangerous than Page’s striking roots.

MVP has had his fair share of brutal, bone-breaking finishes throughout his career, and warns Magomedov not to underestimate him.

“I’ve seen a lot of people kind of belittle where I come from because the emphasis from the style I was in before wasn’t on power, and that’s the difference,” Page told MMA Junkie. “I think a lot of people, when it comes to combat sports, they get blood thirst, and they want it to be about the power and knocking people out, where my kickboxing style gave me a very unique skill of distancing and timing.

“Just ability to move, the speed element, it gave me different attributes because it wasn’t so focused on power, and people underestimate that. Speed is power. Speed kills, and since crossing over from this so-called semi-contact world, I’ve had some devastating victories and devastating damaging shots. He’s trying to belittle it, but he seemed very respectful, and he definitely knows the danger that awaits him in a few weeks.”

Page is confident that he will eventually frustrate Magomedov to grapple, even though Magomedov vowed to aggressively strike throughout the fight.

“Ian Garry said the same thing,” Page said. “He believes he was a better striker than me, he believes he was faster than me, he believes he hit harder than me. That wasn’t the case. I’ve seen many opponents beforehand, again, belittle – because I think my style is a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing in the sense that it’s very entertaining to watch, but at the same time a lot of people can underestimate it simply because sometimes I make it look too easy. So, people feel like, ‘Yeah, he’s just better than that guy, but if I was in front of him, I’d continue doing this.’

“But, when I’m in front of them and they don’t understand the timing, the rhythm, the speed. They’re throwing shots, they can’t land anything, then they start resorting to all other actions that they may not normally take. I do believe he’s confident in his ability because he’s an undefeated fighter, very successful in his style that’s he’s done so far so, that kind of journey will make him more stubborn even when things are going wrong. So, I do believe he will stay there a little bit longer, but again, I’ve brought it out of so many people. I can also still see me frustrating Shara enough to still want to grab me. Just to keep me there for a second.”

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