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Tag: Michael Page

  • Ian Garry Frustrated At Getting Another Decision At UFC 303: ‘I Need To Start Working On These Finishes’

    UFC welterweight contender Ian Garry was disappointed not to finish a fight within the distance for the third straight time this past weekend.

    At Saturday’s UFC 303 pay-per-view, Garry was tasked with opening up the main card in what marked his second Octagon assignment of the year. After getting past Geoff Neal in February, the undefeated Irishman was faced with a tougher striking test in Michael “Venom” Page.

    In the lead-up, “The Future” expressed a distinct lack of interest in the fight and vowed to “run through” the Englishman with ease. While he ultimately had his hand raised at T-Mobile Arena, it was far from a walk in the park.

    Garry secured victory on the scorecards, edging out a final round with his grappling to secure 29-28 verdicts from the three judges cageside.

    For the Dubliner, he maintained his position close to the top of the division and kept the 0 on his record. But like many fans who were expecting more from the clash, Garry didn’t exit the cage without some frustration…

    Garry ‘Irritated’ At Going The Distance With Page

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TPKGBU_R3A

    During a backstage interview with Caroline Pearce for TNT Sports, Garry reflected on his performance and result opposite the tricky Page at UFC 303 in Las Vegas.

    The former Cage Warriors champion admitted disappointment at his failure to finish “MVP” before the final horn, especially after both Neal and Neil Magny made it the 15-minute distance in his previous two bouts.

    “I nearly had the heel hook as well. Look, that for me is just little details on locking up things,” Garry said. “I said to Demian (Maia), ‘Do you know what we need to do now? We need to go every possibility of finish and we need to lock in the minor details; hand position, head position, feet position. We just need to go over it all.’

    “And it needs to be the same on the feet. I need to start working on these finishes because no one’s more irritated than me at having a third f**king decision in a row,” Garry continued. “Even though it’s against elite competition, it f*cks me off.”

    Having started life on MMA’s biggest stage with three knockouts in his first five outings, Garry will no doubt be hoping to return to those finishing ways moving forward.

    And now that he spends most of his time training over at Diego Lima’s Chute Box Academy in São Paulo alongside the likes of the UFC’s all-time most prolific submission artist Charles Oliveira, perhaps the Irishman’s next stoppage will come by way of a choke or hold.

  • Colby Covington Reacts To Ian Garry’s Latest Victory At UFC 303: ‘Anybody Could Be 15-0 Fighting 15 Bums’

    UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington unsurprisingly had a firm take on rival Ian Garry’s recent success inside the Octagon.

    Garry emerged victorious from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this past weekend, where he opened the UFC 303 pay-per-view card alongside striking specialist Michael “Venom” Page.

    The pair didn’t set the cage alight as some were expecting, with the Irishman instead utilizing his grappling to get the better of “MVP” in rounds one and three to secure a unanimous decision triumph on the scorecards.

    In the lead-up, the former Cage Warriors champion expressed absolutely no interest in squaring off with Page at UFC 303, an event at which he’d initially hoped to face Covington as the co-headlining act for Conor McGregor’s return.

    “Chaos” publicly dismissed that matchup, branding Garry a “nobody.” And he believes that stance has been vindicated having seen the Dubliner’s efforts on Saturday night…

    Covington On Garry’s UFC 303 Performance: ‘That Was Pathetic!’

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Covington provided his thoughts on Garry’s decision win over Page on June 29, which extended his perfect professional record to 15-0.

    “Chaos” laughed off mention of that unblemished slate, suggesting that Garry has built it by fighting “bums.” And while insisting that “The Future’s” performance was well below requirement, Covington mentioned UFC CEO Dana White’s take on the UFC 303 main card opener to support his point.

    “Fighting cans from the Indian Casinos league, oh, big deal,” Covington said. “Anybody could be 15-0 fighting a bunch of 15 bums. Even Dana White himself said what he thought of the performance. He thought it was a draw. He doesn’t think there should have been a winner.

    “I feel bad for the fans. The fans got robbed of a pay-per-view opener. That was pathetic. That guy’s fighting the number 14 guy in the world and barely scraping by,” Covington continued. “I think he lost the fight. I feel bad for the fans. They got robbed. But it just shows how much of a bum he is. … He was willing too do whatever he wanted to get on the Conor McGregor card because his name’s ‘Corner McGregor,’ the Conor McGregor wannabe. He pulled all these strings to get on the Conor card and then Conor left him on the alter. … The guy’s an absolute nobody and he’s a bum.”

    Although much of Garry’s focus following his win over Geoff Neal in February was on Covington, it would appear that he’s accepted the sailing of that ship.

    Rather than reiterating a desire to face “Chaos” post-UFC 303, the Irishman instead mentioned Shavkat Rakhmonov and Kamaru Usman as desirable next foes. It remains to be seen who Garry will share the cage with next, but after a third straight decision, he’ll no doubt be looking to finish whoever it is inside the distance. 

  • UFC Welterweight Backs Michael ‘Venom’ Page To Beat Ian Garry With Ease At UFC 303

    UFC Welterweight Backs Michael ‘Venom’ Page To Beat Ian Garry With Ease At UFC 303

    One rising name at 170 pounds is extremely confident in Michael “Venom” Page’s chances of recording a standout win over Ian Garry at UFC 303.

    The upcoming International Fight Week pay-per-view card at the end of this month got a whole lot stronger with the addition of a crucial welterweight contest that will pit the undefeated Garry against an Octagon newcomer in Page.

    While “The Future” has worked his way up to #6 on the ladder with wins over the likes of Neil Magny and Geoff Neal in recent times, “MVP” only debuted on MMA’s biggest stage in Miami this past March.

    At UFC 299, the Londoner impressed in his first UFC appearance after over a decade competing under the Bellator banner. He showed glimpses of his flashy striking style en route to a decision victory over Kevin Holland.

    In pursuit of a quick rise toward an all-English title showdown with Leon Edwards, Page has the chance to climb close to the top five at the expense of Garry at UFC 303 on June 29.

    And one of the division’s up-and-comers expects him to do just that…

    Randy Brown Has No Doubt Page Defeats Garry On June 29

    During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Randy Brown reflected on his victory over Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos at UFC 302 this past weekend and looked ahead to some other clashes set for his division in the coming weeks and months.

    “Rude Boy” was asked for his take on the sophomore UFC outing for Page, who, like Brown, has Jamaican heritage. Brown not only expects “Venom” to have his hand raised in Las Vegas, but he expects it to come with minimal resistance from Garry.

    “MVP, easy. Yeah, easy,” Brown said. “MVP, man, is super dynamic. I think he brings an element into the division that I think a lot of people are not used to seeing; movement, lateral movement, and just a level of creativity that most people aren’t seeing at all.

    “If you’re not used to seeing that — even a style like mine that’s based off movement alone — it throws people for a loop,” Brown continued. “You look at a guy like MVP, I think that movement is gonna throw Ian Garry off. Ian Garry’s the bigger guy, so he’s also used to using things like that, movement. But when you go against a guy that has a better skillset in that realm and has more experience in that realm… I think he picks him apart.”

    Page will no doubt hope to prove Brown’s assessment correct come fight night. To do so, he’ll need to blemish the perfect record of Garry, a former Cage Warriors champion who has long been touted for title success in the sport’s leading promotion.

  • What’s Next After UFC 302? Full Confirmed UFC 303 Main Card For Las Vegas On June 29

    UFC 302 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering.

    The promotion was in Newark, New Jersey, last week, where the Prudential Center played host to a number of intriguing matchups. Of note were victories for UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev, former middleweight kingpin Sean Strickland, the always entertaining Kevin Holland, and heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida.

    While the aftermath of the June 1 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the current crop of elite lightweights to one of the division’s former champs.

    At UFC 303, set for Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on June 29, former two-division UFC titleholder Conor McGregor will make the walk for the first time since suffering a gruesome leg break against Dustin Poirier in July 2021.

    He’ll headline International Fight Week alongside Michael Chandler, the man against whom he coached on The Ultimate Fighter last year.

    Hill, Ulberg, Garry, Page Set The Stage For McGregor Headliner At UFC 303

    Before “The Notorious” Irishman makes his long-awaited comeback in the main event, a number of high-profile names will take to the Octagon looking to make the post of their position on the major card.

    That includes McGregor’s fellow countryman Ian Garry, whose calls for a fight on June 29 were finally answered last month. After Colby Covington frequently rejected the undefeated Dubliner’s callouts, “The Future” will instead defend his position close to the welterweight top five against Michael “Venom” Page.

    After the two elite strikers open the main card, Joe Pyfer and Mayra Bueno Silva will look to bounce back from their defeats earlier this year. After a main event loss to Jack Hermansson, “Bodybagz” is tasked with getting the better of veteran Canadian Marc-André Barriault. “Sheetara,” meanwhile, must rebound at the expense of Macy Chiasson months on from an unsuccessful challenge for the vacant bantamweight gold against Raquel Pennington.

    Then, setting the stage for McGregor vs. Chandler in the co-main event will be former light heavyweight champ Jamahal Hill. “Sweet Dreams” is making a quick turnaround following his knockout loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 300. He’ll share the cage with the charging Carlos Ulberg, who is stepping in as a short-notice replacement for Khalil Rountree.

    See below for the full UFC 303 card, as it stands.

    Main Card:

    • Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler (welterweight main event)
    • Jamahal Hill vs. Carlos Ulberg (light heavyweight co-main event)
    • Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Macy Chiasson (women’s bantamweight)
    • Joe Pyfer vs. Marc-André Barriault (middleweight)
    • Ian Garry vs. Michael Page (welterweight) 
    UFC 298: Ian Garry vs. Geoff Neal

  • Michael Page Hopes To Start Wave Of UK Champions At Bellator London

    Bellator star Michael Page believes UK MMA is on fire right now, and he expects to see a number of champions emerging from the region soon.

    He’ll hope to set that tone when he returns to action in May. After avenging his sole MMA loss to Douglas Lima with a split decision victory over the Brazilian in London last October, “Venom” now has his sights set on welterweight gold.

    Page will have the chance to secure his place on the throne in his home country’s capital later this year. He’s set to challenge undefeated titleholder Yaroslav Amosov in the Bellator London headliner on May 13.

    As well as Page’s ongoing success, a host of new names and talents from the UK have broken through, both in Bellator and the UFC.

    While the likes of Darren Till and Leon Edwards remain well-known names in the world’s premier MMA organization, up-and-comers like Paddy Pimblett, Jack Shore, and Tom Aspinall have started to make a real splash on the global stage.

    Meanwhile, individuals such as Fabian Edwards, Leah McCourt, and Brett Johns have been flying the British flag in the Scott Coker-led promotion.

    During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Page praised the current state of UK MMA and the upcoming crop of future stars. The 34-year-old believes a number of his compatriots and fellow UK fighters will earn championship status soon enough, hopefully beginning with himself in four months’ time.

    “Definitely (UK MMA is on fire right now). I think there’s a buzz. I think we’ve got a big wave coming through, and we should see a lot of champions. I’m hoping to be one of them.”

    UFC Returns To London In March

    While Bellator prepares to thrill the UK audience in May, the UFC will have the first opportunity to showcase their roster of talent from across the Atlantic.

    Earlier today, the promotion confirmed rumors that the March 19 UFC Fight Night event will mark its return to London, England, a destination the company hasn’t been able to venture to since 2019.

    While the card is yet to be finalized, early indications suggest the batch of UK names in action will include Pimblett, Shore, and Aspinall, as well as Molly McCann, Mike Grundy, Jake Hadley, Cory McKenna, and the debuting Muhammad Mokaev.

    Do you agree with Michael Page? Will we see a host of UK-born MMA champions in the months and years to come?

  • Yaroslav Amosov vs. Michael Page Set For Bellator Headliner In London

    After 17 fights in the promotion, England’s Michael “Venom” Page is finally set for his first world title fight in Bellator.

    On social media today, Bellator Europe announced that Page will challenge for Yaroslav Amosov’s welterweight gold in the main event of Bellator London. The promotion’s trip across the Atlantic is set for Friday, May 13, and will see fights go down from inside The SSE Arena, Wembley.

    Page boasts an impressive 20-1 record in professional MMA and has long been a top contender in Bellator’s 170-pound weight class. Since his one and only defeat, a knockout loss to former three-time titleholder Douglas Lima in 2019, MVP has been on a tear.

    In his last six fights, Page has gone 6-0, recorded two first-round knockouts, and avenged his setback against Lima. In the main event of Bellator 267 last October, an event that represented the promotion’s return to the UK for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, “Venom” secured a split decision triumph over “The Phenom”. He’ll hope to replicate that London success when he returns to his country’s capital on May 13.

    In his way of championship glory will be Amosov, an unbeaten Ukrainian who reached the top of the welterweight mountain after seven fights in Bellator. After victories over the likes of David Rickles, Ed Ruth, and Logan Storey, “Dynamo” had his chance to fight for gold at Bellator 260 last June. In a mightily impressive performance, Amosov dethroned Lima after securing a unanimous decision win.

    Across his unblemished 26-0 record, Amosov has recorded 10 submission and nine knockouts. But despite his finishing record, the 28-year-old has gone the distance in three of his last four appearances. Page will be looking to save the judges some work by adding a 13th knockout to his own résumé when he enters the cage with Amosov.

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

    While Page had initially called for a trilogy clash with Lima over a title shot, the Englishman certainly won’t be disappointed to have his chance to further cement his legacy as one of Bellator’s greats.

    Who do you think will leave Bellator London with the welterweight title, Yaroslav Amosov or Michael Page?

  • Bellator Attempting To Book Michael Page vs. Yaroslav Amosov

    Bellator is currently working to put flashy welterweight Michael “Venom” Page against champion Yaroslav Amosov for a card in London, England.

    Bellator President Scott Coker revealed the plans in a recent interview with MMA Junkie. He mentioned he hopes to make the fight for early 2022, although an exact date hasn’t been worked out yet.

    Coker said that Page was hesitant for a title fight, but eventually decided that he wanted the title fight. Page had publicly noted before that he preferred to face Douglas Lima – a fighter he just beat – in a trilogy bout.

    “I know MVP was kinda back-and-forth, ‘do I want to fight Lima again, do I want to fight Amosov’ and then we said hey, just go think about it,” Coker said. “Our opinion as a company is you want to take the next step. You want to go fight for the belt now. This is your time. If you don’t do it now, when are you gonna do it? and then you can come back and fight Lima again in the future. So to me, it’s the right fight to put together. I think it’ll happen in the second quarter. It will be in London and it will be a massive fight over there because he’s such a big star.” (h/t MMA Junkie)

    Page Getting Title Fight Following Important Win

    Michael Venom Page

    Page is being put in a title fight position for the first time in his career. He is also coming off arguably the biggest win of his career thus far.

    Page is being put in the title fight after avenging the sole pro loss in his career. He recently defeated former champ Lima, beating him via split decision.

    The potential fight could be Amosov’s first fight as the Bellator Welterweight Champion. He earned the belt in June, going five rounds against Lima for a decision win. The victory continued his flawless pro career that includes 26 wins as a whole and seven victories in Bellator.

    Who would you pick in a fight between Yaroslav Amosov and Michael “Venom” Page?

  • (Archives) Watch: MVP Mocks Ronda Rousey With New Dance (2017)

    The entire MMA world was abuzz over Ronda Rousey’s second KO straight loss in what would ultimately be her final bout in the UFC. Among those to chime in was Bellator’s Michael Venom Page (MVP).

    The following article was published five years ago today. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.

    On This Day Five Years Ago…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 1, 2017, 3:25 PM]

    Headline: Michael Page Pokes Fun at Ronda Rousey With Dance

    Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.

    It’s no secret that Bellator’s Michael Page is flashy and flamboyant. The welterweight has turned some heads with his fighting style and highlight-reel knockouts. His stunning flying knee knockout of Evangelista Santos caused “Cyborg” to suffer a fractured skull.

    “Venom’s” flashiness has transitioned outside the cage. He took to his Instagram account to ring in the new year. He has created a new “Do the Rousey” dance. In the video, Page mocks “Rowdy’s” defense in her women’s bantamweight title fight against Amanda Nunes at UFC 207.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30XOnleTw_w

    Rousey was starched by “The Lioness” in 48 seconds at the final Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event of 2016. It was “Rowdy’s” first bout since she was knocked out by Holly Holm in Nov. 2015. Following her second straight knockout defeat, the Internet has exploded with jokes and memes at her expense.

    Count “MVP” in as one of those taking full advantage.

    Page has yet to taste defeat with a 12-0 record and has competed for Bellator eight times. While Page is known for his exciting style, his last bout with Fernando Gonzalez was seen by many as a snoozer. “Venom” walked away with a split decision win.