Michael ‘Venom’ Page’s last fight on his UFC contract ended in an underwhelming win against Nursulton Ruziboev amid booing fans in Paris.
London’s Page, who is nicknamed ‘MVP’, landed a handful of eye-catching strikes during the contest but could not deliver the knockout that the fans craved as he won by unanimous decision.
The 39-year-old’s victory means all five of his wins in the UFC since joining in 2024 have come via decision.
Page joined the UFC with a reputation as an innovative striker with a resume of highlight-reel knockouts, but admitted pre-fight he has underperformed since joining the organisation.
Page said the fight with Uzbekistan’s Ruziboev was “important to re-establish myself with the UFC”, but he did not get the finish he wanted.
Page, who arrived in the UFC over two years ago with 13 knockouts to his name, received a raucous ovation from the French crowd as he entered the octagon.
Ruziboev controlled the majority of the first round on the ground before Page started to open up midway through the fight.
He landed a kick to Ruziboev’s knee which wobbled the 32-year-old, before smiling and showboating as he delivered a number of feints.
Page delivered an overhead right and an elbow, but the explosive moments were few and far between as the crowd grew frustrated at a lack of action.
Throughout the bout, Page landed only 12 significant strikes to Ruziboev’s eight.
Page has shown throughout his UFC career he is a master of movement and evasion, without having the finishing instinct that the most successful fighters possess.
The fight against Ruziboev followed the same pattern, and although Page was awarded victory by the judges, his arm was raised after jeers from the crowd.
With Page now a free agent, potential options for him if he does not re-sign with the UFC include joining the PFL or turning to boxing.
