Dana White confirmed last night that Michael ‘Venom’ Page’s time in the UFC has come to an end following the conclusion of his contract this past weekend.
There had been question-marks whether the 39-year-old Page was going to be offered a new deal even before he stepped into the Octagon on Saturday in Paris, despite the fight that he was on a three-fight winning streak coming into the event.
Despite his obvious striking talent, Page’s cautious, low-output, decision-heavy style was a potential issue in that regard, but on top of that, he’d also been outspoken during his time in the UFC, including frequently criticizing the matchmakers for the fights they were giving him.
Despite that, Page had gone into Saturday’s fight against Nursulton Ruziboev hoping for a good performance that would convince the UFC to give him another deal.
However, on the night Page instead indulged in a glorified staring contest with Ruziboev in which he only landed 12 significant strikes over the course of three rounds while being heavily booed by the Parisian crowd, yet still managed to win by unanimous decision to take his winning streak to four fights.
Now Dana White has confirmed fans suspicions by stating that Page won’t be getting a new deal in the UFC.
“That was his last fight on his contract,” White said after last night’s Contender Series event. “I don’t think we’re re-signing him, no.
“What’s the confusion? I think it’s been pretty clear that he wasn’t being re-signed, and that he would be taken out of the rankings because he’s no longer on the roster.”
Page hasn’t spoken out about the UFC’s decision yet, but he had lamented his performance following his win at the weekend.
“Sometimes, I haven’t done enough and the results show that I haven’t done enough,” Page had said in his post-fight interview. “I probably need to push myself a little bit more, take a few more risks. Sometimes I want it to be too clean, too just precise. I just know to myself, I know there’s more and it’s frustrating as I get to the cage, I feel like I’m holding back.
“I want to give more. The fans deserve more, the UFC deserves more. I know I can give more. I feel like I’m almost there.”
Page bows out of the UFC with a 5-1 run, taking his overall career record to 26-3.
