Michael ‘Venom’ Page is all set to bring his incredible striking skills to the UFC. The British kickboxer and former Bellator star recently signed with the promotion. He will make his debut inside the Octagon against Kevin Holland in the 170 lbs division, next year. Nevertheless, a pair of long-time UFC insiders seem to think he should be facing a different opponent instead!
Page, who is known for his highlight reel knockouts, will be taking on Holland in March next year. But according to John McCarthy and Josh Thomson, while they find the matchup “interesting”, they believe ‘Venom’ should be fighting another former kickboxer who also comes from a karate background instead!
Michael Page and his UFC debut opponent questioned by experts
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Michael Page signed with the UFC after the end of his contract with Bellator where he had been competing since 2013. After rumors swirled online that he might head to the PFL next, Page shocked the fans when UFC CEO Dana White announced his signing during a press conference after UFC 296.
White also revealed that Page’s debut will take place at UFC 299 in Miami next year and his opponent will be the brash and always-game, Kevin Holland! However, this choice of opponent hasn’t sat well with veteran MMA referee “Big” John McCarthy and former UFC fighter, Josh Thomson.
In a recent episode of the ‘Weighing In’ podcast, McCarthy revealed that while he is happy that Page is now a part of the UFC, he wants to see him take on a different opponent. He stated, “Michael Page did sign with the UFC, congratulations to him on that and him going up against Kevin Holland, this is an interesting fight. I do agree with you if I was going to see the perfect matchup that I would love to see in the 170 lbs division would be MVP against Wonderboy.”
Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson is known for his karate background and holds an impressive record in kickboxing, as such McCarthy feels that, “I think that would be just a classic fight, but this one right here, it’s just a step behind it.”
His sentiments were echoed by Thomson, who revealed, “I have mixed emotions on it. Because I wanted to see him fight like a top contender”
Therefore, the debate over Page’s opponent choice adds an intriguing layer to the anticipation surrounding his UFC debut. In a recent interview, Page also revealed that while he is looking forward to his first UFC fight, he feels the fighters in the promotion need to reign in their trash-talking!
‘MVP’ feels UFC fighters take trash talk too far
British fighter Michael “MVP” Page is advocating for respectful trash-talking in the UFC! In his appearance on The MMA Hour, Page expressed his disapproval of personal attacks involving family members and emphasized a return to martial arts principles. He stated, “I’m all for the banter, I’m all for the jokes and keeping it kind of friendly, and that should be enough to build a fight.”
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His comments highlight recent incidents involving Leon Edwards and Colby Covington, as well as Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis, which escalated due to comments about family backgrounds during trash-talking exchanges.
Page emphasized the importance of focusing on skill and banter to build fights, discouraging the use of personal attacks in the sport. It remains to be seen if his pre-fight build-up with Kevin Holland will be a demonstration of respectful banter as he has claimed.
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Do you think Michael Page should fight ‘Wonderboy’ instead of Kevin Holland for his UFC debut? Why or Why not? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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