Michael “Venom” Page will have to go back to the drawing board after his second Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) appearance at UFC 303 last month (June 29, 2024).
“MVP’s” Welterweight contender clash with Ireland’s Ian Machado Garry resulted in only the third loss of his 25-fight career when Garry earned the unanimous decision nod. The fight was pivotal for either’s title hopes with the upcoming rematch between the champion, Leon Edwards, and top contender, Belal Muhammad, set to headline UFC 304 this month (Sat., July 27, 2024).
At 26 years old, Garry managed to maintain his flawless 15-0 record by defeating Page from England. Nevertheless, the accomplished former Bellator Welterweight staple didn’t find the emerging contender particularly impressive.
“Not all. No,” Page responded when asked on The MMA Hour if Garry is championship material. “Because if that’s the game you’re going to go [to] when you get a decent striker, then Leon is going to kill you anyway, then Shavkat [Rakhmonov] is going to kill you anyway. There’s a few guys in there that I just don’t see him surpassing.
“In certain areas, he lacked significant strength,” he added. “I don’t mean to disrespect him, he did what he needed to do and played smart. However, for me, this game is all about combat. It’s about fighting, not just winning by any means necessary. Even in the last round, I didn’t have to let him stand up. I could have kept him down and potentially earned a higher score in the third round, which might have influenced the outcome. But that’s not my style. I’m here for combat. I want to inflict damage and harm my opponents.”
In summary, Page concluded that she does not believe he will reach the top. However, she recognizes his talent and expects him to consistently be among the top 10 or top five competitors. Although he may face defeat against certain individuals, she acknowledges his abilities and believes he has ample time to improve and advance in the future.
While Page looks to regroup and rebound in whatever his third Octagon appearance will be, Garry advances and has postured for a match up against the mentioned Rakhmonov.
