Michael Page returns to middleweight to face Ruziboev at UFC Paris in September

Michael Page will return to middleweight to face Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Paris on September 5 at Accor Arena, the UFC announced on Wednesday. The matchup marks another unexpected twist in Page’s recent weight-class journey.

“MVP” had gone 2-0 at middleweight with victories over Shara Magomedov and Jared Cannonier before requesting a move back down to welterweight, which the UFC granted him in March at UFC London. Page defeated Sam Patterson in a largely underwhelming performance, and now heads back up to 185 pounds to take on a fighter who has been one of the division’s more impressive risers.

Ruziboev arrives at the bout with a 5-1 UFC record. His only loss came in his sole welterweight appearance — a defeat to Joaquin Buckley at UFC St. Louis in May 2024 — suggesting the Uzbek fighter is firmly at home in the middleweight division.

The Paris card also features a light heavyweight contest between Modestas Bukauskas and Oumar Sy, and a heavyweight bout pitting Mario Pinto against Ryan Spann. Losene Keita returns to the octagon to face Muhammad Naimov.

French fans will have two local fighters to cheer on. Matthieu Duclos makes his UFC debut in a middleweight bout against Luis Felipe Dias, while Nora Cornolle competes in front of a home crowd in a women’s bantamweight matchup against Klaudia Sygula.