Michael Page signs multi-fight Misfits Boxing deal after UFC releases him despite dual top-10 ranking

Michael Page has signed a multi-fight deal with Misfits Boxing after the UFC released him despite a 5-1 record and top-10 rankings in two separate divisions. The 39-year-old, known as “MVP” and “Venom”, was announced as the promotion’s newest signing this past Saturday, weeks after his decision win over Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Paris in September.

Page said the move came together quickly, with the destination still uncertain just days before the announcement. “To be fair, this one happened relatively quickly,” Page told The Stomping Ground. “We kind of didn’t know as recent as three or four days back, it still wasn’t 100 percent confirmed where we’re going. But yeah, this makes sense.”

A recurring theme in Page’s UFC tenure was creative restriction — from walkouts to entrances — and he made clear that was a significant factor in his enthusiasm for the new chapter. “I feel free of the shackles. I’m a very creative person — my walkouts, my entrances, my exits — and I wasn’t allowed to do that,” he said. “And I feel like here, they’re literally like, ‘Look, we want you to be yourself.’ That’s going to help me be my best self.”

Page’s UFC run was marked by wins that rarely generated momentum. His sole loss inside the promotion came against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 303 in June 2024, and his original signing was, by most accounts, a low-key footnote in a Dana White post-event press conference rather than a marquee announcement.

Despite holding dual top-10 status, Page says he was unable to secure the high-profile matchups he sought. “I was top-10 in two divisions, I was calling out everybody, wasn’t getting any feedback,” he said. “I felt very restricted, so it’s a shame because I felt like there was more fights, big fights that could be had.”

Page acknowledged the UFC’s standing in combat sports while expressing optimism about what Misfits can offer. “They are the biggest combat show in terms of MMA. So you have to value them, there’s some ridiculously talented fighters,” he said. “But here, I feel free. The big fights, the big names that are out there, that are away from other shows, it’s all going to happen.”