Page wins ugly in Paris to fight out UFC contract, admits he must do better

Michael ‘Venom’ Page completed his UFC contract with a unanimous decision victory over Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Paris on Saturday, but the performance left the crowd in the French capital deeply unimpressed. Page landed just 12 significant strikes across 15 minutes and never once put Ruziboev on the canvas, a far cry from the spectacular finish he had promised heading into the bout.

The result extends Page’s UFC record to 5-1, yet he remains without a single finish across all six appearances in the promotion — a damning statistic for a fighter who built his reputation on creative, highlight-reel knockouts. At 39, the pressure to deliver something memorable has never been greater, and Page was candid about falling short of his own standards.

“The frustrating thing is I feel great,” Page said in his post-fight interview. “Sometimes I haven’t done enough and the results show that. I probably need to push myself a little bit more, take a few more risks. Sometimes I want it to be too clean, too 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.”

Page acknowledged that the fans and the organisation deserve a better version of him. “I want to give more. The fans deserve more, the UFC deserves more. I feel like I’m almost there,” he said, before outlining a willingness to rethink his approach. “I’m going to have to doctor my style a little bit more. Maybe adapt it so people feel more comfortable coming forward. I’ve got to go back to the drawing board.”

With his contract now expired, Page’s immediate future in the UFC is unresolved. He will need to negotiate a new deal with the promotion’s matchmakers and executives, who must weigh his solid winning record against a string of performances that have drawn more boos than applause.

“I’ll sit down with the UFC and have an honest conversation,” Page said. “Look, I know I can do better. I’m aspiring to do better. Give me better opponents and have faith I can go deliver something special for the crowd.”

Whether the UFC shares that faith, after six fights without a finish and a fanbase growing increasingly restless, remains the central question hanging over one of MMA’s most naturally gifted — and recently most underwhelming — performers.