White confirms MVP exit after UFC contract expires
UFC president Dana White has confirmed that British fighter Michael "Venom" Page is leaving the promotion after his six-fight contract expired. The 39-year-old, who joined the UFC in December 2023, ended his deal with a decision win over Nursulton Ruziboev in Paris on Saturday that was met with booing from the crowd, and he was subsequently removed from the UFC rankings.
Page finished with a 5-1 record in the UFC across welterweight and middleweight, though all five of his wins came by decision, and he has admitted to not delivering the performances he wanted. White dismissed suggestions of confusion over the situation, saying it had been made clear Page would not be re-signed. The Londoner, whose overall MMA record stands at 26-3 with 16 stoppage wins, is now a free agent and could pursue opportunities with the PFL or in boxing.
In short
- Dana White confirms MVP will not be re-signed by UFC
- Page leaves with 5-1 UFC record, all wins by decision
- Now a free agent, could move to PFL or boxing
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Page’s departure can be seen as a reasonable outcome when a contract ends and the fighter’s UFC performances have not met his own ambitions or the promotion’s expectations. With a 5–1 record and a strong overall career, he may find better opportunities elsewhere, while the UFC can use its roster places for fighters it expects to be a stronger fit.
The case against
The UFC’s decision not to re-sign Page can be questioned given his 5–1 record and the experience and profile he brought across two weight classes. A run of decision wins does not by itself show that he lacked value, and retaining him might have offered fans competitive bouts while recognising that fighters can develop or deliver more compelling performances in a different setting.
Explained simply
Michael “Venom” Page is a British mixed martial artist from London who competes in the UFC, a major organisation for professional bouts using mixed martial arts. Fighters agree contracts with a promotion, which arranges their fights and maintains rankings in different weight classes.
Page fought at welterweight and middleweight during his UFC run. His record there was five wins and one loss, with each win coming by judges’ decision; across his wider career, he has also won many bouts by stoppage. His future choices may include other MMA promotions or boxing, where the rules and format are different.
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