“MVP” knows he left fans wanting more (again).
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight – and occasionally welterweight – Michael Page scored a forgettable unanimous decision victory Nursultan Ruziboev in UFC Paris“Featured Fight” yesterday (Saturday, September 5, 2026) at the Accor Arena in Paris, France.
On paper, Page’s UFC run has been undeniably successful.
The former Bellator standout is 5-1 inside the Octagon, with his only loss coming up Ian Machado-Garry in an extremely competitive fight. But all of Page’s six UFC appearances have gone to the judges’ scorecards, and he’s landed just 39 significant strikeouts in his last two outings.
In other words, the results have been good, but the entertainment value has often been atrocious.
UFC Paris also marked the final fight under Page’s current contract, leaving his future with the promotion uncertain. A 5-1 record would normally make a new deal an easy decision, but it’s there there’s a good chance he’ll be released next week.
If the UFC decides to bring him back, “MVP” plans to make some major changes.
“The frustrating thing is that I feel great, which sometimes means I haven’t done enough, and the results show that I haven’t done enough,” Page told UFC.com after the fight. “I probably need to push myself a little bit more and take a few more risks.
“Sometimes I want it to be too clean and too precise,” he added. “I just know there’s more and it’s frustrating because when I get in the cage I feel like I’m holding back. I want to give more. The fans deserve more, the UFC deserves more. I know I can give more and I feel like I’m almost there.”
Page’s unorthodox movement and counterpunches have made him one of the most difficult pure striking fighters in the promotion. That same patient approach has also led to long periods of inactivity when opponents refuse to chase him.
“There’s nobody in the world who can beat me, but then again, there are too many people who can survive with me,” Page added. “That’s the problem. That’s what I have to change. My output has to change. I have to take a lot more risks. I have to shape my style and do more — adjust it so people feel more comfortable going forward.”
At least Page acknowledges the problem.
Unfortunately, he’s now had six UFC fights to add to his production, and his cautious, hard-hitting style remains largely unchanged from what he used throughout his decade-long Bellator run. Whether he can suddenly become a more aggressive finisher without sacrificing what makes him so hard to beat remains to be seen.
Page is on a four-fight winning streak, so the UFC could certainly decide that his name value and ability outweigh his entertainment issues.
Or … I guess there’s always Karate Combat.
By now, Page has identified the problem. His next challenge is to prove that he can actually fix it.
Click for full results, coverage and highlights from UFC Paris HERE.
