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Michael Page on MMA’s Highs and Lows: ‘I Should’ve Played Golf’ Before UFC Paris

Michael Page on MMA’s Highs and Lows: ‘I Should’ve Played Golf’ Before UFC Paris

There aren't many fighters who look like they're enjoying themselves more inside a cage than Michael Page. The hands-down stance, exaggerated feints, sudden blitzes and celebrations have been part of “MVP” for more than a decade.

That doesn't mean the career behind the showmanship has always been fun.

Ahead of his middleweight fight with Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Paris, Page spoke unusually openly about the emotional swings that come with spending your life in combat sports. Even after years at the highest levels of MMA, there are still periods when he wonders why he chose such an unforgiving profession in the first place.

Michael Page admits MMA sometimes makes him question everything

Page described his relationship with fighting as something that can change from one phase to another. There are stretches when training, competing and solving the problems presented by another fighter feel exactly like what he was meant to do. There are also days when the grind produces a much simpler thought: “I should've played golf.”

It's a funny line coming from one of MMA's most naturally entertaining personalities, but it gets at something less visible about a long fighting career. Page is 39 and has been competing professionally in MMA since 2012. Years of camps, injuries, weight cuts, travel and the pressure attached to winning don't disappear because a fighter looks relaxed once the cage door closes.

For Page, the frustration hasn't outweighed the fascination. He says his underlying love for martial arts is still there because the sport never stops giving him something new to solve. Wrestling evolves. Brazilian jiu-jitsu changes. Kickboxing changes. MMA takes those developments and forces fighters to keep adapting with them.

That constant learning process appears to be a big reason Page remains interested this deep into his career. He can get tired of the business around fighting without getting tired of martial arts itself.

The pressure changed when MVP finally reached the UFC

Page spent the longest stretch of his major-promotion career in Bellator before finally joining the UFC in 2024. His debut came against Kevin Holland rather than an introductory matchup, and he immediately showed that his unusual striking game translated.

But Page has since acknowledged another difference between the two stages: pressure.

The results suggest he has handled that adjustment rather well. Page is 4-1 through his first five UFC appearances, beating Kevin Holland, Shara Magomedov, Jared Cannonier and Sam Patterson. His only UFC loss came by decision against Ian Machado Garry.

There is, however, one missing piece by Page's own standards: the highlight-reel knockout.

All four of his UFC victories have gone to the scorecards. For almost any other fighter, four wins in five UFC appearances would require little explanation. Page built his reputation differently. Spectacular finishes were a major part of what made him famous, and he has openly said he still feels as though he has not completely introduced the UFC audience to the version of MVP that existed before his arrival.

His movement remains instantly recognizable. Sometimes it even lends itself a little too perfectly to the Michael Jackson comparisons that have followed his style online.

Why Michael Page is committing to middleweight

The other significant development entering UFC Paris is that Page no longer sounds interested in bouncing between divisions while waiting for the right opportunity.

He wants to stay at middleweight.

Page has described the UFC welterweight picture as congested, with contenders waiting for particular opponents or trying to protect their place in the queue. At this stage of his career, he doesn't want to spend months waiting for a matchup that may never materialize.

The decision isn't coming without evidence that Page can compete at 185 pounds. He already defeated Shara Magomedov and former UFC middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier in the division. Cannonier in particular represented the sort of established, physically strong middleweight that was supposed to test whether Page's style would remain effective against naturally larger opponents.

It did.

Page's speed becomes even more unusual at middleweight, and moving up removes the burden of making the welterweight limit. More importantly for him, it opens a different pool of opponents.

Michael Page vs Nursulton Ruziboev is a serious middleweight test

Michael Page vs. Nursulton Ruziboev should tell us considerably more about what a permanent move to middleweight can look like.

Ruziboev enters UFC Paris at 37-9-2 with two no contests and an extraordinary number of finishes accumulated across a long professional career. The Uzbek fighter has 13 knockout victories and 21 submissions, and four of his first five UFC wins ended inside the distance.

He also enters on a three-fight winning streak after returning to middleweight, most recently submitting Andrey Pulyaev in the first round in June.

That creates an obvious stylistic tension. Page wants space. He wants opponents reacting to his feints, following his movement and becoming uncertain about when the real attack is coming. Ruziboev is a huge middleweight with finishing threats both standing and on the ground.

Page is also riding three straight victories, so Saturday isn't simply an aging star looking for another entertaining matchup. Both men arrive with meaningful momentum, and a win could move either one deeper into the middleweight conversation.

MVP still wants the kind of finish that made him famous

The irony of Page talking about the difficult side of MMA is that he still seems genuinely excited by what fighting allows him to create.

That's the distinction running through his comments. He can hate the waiting, the pressure and certain stages of the process while still loving the actual problem-solving once somebody is standing across from him.

At 39, there is also less reason to be patient. Page has said he wants to become more aggressive rather than allowing opponents to spend 15 minutes primarily trying not to become another clip in his highlight reel.

That makes the Ruziboev fight particularly interesting. Page isn't only trying to extend his UFC winning streak. He's trying to produce the sort of performance that feels unmistakably like Michael “Venom” Page.

Read the full UFC Paris preview and fight card

Page vs. Ruziboev is part of a deep September 5 card at Accor Arena headlined by Dan Hooker against Salahdine Parnasse. Read MMAtown's UFC Paris 2026 preview, full fight card and MMAtown picks for the complete lineup, Losene Keita's matchup and our breakdown of Page vs. Ruziboev.

Michael Page UFC Paris FAQ

Who is Michael Page fighting at UFC Paris?

Michael Page faces Nursulton Ruziboev in a middleweight fight at UFC Paris on September 5, 2026.

Is Michael Page staying at middleweight?

Yes. Page said during UFC Paris fight week that he wants to remain at middleweight, citing the congested welterweight division and his desire to keep competing rather than waiting for particular matchups.

What is Michael Page's UFC record?

Page enters UFC Paris with a 4-1 UFC record. He has defeated Kevin Holland, Shara Magomedov, Jared Cannonier and Sam Patterson, with his only Octagon loss coming by decision against Ian Machado Garry.

How old is Michael Venom Page?

Michael Page is 39 years old entering his September 2026 fight with Nursulton Ruziboev.

Why did Michael Page say he should have played golf?

Page was describing the emotional ups and downs of a long MMA career. He said there are phases when he loves fighting and others when the difficulty of the sport makes him question why he chose it, joking that he should have played golf instead.

Does Michael Page still want to fight for a UFC title?

Page has said the championship remains a goal, but his immediate frustration is spending time waiting for opponents. His move to middleweight is partly about staying active and finding meaningful fights rather than navigating a crowded welterweight queue.

Has Michael Page scored a knockout in the UFC?

Not yet. Page has won four UFC fights, but all four victories have gone to decision. That is notable because knockout finishes were a major part of his reputation before joining the promotion, and Page has said he wants to bring that side of MVP back against Ruziboev.

What is Nursulton Ruziboev's record before fighting Michael Page?

Nursulton Ruziboev enters the matchup at 37-9-2 with two no contests and three consecutive victories. He has recorded 34 professional finishes across knockout and submission wins.

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