Despite days of speculations, former Bellator welterweight contender Michael Page may not be coming to the UFC. Instead, the Englishman might be on his way to join the Professional Fighters League (PFL). If the rumors are true, Page might be making his debut for the American promotion.
A veteran of the sport, the Englishman has made a name for himself, with his unorthodox and flashy striking. Widely known for his devastating knockout of Evangelista Santos, Page has had a legendary run at Bellator, winning 17 of his 19 fights with the promotion. So when ‘Venom’ bid adios to his former promotion earlier this year, the UFC seemed like the obvious next step. Something which most in the MMA community agreed to, but that may not be the case anymore.
Michael Page Might Soon Be Making His Debut for PFL
Currently a free agent, English MMA fighter Michael Venom Page might be making his debut for PFL soon. And if the rumors are true, his first opponent might be another flashy striker, Cedric Doumbe. A former kickboxer like Page, Doumbe is already part of the promotion and already has a win under his belt.
The rumors of this fight and Venom’s move to PFL started after the recently concluded PFL Europe 4 in Dublin. During the event, Doumbe, who wasn’t part of the card, joined Sean O’Connell inside the cage. When asked for his next opponent, the Frenchman named ‘MVP’ aka Michael Venom Page, who was present in the crowd. Soon, Page too entered the cage, and the two former kickboxers squared off inside the ring.
All this is a clear indication that the rumors might be true. However, it’s noteworthy that MVP’s free-agent status is still intact, and there is no official word on the move yet. Nonetheless, if the said move happens, this may not be good news for the UFC. Ever since the fighter exited Bellator, Dana White and company were interested in signing Page. But this plan may be in shambles now.
A Situation Similar to Francis Ngannou’s UFC Departure?
Earlier this year, Francis Ngannou broke the internet after he exited the UFC. Then the heavyweight champion, Ngannou was all set to face alleged MMA GOAT Jon Jones in the biggest fight of his career. But just weeks before the super fight, ‘Predator’ parted ways with the Dana White-helmed promotion following failed negotiations. This breakup was a bitter one, and it looks like the two parties aren’t over it yet.
As soon as this news was out, all major MMA promotions showed interest in signing the hard-hitting heavyweight. This includes ONE FC, Bellator, and PFL. But in the end, it was PFL that won this race after they struck a deal which allowed the Cameroonian to pursue his boxing ambitions. Although not as much in clout, a similar race might be there to sign Michael Page among UFC and PFL. And it’s PFL that may be bagging the win once again.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
