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Michael Page is a special striker.
Yesterday (Sat., Feb. 1, 2025), Page jumped up to Middleweight to throw down versus Shara Magomedov in the co-main event of UFC Saudi Arabia. The match up came together seemingly on a whim. The former Bellator title challenger witnessed Magomedov’s breakout 2024, said to himself “I can beat that guy,” and UFC were unusually willing to book the cross-weightclass match up.
Turns out, “MVP” knows ball. At no point in their 15-minute contest was Page particularly bothered by anything Magomedov attempted to do. It took him roughly two minutes and three absorbed low kicks to gain a full understanding of Magomedov’s timing, attacks and reactions.
Not a bad tradeoff.
From that point forward, Page was in control. His leaping right hand was the most significant weapon of the fight, and he would shock Magomedov each time he exploded forward and landed. It has to be immensely frustrating to miss every punch you throw — Magomedov landed zero head shots in the first 10 minutes — and then get cracked repeatedly by the overhand right, generally not the most long distance of weapons.
Page’s distancing and stance operate as a cheat code, allowing him to move unlike pretty much anyone else in the sport. Stephen Thompson is the closest comparison, but even “Wonderboy” relied upon his opponents coming to him to create big connections. Page can counter, too, but he’s able to initiate with far more consistency than most other Karate strikers.
Magomedov is a really unique and excellent kickboxer himself. His fundamental boxing has never been great, but he surged up the ladder on the strength of a relentless kicking attack and inspired creativity (like this). He was undefeated (15-0) before “MVP” casually sauntered up a weight class and absolutely shut him down.
An interesting element to Page’s attack is that he’s content to win on narrow margins. He’s not putting huge numbers up on his opponents, but when they can’t hit him at all … does it matter? Also keeping the fight even remotely close is that Magomedov would appear to have an iron chin. Some of the step-in elbows and jump knees seemed to connect with full force and likely fell other men, but “Bullet” was able to shrug them off even if that didn’t help in the long run.
In three UFC fights, Page has developed an interesting case as the UFC’s best striker. Let me be clear: it’s hard to argue anyone over Alex Pereira or Ilia Topuria right now. That duo has knocked out better foes than Page has ever fought. Still, in the more theoretical sense of “Who could possibly out-strike this guy?”
Page has proven his kickboxing expertise in the Octagon at an exceptional rate.
In three UFC fights, Page has faced three men who range from very good to outright excellent on the feet by MMA standards. Kevin Holland does not lose kickboxing matches very often (Thompson being the other notable exception), as his problems usually arise on the canvas. Even hot-shot Australian boxer, Jack Della Maddalena, struggled to really separate himself from “Trailblazer” in the stand up.
“MVP” styled on Holland and had him panic wrestling.
Then, Page faced Ian Garry, the only man to beat him in the Octagon. Again, however, the noted striker was forced to grapple. Garry — the man who just boxed up the seemingly untouchable Shavkat Rakhmonov — had nothing for Page on the feet and was forced to stall his way to a close decision nod.
Add in the effortless “Pirate” derailing, and it’s a neat resume. Three UFC fights, and Page has barely been touched.
Moving forward, I hope UFC continues to test Page’s stand up skills with similar match ups. At 37 years of age, he’s not likely to suddenly shore up his takedown defense and grappling enough to defeat the best grinders in a wrestler-heavy class like Welterweight. There’s nothing to be gained watching Page get held down for three-to-five rounds by Sean Brady.
Fortunately, much more exciting fights are available in two classes now, provided the title isn’t really the focus. Page versus Geoff Neal, for example, sounds stupidly fun. At 185 pounds, Israel Adesanya was just forcibly ejected from the title mix (watch it) and now needs fun fights.
Who in their right mind would turn down “Stylebender” vs. “MVP?”
For complete UFC Saudi Arabia results and play-by-play, click here.