Michael Page will make his highly-anticipated Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) debut at UFC 299 inside Kaseya Center in Miami, Fla., on March 9, 2024, against perennial Welterweight contender, Kevin Holland, in a high-octane bout between two devastating strikers.
While most fight fans are expecting an all-out striking war when they collide on South Beach, it may not exactly go down that way. Page would love nothing more than to convince Holland to accept a striking-only arrangement — much like “Trailblazer” did unsuccessfully against Stephen Thompson — but he doesn’t think Holland would be up for the challenge.
“I know for a fact Kevin Holland is not going to want to do that agreement again after the whooping that he took against Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson,” Page told MMA Junkie. “I see myself as the faster, harder-hitting, more dangerous version of a ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson.
“He’s definitely not going to want to do that again,” Page continued. “I’m happy to take that deal. If he wants to shake my hand and do that, we can do that. But, I don’t believe he’s going to want to. He’s going to want to utilize as much as possible to deal with me.”
Page inked a deal with UFC earlier this year after spending the last decade competing inside the Bellator MMA cage, amassing an impressive 17-2 record during that span before becoming a free agent in late 2023.
“Venom” has made a name for himself thanks to his unique and creative striking style that has earned him one highlight reel knockout after another. It’s a reputation Page has strived for throughout his career, and he is now ready to bring his unique brand of action to the biggest mixed martial arts (MMA) stage of them all.
“The pressure from everybody else is irrelevant to me,” Page said about scoring an impressive knockout win. “I put that pressure on myself. I want to be a highlight-reel, KO artist. I want to keep upping the level and one-upping myself. For me, that just helps me to grow as a fighter and to grow as a mixed martial artist that I am. Nobody else can pressure me because I put too much on myself anyway.
“But, I know my style by itself, without even adding any of the KOs or anything in there, is super entertaining for everybody to watch,” Page concluded. “Let’s say I don’t finish him, you’re going to see some crazy kicks, you’re going to see some crazy punches and some crazy interactions, and my hand is still going to get raised.”
For the record, Holland currently has 14 knockout wins on his resume to 13 for “Venom.” Nevertheless, “Trailblazer” will attempt to get back into the win column after suffering a split decision defeat at the hands Jack Della Maddalena in Sept. 2022. Page, meanwhile, was last seen destroying Goiti Yamauchi’s knee with a devastating kick at Bellator 292 in March 2023.
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