UFC welterweight contender Michael ‘Venom’ Page feels Shara Magomedov presents a different test than either of his two previous opponents in the Octagon.
Michael ‘Venom’ Page‘s karate style has given his opponents fits during his MMA career, and has resulted in many of his foes implementing a grappling-first gameplan. Ahead of a potential clash with Shara Magomedov, Page is expecting a different approach if they meet in the Octagon.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Page and Magomedov teased a potential UFC Saudi Arabia booking in recent weeks. Magomedov, one of the most promising stars in the middleweight division, is fresh off another impressive knockout at UFC 308.
Speculation has run rampant over whether or not Page will make the move up to 185lbs for a potential fight with Magomedov. If both sides sign the dotted line, the fight would be a fan-friendly encounter, featuring two of the most dangerous stand-up specialists in the UFC today.
But, fighters have taken advantage of Page’s mediocre grappling over his last few performances. While most of his past opponents promised to knock him out and challenge him on the feet, many fights have begun with takedown attempts and grappling scrambles.
Page isn’t as concerned about that possibility with Magomedov.
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Photos by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images Michael ‘Venom’ Page believes Shara Magomedov won’t turn into a wrestler in their fight
In a recent interview with Red Corner MMA, Page explained how Magomedov presents a different challenge than most of his previous opponents.
“For me, the amount of times people have spoken about how they’re gonna knock me out, the better striker, and the same thing happens over and over again,” Page said. “The likes of Paul Daley, Ian Garry, so many people that want to grab me because it’s just different when I’m in front of you…
“At the same time, I honestly believe he’s going to be very confident in his ability to strike. He doesn’t seem amazing on the floor, I’m sure he’s capable…but I agree it’s going to be fireworks up until the fight, and then maybe he might make a few different decisions. But if he doesn’t, perfect, let’s make it a stand-up fight!”
After weeks of teasing a stand-up war, Ian Machado Garry took a grappling-first approach to his matchup with Page. Garry went on to win the fight by unanimous decision at UFC 303.
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Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images Michael ‘Venom’ Page and Shara Magomedov are two of the UFC’s top strikers
After a long, decorated career in Bellator, Page signed with the UFC earlier this year. He made his UFC debut at UFC 299, defeating fan favorite Kevin Holland by unanimous decision.
A largely-dominant win over Holand was followed up by a loss to Garry, temporarily halting his UFC title aspirations. A win over an opponent of Magomedov’s caliber would be enough to get him back in the mix at both welterweight and potentially middleweight.
Magomedov most recently knocked out Armen Petrosyan at UFC 308 last month. He’s undefeated in his MMA career with recent victories over Bruno Silva, Antonio Trócoli, and Michal Oleksiejczuk.
The UFC is scheduled to return to Riyadh for a UFC Fight Night event on February 1. Page vs. Magomedov could potentially get booked for the event if Page is serious about a move up to middleweight.
For now, a striking fan’s delight in Page vs. Magomedov remains a pipe dream, although we could get a definitive answer on the matchup in the coming weeks.
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