“Exposed Him”: Michael ‘Venom’ Page Had Fans Singing His Praises After Handing Shara Magomedov His First Loss

Michael ‘Venom’ Page (MVP) came into UFC Saudi Arabia with a mission, to prove that he belonged among the elite of the UFC welterweight division. And he did just that. Stepping up in middleweight to take on the highly touted Shara Magomedov, many expected a striking war, but what unfolded was a masterclass from the British star. MVP’s speed, precision, and range were simply too much for the Russian, handing ‘Bullet’ his first-ever professional loss.

Fans erupted after the fight, showering MVP with praise for the way he dismantled Magomedov. One fan summed it up perfectly, saying, “MVP completely schooled Magomedov in that octagon.” Others took it a step further, with one declaring, “MVP EXPOSED HIM.”

Another fan broke it down in a more balanced manner, acknowledging Magomedov’s potential while still giving MVP his flowers: “Not a fraud check, just a reality check. Shara needs more time and MVP is still a legitimate threat.”

 

The excitement didn’t stop there. Social media was filled with many in awe of Page’s clinical performance. This man, clearly mesmerized by Page’s elegant performance, said, “MVP totally styled on Shara and put him through a striking clinic!! #UFCSaudiArabia.”

This kind of performance had been expected from MVP when he signed with the UFC last year. But his first two fights were lackluster affairs. While he won against Kevin Holland as expected, his performance left a lot to be desired. Somehow, his next fight against Ian Garry was far worse.

Not only did he lose the bout to a unanimous decision, he got trapped by Garry’s grappling and couldn’t get as much offense on the Irishman as he would have liked.

So, there was a lot of pressure on MVP going into the octagon tonight. He had been a marquee signing from Bellator. And tonight MVP proved to a UFC audience why that was the case. MVP came with a plan and stuck to it. At no point did he allow Magomedov to even make it look like a contest.

He maintained a safe distance, but his reach allowed him to quickly jump in and out of Magomedov’s range while landing some sharp strikes. Magomedov tried to and landed a few shots of his own but MVP was far too skillful and quick for the Russian.

A long-time fan who seemed to have followed his career since Bellator said, “This was the MVP we were all waiting to see. He put on a show today.”

With this victory, ‘Venom’ Page not only silenced doubters but also firmly established himself as a serious threat in the UFC. He now aims to go back to 170 lbs and make a name for himself in the division. But before he left the octagon to pursue those ambitions, Page threw some shade at Magomedov.

New captain on deck

Magomedov calls himself ‘The Pirate’, a nickname he has embraced throughout his career. In fact, in an interview, he had boldly warned the division, saying, “The Pirate is here” to take over. But after beating him, MVP spectacularly flipped the script.

During his post-fight interview, Page pulled out a ring and re-enacted the famous scene from the movie, Captain Phillips, where Somali pirates hijack a merchant ship. Mimicking the iconic meme-able moment, MVP confidently told Magomedov:

“Look at me, look at me, I am the captain now.”

It was the ultimate power move since he had just flipped the script and taken Magomedov’s undefeated record by thoroughly outclassing him in the fight. It was a near-perfect performance from Page. One can only hope we see more of this in the future from the Englishman.