Opinions
MVP: The Superstar, The Showman, The Future UFC Welterweight Champ
It’s June, and we are staring down the barrel at UFC 303. A fight card that has broken all the gate records and surely will draw more eyes than usual as the great “Notorious” Conor McGregor is due to headline and finally make his much anticipated return to the Octagon.
The card was (is?) in a little trouble after the Conor/Chandler press conference was mysteriously cancelled the day of, leading many to speculate if McGregor got injured. This got many thinking, who is going to save this card? It is true that this card would need another fighter to save the day if the Conor fight was off. However, I also think there is another superstar already on the card… Michael “Venom” Page.
MVP The Superstar
“I’ve always got two hats on at the same time. You’ve got the fighter side then the business side. I understand why certain business decisions are made”
- Michael Page (via @bisping YT channel)
Many fight fans have heard of MVP before his UFC debut. Fighting MMA professionally in other promotions for over 12 years, Page tested himself immediately with a great fighter in Kevin Holland at UFC 299. This was a perfect fight for MVP for a number of reasons.. one being he got to show off his style and how hard he is to deal with on the feet. He had Holland constantly irritated with his unorthodox brand of striking.
A win over Holland also allowed him to get into the rankings immediately. The 37 year old striker doesn’t have a lot of time to climb the ladder at 170 pounds, so this was a strategic move on his part. Same with the Garry fight - if he wins, he comes within striking distance of a title, probably needing just one more win (or a last minute replacement) to get one.
It reminds me of Suga Sean O’Malley a bit.. some fighters get it and other don’t. It would be nice if we always had the best ranked fighters go against each other every single time, but there is a business to it. To me, to get the big fights you need a combination of things to be true. Decent record, high ranking, and fan support/appetite to see you perform. The better each of those are, the faster you will get main events and title fights. MVP is on a path to get fast tacked to superstardom in the UFC as he checks all of the boxes.
MVP The Showman
Who does it better than “Venom” Page? In his UFC debut alone there was enough entertainment to prove this.
I would be remiss in my duties to not include the one time he KO'd his oponent with a flying knee, caved in his skull, and continued to throw a pokeball at him. Given this one I think he would want back given the severity of the injury... still funny though!
That type of style is highly entertaining, and it didn’t seem to cost him at all in the Holland fight (or many of his other fights). A great post fight celebration is a very nice touch to an electric knockout, wouldn’t you say? This man is the Chad Ochocinco of the UFC.
With either Leon Edwards or Belal Muhammad as champion going into the fall, the top of the division could use a jolt of entertainment.
MVP The UFC Champion
The main question for fans will be - how will he handle elite competition? He’s a good striker, but is he as good as Ian Garry/Jack Della Maddalena? What happens when he faces the grappling of Colby Covington/Kamaru Usman?
People who think MVP will never be champ because he doesn’t take it serious enough with all of the dancing he does mid match.. remember Izzy likes to do anime taunts and such in the octagon as well. It’s ok to have fun with it.. and it actually might do some good.
And the wrestling piece remains to be seen against elite talent, but he looked good in the grappling exchanges during the Holland fight. Colby/Burns/Usman have all had issues with strikers lately, and Page’s range will only help him.
We have had more than a few kickboxing champions in the last few years, so why not MVP?
“The Future”
MVP is set to take on Ian Garry at UFC 303, and it couldn’t be a more perfect matchup. Garry is still undefeated (outside of Colby giving him the nickname “Corner McGregor”). Fans would love to see MVP take his zero, and MVP would love to add a win over Gary to his resume.
I think stylistically he matches up well also. After his last fight, Kevin Holland admitted to being frustrated by the distance Page covers with his strikes. He appears to be on the outside, then is able to be right in your face with a fist or an elbow quickly. Striking at a distance will be pivotal in beating Gary, who has a big frame and loves to establish a good range to fight from.
Conclusion
My guess is this is the last time you see Michael “Venom” Page outside of a main or co-main event. So don’t sleep on MVP becoming UFC champion some day very soon. I mean, who doesn’t want to see this at the top of the card?
