Issue 227
March 2026
Giancarlo Aulino sits down with Michael Page to break down what it really takes to turn skill into spectacle and stay must-watch at the highest level.
He’s someone with an outspoken reputation as an entertainer, but as he prepares to return to welterweight, he reflects in an exclusive interview on the unique pros and cons of fighting in London, and how he continues to perform at an elite level. ‘MVP’ also offered advice to the next generation, sharing the message he gives to young aspiring fighters training alongside him at his gym. What unfolded on fight night may not have matched the script, but Page’s identity has never been built on a single performance. With just one more fight on his UFC contract, he's aware, it’s something that’s been built on presence, personality, and a style that doesn’t always fit neatly into expectations.
THE CUT TO WELTERWEIGHT
Page beat Sam Patterson at UFC London. Prior to their meeting, both men had lost just once in the UFC, and Page had had one less fight than Patterson, but it was the absence of a weight cut that left him feeling his best, and may be a sign of what’s to come in the future.
“My body has definitely adjusted to being a bit heavier, so it took a little bit of time to get down,” Page said. “It feels like your body has a mind of its own sometimes. Every camp is different. You could be doing exactly the same things and have to change it and trick your body. So I’ve had to do a number of different things, but now I’m moving in the right direction. I feel good.”
After two bouts at middleweight, Page returns to welterweight for the first time since his loss to Ian Machado Garry.
“I actually feel faster,” he smiles. “I guess it’s just because my body was used to carrying that extra bit of weight and having to try and maneuver at that weight. I feel like it was as if I was wearing a weighted vest. Now I’m moving and I feel very, very explosive. I feel like that’s the main difference. I still feel strong, but that speed element, hopefully everybody gets to see that in my next fight.”
That speed and control are both hallmarks of his fight game and were on display in a performance that leaned more toward precision than spectacle. He’s a famously accurate counter-puncher, which is something Sam Patterson clearly studied. They were former training partners so Patterson knows Page's style probably better than most. Here lies a reminder that not every showing is designed to steal headlines, even if that’s what fans have come to expect from him. It also speaks to the importance of fighting someone you hate, rather than respect.
PROS AND CONS OF HOME CROWDS
Fighting for a home crowd can give an emotional lift, but it can also pile on the pressure.
“The pros are always the hometown crowd, people who are on your side, the energy just from them mentioning your name,” Page said. “The cons are usually actually away from the fight. You’re more accessible to everybody. Everybody is asking you questions, ‘When is this happening? What is going on here?’ Tickets.”
Page noted that he has many supporters who travel to watch him fight live, but a home game alters things a little.
“Here, everyone will wait until the last minute,” he says. “‘Where can I get a ticket? Where’s this? Where’s that?’ So, those are the cons, really. It’s like if you live close to work, you’re usually the last one there. You’re not as prepared because you know at the last minute you could still get there. So, you tend to be the last one in. It feels like that. I’ve actually had friends of mine years ago, they’ve bought tickets and gone to the fight, and they got there after I’d already performed. Those are the kinds of stresses you see, if you can call it a stress.”
And when expectation builds alongside that home support, the reaction can swing just as quickly. The same crowd that fuels the show can demand it, too.
AN ENTERTAINING STYLE
Page’s style gained notoriety for his highlight-reel knockouts, and he hopes this will be seen by more people via the Paramount+ deal, even though that may not have been seen in his most recent bout.
“It’s a new audience, I think it’s the same excitement,” he says. “People probably will see me and be like, ‘I’ve seen clips of this guy before.’ I just want more people to lock in, get more excitement about me, and then go out and perform again. That’s the goal. Just keep collecting as many supporters and get people excited about not just myself but the sport itself.”
Page credits his kickboxing father for the showmanship in his fighting style.
“The energy that I bring, it’s the Caribbean background,” he smiles. “My dad was a showman when he was competing. I was there watching him compete and obviously I was there at three, four, five years old watching him be a showman. So, I definitely took a lot of that into my personality.”
In MMA, that identity as a showman is both his strength and his burden. When the finish comes, it’s unforgettable. When it doesn’t, the expectation doesn’t always quietly fade because sometimes it gets louder.
DEFYING AGE
Now competing well into his thirties, he credits his fighting style for extending his peak years of competition.
“It is the style,” he smiles. “The statement I always say, ‘There is only one ‘MVP,’ is there is only one person like me. There’s only one person that can deliver this kind of energy at all levels in this game. I’m comfortable under pressure, I’m comfortable under these lights, so adding more lights in the UFC didn’t change anything for me, which is why I feel some people do struggle. For me, it’s another show, it’s another stage for me to show the world who ‘MVP’ is.”
Even on a night where the spotlight didn’t explode in the way people might have expected that philosophy remains unchanged. For Page, every outing is still a performance, just not always the kind that fits neatly into a highlight reel. That adds to the mystique of him as a fighter because you never know what you’re going to get, and that brings real excitement.
FAITH AND PERSPECTIVE
In 2024, Page converted to Islam and has been open about his faith since then.
“People don’t understand the general stresses outside or in the buildup to a fight,” he says. “So, personal stresses, training stresses, relationship stresses. All these different things that nobody considers when people are performing. Having other areas of your life in alignment allows the process toward the actual show. It makes it ten times easier. Life is just life, but when you’ve got guidance with your faith, it allows you to stabilize yourself, and that’s what it’s done for me. It’s allowed me to stabilize myself. It’s just that, three alignments: spiritual, mental, and physical. And I feel like faith has just added that extra stage of stability and alignment going into my fights.”
‘MVP’ added that being a believer in God reduced stress and anxiety.
“God is the best planner, so whatever is supposed to happen is supposed to happen. Therefore, it takes a lot of stress off yourself. And I think a lot of people do apply so much stress to themselves when they get into a fight, but in my head, I can be relaxed. And the more relaxed I am, the more dangerous I am.”
LIFE OUTSIDE THE OCTAGON
While awaiting an opponent for his next fight, ‘MVP’ launched a new show called Total Kombat, which showcases many elite fighters who share his fighting style.
“I’m a rarity in MMA and the goal with Total Kombat is that it will bridge a gap to encourage more people like myself with that kind of exciting, explosive style, to be able to cross over into MMA,” says Paige. “Hopefully you’ll see more of my style even when I’m no longer performing.”
The Englishman also joined the cast of Road House 2, which is the sequel to the 2024 remake starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor.
“It was a crazy experience because it’s a very new world for me,” he said. “It was a very draining experience, but not because you’re doing loads of stuff. I’m so used to being active every day, and someone told me on set that it’s a game of hurry up and wait. All the staff, the other cast members that were on, we had a great team. I met some amazing people. It’s definitely something I could see myself continue to do after my career.”
LOOKING AHEAD
The UFC star also shared the advice he often gives his teammates, which is to surround themselves with people who have their best interests at heart.
“Don’t let people hold you to being in one location,” he says. “Go outside and research if there’s anybody out there that is better for you, or that wants better for you, or can help you with your journey. Those are the two main things: surround yourself with the right people, but also you make the decisions based on good people around you.”
With a home crowd behind him, fans can expect the same creativity and flair as he looks to make a statement and position himself firmly in the title picture.
