Michael Page was not offered a contract renewal when his UFC deal concluded, despite recording more victories than defeats during his tenure with the organisation. Having made his UFC debut in 2024, the former Bellator champion defeated Kevin Holland by unanimous decision at UFC 299, earning a points victory over the veteran in a welterweight bout through his dynamic striking approach.
Over the following five UFC bouts, Page did not produce performances of a similar kind. After four consecutive victories, including his bout against Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Paris, Page was released by the organisation without any prior conversation.
In a television interview, Page discussed his exit from the UFC, stating that he felt his contributions had not been valued and that his continued winning record should have been sufficient grounds to retain his place on the roster. Page said he had expected a meeting to take place, at which the other party would propose a contract renewal at a reduced figure as a starting point for negotiations. He described the manner in which the matter was handled as something he had not anticipated.
Page described the treatment as disrespectful, pointing out that his win over Sam Patterson in March had gone unacknowledged by event organisers, who had not invited him to speak to the audience from inside the cage following that bout. He said the same pattern arose in the bout against Ruziboev, which he described as another underwhelming contest, and questioned why post-fight microphone access had been withheld from him when other performers in similarly poor bouts had been given the opportunity to address the crowd. Page noted the same situation had occurred on a prior occasion as well, and questioned why, particularly given that a contract renewal was not being pursued, there had been no opportunity to address supporters and the Paris audience.
Page's place in the UFC was settled within days of his bout against Ruziboev, after UFC chief executive Dana White spoke to journalists at a Contender Series post-fight press conference. When questioned about Page's future at the organisation, White confirmed that a departure was forthcoming.
White's announcement also marked the moment Page discovered his contract with the UFC would not be renewed. Page later described how he had been away on holiday when notifications began arriving from people who had viewed the video. Page noted that the situation had reached that point, while expressing a willingness to engage in any conversation, whether straightforward or challenging, and said anyone dissatisfied with his performances was welcome to raise those concerns directly.
Page said that having a defined objective provides direction and clarity about where things stand within a partnership, and that receiving no information and being left to speculate continuously had been a source of considerable displeasure. He said he would have preferred to receive prior notification about a decision not to continue the working relationship, rather than hearing nothing at all after the fact. Page also said he had forwarded a message of appreciation to the team, describing the overall experience as a positive one regardless of the outcome. "I always go on about the staff and the team there; they're great," he said.
Before joining the UFC, Page had established a reputation across MMA for producing notable finishes, among them a flying knee against Evangelista Santos and a tornado kick against Ben Dishman in his professional debut. His fighting approach, built around countering and finishing bouts by knockout, was frequently paired with an entertaining ring presence, and his combative style tended to polarise audiences, drawing devoted admirers on one side and vocal critics on the other.
Page said the victory over Holland gave him a promising start. He has also spoken publicly about the mental toll of his loss to Ian Machado Garry in his second UFC appearance, a subject he addressed even throughout periods of competitive success. In recent years, Page had begun working with a sports therapist, and heading into his latest bout he appeared, by his own account, to be rediscovering his enjoyment of the sport.
Page acknowledged there are still areas holding him back from performing at the level he has shown previously, and told reporters that despite winning bouts, he does not believe he is pushing himself to his full potential — something he described as difficult to explain. He noted that performances have yet to reflect his full capability, even while recording victories over competitors ranked among the top in the sport. He said that by the start of the second round in his most recent contest, a realisation had taken hold that he was carrying extra weight without need, and that the challenge lay in learning to avoid that pattern when preparing for those bouts.
Page noted the challenge of moving away from measuring himself against past performances and simply taking pleasure in what he does now. He added that he remains open to various opportunities — with the exception of bare-knuckle boxing, out of consideration for his family — and that offers have been arriving from virtually every direction. Page said numerous individuals had already acknowledged awareness of his abilities and that the situation had no bearing on any question of his competence. He added that despite the absence of dramatic victories, his performance levels remain competitive against athletes a decade younger and that his overall speed still exceeds that of other competitors.
Page expressed a strong desire to continue competing. He said he plans to meet with his manager Audie Attar and the broader team to chart a course forward, with all options remaining under consideration. "I'm jumping at anything," he said.
Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions has indicated its interest, with Paul writing on social media after Page's latest victory that he believed it was time to bring MVP together with MVP. With the promotion set to merge with PFL at the start of 2027, a deal with Page would appear to align naturally on paper, particularly given the opportunity to pursue boxing bouts as well. Page said there is enthusiasm about the various possibilities and that the outcome is expected to be noteworthy, adding that no one is currently being turned down. Page expressed a desire to compete at least once more before the year concludes.
