Michael Page Wins Unanimous Decision Over Ruziboev at UFC Paris
Michael “Venom” Page walked out of Accor Arena with another win on Saturday, taking a unanimous decision over Nursulton Ruziboev in the featured middleweight bout at UFC Paris. All three judges scored the fight 29-28, giving the English veteran a fourth straight victory on the final bout of his current UFC contract.
The result moved Page to 26-3 overall and 5-1 in the Octagon. Ruziboev, a 32-year-old from Uzbekistan who entered on a three-fight winning streak, fell to 37-10-2 and 5-2 inside the promotion.
The assignment carried more weight than a standard main-card matchup. Page had already confirmed that this was the last fight on his deal and that he wanted to sit down with the UFC once the night was over.
He entered ranked No. 15 at middleweight after two years of bouncing between 170 and 185 pounds. His most recent appearance was a welterweight decision over Sam Patterson in London in March, a win that did little to quiet questions about his output.
Page signed with the UFC in 2024 after a long Bellator run built on highlight-reel knockouts. He debuted with a decision over Kevin Holland at UFC 299, then dropped a unanimous decision to Ian Machado Garry at UFC 303, still his only Octagon loss.
Every fight since has gone his way, including decisions over Shara Magomedov and former title challenger Jared Cannonier. None of those UFC wins have ended inside the distance, a sharp contrast to the finishing reputation that first made him a star.
Ruziboev presented a different problem. He had stopped four of his five UFC victories, most recently submitting Andrey Pulyaev in the first round in June, and he had the wrestling to drag the fight off the feet.
That wrestling showed up immediately. Page opened with a kick, and Ruziboev dumped him with a double-leg in the opening seconds, then stayed on top with short elbows while Page hunted a buggy choke that never closed.
Page finally stood along the fence, broke into space, and landed a right hand before the round ended. The next 10 minutes looked more like a stalemate than a middleweight feature fight.
A kick to Ruziboev’s knee in the second round was the clearest moment of damage, but Page did not chase a finish. The third began with a right hand from Page, then another takedown against the cage, a low-blow pause from referee Jason Herzog, and a restless Paris crowd as both men spent long stretches just out of range.
Page landed some of the cleaner punches over the final five minutes. He never put together the kind of sustained attack that would have turned a close decision into the statement he had promised.
He also skipped a post-fight interview in the cage. That left his media-day comments as the clearest window into what he thought was at stake.
Page had framed the night as a chance to reset his standing with the promotion. “Everyone always remembers the last performance, so this performance is key to do exceptionally well for all of the above, but for me personally, it’s specifically to remind the UFC why they brought me to this organization,” he said.
The unanimous decision at UFC Paris keeps his streak intact and sends him into free agency with a 5-1 UFC record. It does not, on its own, answer the questions he raised about matchmaking, direction, or the highlight-reel moments still attached to his name.
He has already said he wants to stay. Page told talkSPORT before the event that his plan was to sign a new deal, and he has identified middleweight as the place he wants regular work after calling welterweight too congested.
That conversation is now the next step. “This fight is important to reestablish myself with the UFC,” Page said. “Then sit down with them and say, ‘OK, guys, can I have an idea of what you expect of me? Can I have an idea of what direction is best for me to work towards? Can I have an idea of what it is that you guys need from me?’ And then we get to work.”
No follow-up opponent has been announced, and the UFC has not commented on a new contract. Page leaves Paris with the win, a four-fight streak, and a meeting that will decide whether his Octagon run continues at middleweight or whether Saturday was his last night in the UFC.