"Free Of The Shackles": Michael Page Reveals What Motivated Misfits Boxing Deal
After signing a multi-year deal with Misfits Boxing, Michael 'Venom' Page has opened up on what makes it more appealing than the UFC.
A decisive victory over Nursulton Ruziboev concluded Michael Page's six-fight UFC contract this September. However, the veteran boxer opted not to re-sign with MMA's premier promotion, instead transitioning to Misfits Boxing. There may be more to this decision than meets the eye.
Michael Page Explains Move to Misfits
The announcement came on Saturday during the Misfits Boxing: Essex vs. Dapper fight card in London. Alongside KSI, who first broke the news of the multi-fight, multi-year deal, Page kept "smoke" central to the move.
More recently, the two-division UFC fighter revealed what attracted him to the crossover boxing promotion. It all boils down to creativity and self-expression. Speaking with The Stomping Ground, Page shared:
“Like I said out there, I feel free of the shackles. I’m a very creative person — my walkouts, my entrances, my exits — and I wasn’t allowed to do that. And I feel like here, they’re literally like, 'Look, we want you to be yourself.' That’s going to help me be my best self."
Known for his showmanship, Venom often kept fans hooked with his playful, theatrical antics both inside and outside the cage. From taunting his opponents mid-fight to putting on an Infinity Gauntlet after knocking out David Rickles in Bellator 200, the combat phenom never failed to put on a show. Page found much of that freedom slipping away in the UFC.
With that chapter behind him, Michael Page will be freer to explore more experimental matchups.
What Awaits Michael Page at Misfits Boxing?
Michael Venom Page ended his 2 1/2-year UFC run with an impressive 5-1 record, losing only to Ian Machado Garry at UFC 303. While the middleweight admitted that the UFC roster still had much to offer to the veteran, Page has higher hopes for his current promotion.
Explaining the contrast between the two promotions, Page added:
"Felt very restricted, so it’s a shame because I felt like there was more fights, big fights that could be had. But here, I feel free. The big fights, the big names that are out there, that are away from other shows, it’s all going to happen.”
Michael Page competed in the UFC's 185-lbs division. Although the weight class in his latest deal hasn't yet been revealed, Misfits' cruiserweight division (185 lbs) remains an educated guess.
With former UFC fighters like Darren Till, Nate Diaz, Robbie Lawler, Mike Perry, and Jorge Masvidal reigning the division's top ranks, cruiserweight is, without a doubt, stacked with lethal challengers. And that may be exactly what Michael Page is looking for.
