Michael Page Signs Multi-Year Deal With Misfits Boxing After UFC Exit
Michael Venom Page signed a multi-year deal with KSI s Misfits Boxing weeks after the UFC let his contract expire.
Michael Page has a new home, and it is not where most people expected.
The former UFC and Bellator standout signed a multi-year deal with Misfits Boxing, the promotion run by YouTube star KSI, announced during the Misfits 30 event in London on Saturday night. KSI himself made the announcement during the live broadcast from the Copper Box Arena, per LowKick MMA.
Page, who holds a 26-3 professional MMA record, became a free agent after the UFC chose not to renew his contract following his September fight against Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Paris. He finished his UFC run with four straight unanimous decision wins over Shara Magomedov, Jared Cannonier, Sam Patterson, and Ruziboev, going 5-1 overall in the promotion.
Despite the strong record, Page said he felt disrespected by how his time with the UFC ended. On signing with Misfits, he kept it simple. "I feel free," Page told reporters. "That is all I can say, I feel free." He added that he wants "all the smoke" and will take on any challenge.
KSI wasted no time using the signing to take shots at rival Jake Paul. On his Instagram Stories, KSI claimed Paul had tried and failed to recruit Page to his own promotion, writing, "Tried to get Viddal to your company... Failed." He closed with: "@misfitsboxing on top."
Fan reaction was mixed. Some wished Page well, while others questioned the move to a promotion known more for influencer fights than serious combat sports.
Look, I respect MVP. The guy went 5-1 in the UFC and won four straight decisions against real competition. The fact that the UFC let him walk is wild to me. But signing with Misfits Boxing? That is a tough pill to swallow.
Page is one of the most talented strikers in combat sports. His Bellator highlight reel is one of the best ever assembled. And now he is going to a promotion where his opponents might have more YouTube subscribers than professional fights. It feels like a waste of elite talent.
I get it, though. The man said he feels free, and sometimes the bag matters more than the belt. KSI clearly wanted a legitimate fighter on his roster to boost credibility, and Page gives Misfits instant legitimacy. If the money is right and Page is happy, that is his call. But watching one of the flashiest strikers in MMA history fight on influencer cards is going to sting for the purists. At 39, Page probably knows exactly what he is doing. Cash out, put on a show, go home.
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