UFC's Michael 'Venom' Page 100% Down To Serve As Backup For Khamzat vs. Dricus
Michael 'Venom' Page Backup For Khamzat Vs. Dricus?! ... I'm 100% Down!!!
Injuries, missed weight ... s*** happens in the fight game, so if Khamzat Chimaev or Dricus Du Plessis can't make the walk to the Octagon at UFC 319, Michael "Venom" Page tells us he'll happily fill in!
"A hundred percent," MVP told us while raising his hand.
"I'll make the 185, and if somebody says, 'Oh yeah, Khamzat can't make it' for whatever reason, then yeah, definitely. I vote to put myself in a hundred percent!"
Of course, 31-year-old Chimaev has struggled with the weight cut in the past (albeit that was at welterweight, not middleweight) ... even failing to make weight vs. Nate Diaz, torpedoing the highly anticipated scrap in September 2022.
Khamzat and Dricus, the current champ, are fighting for the 185 lb. title ... so it'd be a massive opportunity for MVP, who is not currently ranked.
Assuming the main event remains intact, Venom Page could still find himself ranked by this time next week.
He's slated to fight 8th-ranked Jared Cannonier on the same card ... a fight that on paper, at least, would seem to be a lot of fun.
"Jared always comes and brings the war, comes to fight everybody he's fought, which is high caliber fighters," Page said. "And then obviously with my style, you know, the speed and explosive element of my style. I think it's a great match."
Jared will be MIchael's fourth UFC fight since signing with the promotion in December 2023. He's 2-1, with wins over Kevin Holland and Sharabutdin Magomedov, and his only loss coming at the hands of Ian Garry.
"The UFC has treated me amazingly, giving me some great fights, giving me regular fights, and it's exactly what any fighter wants."
There's another former Bellator star following in MVP's footsteps ... Aaron Pico is making his UFC debut.
Check out the interview with Page, who gives Pico advice, and talks all things UFC 319.