UFC middleweight fighter Michael Page promises that he will “take risks” in his fight against Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Paris.
Page is 4-1 in the UFC, but all five of his fights have gone the distance, and he has been criticized as being a boring fighter by fans who have not seen the knockout artist version of “Venom” that he was back in his Bellator MMA days.
But now, entering the final fight of his UFC contract, Page says that he feels free again and promises to put on a show for fight fans against Ruziboev at UFC Paris.
Michael Page Says UFC Paris Will Be Different
Speaking to Farah Hannoun of MMAjunkie.com, Page said that his performance at UFC Paris will be different and said that fans can expect him to put on a show.
“I feel like just enjoy it more. It sounds silly to say, but even when I’ve watched some my old fights, I was really just in my element, just living my best life, enjoying, not worried about the results. And I feel like ever since I’ve come to the UFC, I’ve been worrying about getting the right result, getting it done in the right way and this and that. And then I feel like I’m watching myself, and I don’t seem like I’m enjoying it in the way that I used to,” Page said.
“Of course you’re going to get me some of my antics, but before it just felt like I was just in a flow and things just came out unexpectedly. Whereas now, again, I feel like I’m even trying to be myself and it’s not natural. It’s not feeling as natural. And I’m watching my new videos and watching old videos and I’m like, I can see the difference, I can feel the difference. So, I’m trying to get back to just going and enjoy it, take risks, try something crazy just because you can and just feel it in the moment. But I feel like, yeah, mentally I’m there and hopefully I can deliver.”
Michael Page Favored to Win at UFC Paris
According to the latest betting odds, Page is the betting favorite to win at UFC Paris, with the oddsmakers listing him as a -160 favorite over Ruziboev, who is +130.
That is not a large spread, as many bettors are high on Ruziboev, who could be a dark horse at 185 lbs. He is also the younger fighter, the bigger fighter, and the superior grappler, so you can understand why the odds are so close.
That being said, Page has proven that he knows how to win fights, even though many times they are not very exciting to watch. He just has a point-fighting style that the judges seem to really like, so you can see why he has a winning record inside the Octagon.
But if he wants a new UFC contract, just winning might not be good enough, and Page might need to get a finish to get a new UFC deal.
Michael Page Promises to ‘Take Risks’ at UFC Paris