\n<\/p>\n
Israel Adesanya feels like Michael \u201cVenom\u201d Page got a raw deal from the UFC.<\/p>\n
Page just closed out the final fight on his six fight contract with the promotion, and the UFC made it clear they weren\u2019t interested in re-signing the formerly flashy striking phenom. That\u2019s because \u201cVenom\u201d has been anything but venomous in the cage. Low output has plagued his UFC run, even if came with an impressive 5-1 result.<\/p>\n
Immediately after his final fight, another dull decision win, the UFC removed Page from their rankings and UFC CEO Dana White made it clear they weren\u2019t interested in welcoming him back. That\u2019s a mistake, according to Israel Adesanya.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve had my dealings with my managers in the UFC, and I\u2019ve heard stories of how they get deals done, you know?\u201d Adesanya said on the Precision Podcast. \u201cI\u2019m sure there\u2019s a lot of bodies buried in the desert. But with Michael \u2018Venom\u2019 Page, I felt like they got it wrong on that one.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not the same style as Michael,\u201d he added. \u201cBut I\u2019ve been in fights where I just know this guy just doesn\u2019t want to attack me. This guy is just waiting. He\u2019s waiting for me to come to him, but I\u2019m touching the guy, I\u2019m peppering the guy, and I\u2019m like, \u2018Bro, I\u2019m hitting you. You\u2019ve got to come to me.\u2019 You have to let people cook, give them time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adesanya has had similar issues to Page where the UFC has pushed back against his attempts to do exciting and flashy walkouts. But \u201cThe Last Stylebender\u201d stayed in the promotion\u2019s good books by actually putting on entertaining fights that generated interest and excitement.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand he was a big investment from Bellator,\u201d Izzy said. \u201cHe\u2019s getting paid well, and he\u2019s delivering, I think, because he\u2019s winning. But maybe they weren\u2019t seeing what they were seeing in Bellator, and they were hoping for that kind of excitement.\u201d<\/p>\n
Page had a run of viral highlight reel knockouts while fighting for Bellator. Critics have often pointed to the quality of opponent he faced when delivering those knockouts. But Page showed he still had what it takes to be a top contender in the UFC with his 5-1 run, even if it wasn\u2019t exciting.<\/p>\n
On the plus side for \u201cVenom\u201d and his fans, there\u2019s never been a better time to be a free agent in MMA. Page will get picked up by someone else, and we\u2019ll see if he can fix his output issues in another organization.<\/p>\n