Michael ‘Venom’ Page downplays Ian Machado Garry’s title chances after UFC 303: “Leon is gonna kill you”
UFC welterweight contender Michael ‘Venom’ Page doesn’t think Ian Machado Garry has what it takes to become a champion after their UFC 303 battle.
Page suffered his first UFC loss to Garry at UFC 303 last month by unanimous decision. After a back-and-forth first two rounds of the fight, Garry used his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to stifle and frustrate Page in the final minutes.
Garry remains unbeaten in his professional career and continues to rise in the welterweight rankings. He called out Shavkat Rakhmonov following the win over Page.
Page, a standout in Bellator before signing with the UFC in free agency, has faced some of the top welterweights in the world during his career. While Garry surprised him in the cage, Page thinks he has a ways to go when it comes to contending for a UFC championship.
Michael ‘Venom’ Page dismisses Ian Machado Garry as a future champ
During a recent interview on The MMA Hour, Page gave a less-than-glowing assessment of Garry’s championship ambitions.
“Not at all, no,” Page said. “If that’s the game you’re going to go when you get a decent striker, then Leon [Edwards] is gonna kill you anyway. Then Shavkat [Rakhmonov] gonna kill you anyway. There’s a few guys in there that I just don’t see him surpassing…
“He went a bit more tactical, and he didn’t feel massively strong. Not even trying to be disrespectful to him, because again he’s done his job, he was smart about how he went by it. But for me, regardless, this game is about fighting, not about stealing wins.”
Page won his UFC debut at UFC 299 earlier this year over Kevin Holland by unanimous decision. Before signing with the UFC, he won seven of his last eight fights in Bellator.
Time will tell if Page’s prediction comes true, but if his comments are any indication, there remains some bad blood with Garry in the UFC 303 aftermath.
