Michael ‘Venom’ Page reveals the origins of his signature nickname ahead of UFC 303 return

UFC welterweight contender Michael ‘Venom’ Page’s nickname origins might surprise you ahead of the former Bellator star’s second Octagon appearance.

Page faces Ian Machado Garry on the UFC 303 main card this Saturday in Las Vegas. The welterweight clash is one of the most intriguing to fans of the entire card, after Conor McGregor’s withdrawal from his main event bout with Michael Chandler.

Page signed with the UFC earlier this year after a long, decorated tenure in Bellator. While he didn’t earn a world title in Bellator, he made a name for himself as one of the sport’s biggest stars, known for his entertaining style and confident persona.

Page’s nickname, ‘Venom’, is also a unique angle ahead of his UFC return. Ahead of UFC 303, he explained where his ‘MVP’ mantra came from as a child growing up.

Michael ‘Venom’ Page faces Ian Machado Garry at UFC 303

During a recent appearance on the MightyCast podcast, Page explained how his ‘Venom’ nickname came to fruition.

“When I was about 9, 10 [years old], I’d win some here and lose some here,” Page said. “But when my Dad set up the [karate] classes that we were doing at the time, we had to train with the adults, so we had kids classes but it was only for the very young…little skinny guy trying to hit the adults just trying to cause any effect, wince, do something! But obviously with grown men…nothing’s happening. That effort stays, so when I’m fighting people my own age, even when I’m losing…these guys are going down…

“A guy that used to train under my dad would be like ‘Man, you’ve got Venom in you! Venom in your punches’, hitting kids and they’re going flying,” Page explained. “So he’d call me ‘Venom’ randomly, and when I got into the MMA world, it was when somebody put together ‘MVP’…it’s been with me since I was 9 or 10 years old.”

Page is looking to replicate his triumphant UFC debut earlier this year against Kevin Holland at UFC 299. A win over Garry, particularly by knockout, could slot him into the welterweight title conversation.

Page brings ‘Venom’ whenever he fights; an attitude he’s retained since he was a child. He’ll enter the Octagon at UFC 303 with malicious, venomous intent.