Garry Gets Called A ‘Can’ If Fought MVP Outside UFC

A Welterweight contender takes another step forward in the divisional rankings at UFC 303 this weekend (Sat., June 29, 2024).

Michael “Venom” Page is wasting no time attempting to ascend the Welterweight ladder in UFC after a successful debut against Kevin Holland at UFC 299 in March 2024. The unanimous decision victory lined Page up for his sophomore outing opposite undefeated 14-0 Irish star, Ian Machado Garry, as UFC 303’s main card opening bout.

Making his name in Bellator before he arrived in UFC, Page caught plenty of flack for the matchmaking he was provided by his old promotion. Had this Garry fight happened under that umbrella, he believes it would have been treated the same.

“This type of fight, had it happened outside of the UFC, most people would have been like, ‘You’re fighting a can, why you fighting this guy?’” Page said at UFC 303 media day. “They would have had so many different things to say and it’s the exact same fight in the UFC, and everyone’s opinions have changed now. Like, ‘You’re fighting top-level guys now, and this and that.’

“I had a lot of people saying I wouldn’t be able to contend in the Top 10. Now I’m fighting someone that’s ranked seventh and a lot of people are like, ‘Yeah, you’re gonna kick his ass’ (laughs) It changes so drastically.”

Page, 37, didn’t look out of place against Holland in what was arguably the best performance of his 24-fight career (22-2). Historically, “MVP” has been a highlight-reel machine and wants to keep showing it’s just been a result of his skills rather than how he was booked.

“I’ve been saying for many, many years I spar a lot of UFC guys. I already know that I’m at that level,” Page said. “I didn’t come here to prove it to anybody else. It’s a great cherry on top, but I wasn’t coming here to prove to everybody else, I already knew I could do that.

“What I’m saying is, for example, the likes of let’s say a Ross Houston,” he continued. “I remember getting that fight and the negative pushback I got from it, they (Houston and Garry) came from the same place. The difference is one went to Bellator and one went to UFC. I understand the magnitude of UFC and the branding and stuff so I get that, but I feel like sometimes people are fooled by just the branding and not the actual fighters themselves and they’re not actually analyzing the fighters and fights themselves.”

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Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 303 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).

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