UFC Drops 39-Year-Old Michael Page After 5-1 Run, Removing Him From Rankings

Q: How did Michael Page manage to secure a UFC victory while landing only 12 significant strikes across three rounds?

Michael Page won because he controlled the fight more effectively than the raw strike total suggests. Even though he landed only 12 significant strikes in three rounds, judges rewarded his cleaner, more visible offense, plus his ability to manage distance, timing and pace against Nursulton Ruziboev. The fight was a tactical, low-output contest. Ruziboev secured takedowns and some cage control early, but he did little damage with them. Reports from Paris noted that much of his top control in the opening round produced minimal offense beyond a couple of elbows, which limited the scoring value of his grappling. Under MMA judging, control without meaningful damage does not automatically win rounds. Page, by contrast, made his limited offense count. He landed the sharper punches, avoided many of Ruziboev’s bigger swings, and had some of the bout’s clearest moments, including a strong right hand in the third round and effective counters when Ruziboev entered recklessly. His movement and evasiveness also made Ruziboev miss, which helped frame Page as the fighter dictating the striking exchanges. That fits Robert Whittaker’s description of Page as an elite “point-sparring” specialist: a fighter who does just enough at the right moments to stay ahead on the scorecards. In this case, Page’s precision, defense and round management outweighed his very low volume, leading all three judges to score it 29-28 in his favor.

Q: Will the UFC re-sign a 39-year-old tactical genius who consistently wins but frustrates fans with his low-risk style?

Probably not, at least not on terms Page would want. The evidence points toward the UFC moving on despite Michael Page’s 5-1 record. His win over Nursulton Ruziboev completed his six-fight UFC contract, and he acknowledged afterward that the promotion “weren’t happy” with his performances before this bout and likely would not be after another cautious decision. Reports since UFC Paris say he has already been removed from rankings eligibility, which is often a strong sign the UFC does not expect him to remain under contract. From a sporting standpoint, Page has done his job. He is 39 but still difficult to beat, has won four straight, and owns notable UFC wins over Jared Cannonier and Kevin Holland. Robert Whittaker’s praise matters: he described Page as fast, fluid, and smart enough to adjust round by round, almost as if he knows exactly what the judges need to see. The problem is commercial, not technical. Every one of Page’s UFC wins has come by decision, his output against Ruziboev was extremely low, and fans in Paris booed the fight. The UFC has historically valued action, finishes, and replay value as much as wins, especially for an older fighter who is not clearly on a title path. A short-term re-signing is still possible if the UFC sees value in Page as a recognizable name and difficult stylistic test. But based on his age, style, lack of finishes, reported rankings removal, and his own uncertainty, the stronger expectation is that the UFC lets him test free agency.

Q: Does Page's flawless point-sparring strategy expose a hidden flaw in how modern MMA judges score fights?

Yes, but only partly. Michael Page’s win over Nursulton Ruziboev highlights a tension in modern MMA scoring more than a failure of it. Under the Unified Rules, judges are supposed to reward effective striking and grappling above aggression and control. In that framework, Page’s style is legitimate: he uses speed, distance, timing and selective offense to win rounds while avoiding damage. Against Ruziboev, that was enough. Ruziboev had takedowns and control early, but did little with them, while Page did just enough cleaner work to take a 29-28 decision on all three cards. What Page exposes is how narrow many rounds can become under the 10-point must system. If one fighter lands slightly cleaner shots and avoids risk, he can bank rounds with very low output. That can leave judges deciding contests on thin margins that are technically correct but unsatisfying to fans. Whittaker’s joke about Page having a “live feed” to the scorecards captures that perfectly: Page appears to understand exactly how much he needs to do, no more. Still, this is not proof that judges are broken. It is evidence that the scoring criteria reward efficiency over spectacle and often struggle to distinguish between minimal but effective offense and meaningful attempts to win more decisively. If there is a flaw, it is less in Page’s tactics than in a scoring structure that can make low-action rounds feel overly valuable and difficult to interpret consistently in real time.

3 articles · Updated · MMA Junkie · Sep 9

Dana White said Michael Page will not be re-signed after Saturday’s unanimous-decision win over Nursulton Ruziboev completed his UFC contract.
Monday’s rankings update had already removed Page from eligibility because he is no longer on the roster, with White saying the outcome had been “pretty clear.”
Page leaves the promotion at 39 despite a 5-1 UFC record, but all six of his bouts went the distance and he produced no finishes.
The former Bellator standout now enters free agency, with possible landing spots including Scott Coker’s planned promotion, PFL ties through Jake Paul, or another BKFC appearance.