Page is recognised in the MMA community for his unorthodox fighting style, which originated from freestyle kickboxing (points fighting) and sport karate.[8][9]
His father, Curtis Page Sr. was his instructor.[19][23] Of his nine siblings, his sister Sefena and brothers Curtis Jr., Jamie, and Kalon are also kickboxing champions.[citation needed]
Page began training in Lau Gar at the age of three and competed at his firstkickboxing tournament at the age of five.[24][25][26] By the age of eight, he began to devote himself to competition and entered his first international tournament in Germany.[14][27]
Page won ten world championships in kickboxing – his first was at the US Open ISKA World Martial Arts Championships 1998[28] in Orlando, Florida[14] when he was 12 years old[29] – and was crowned British champion over 25 times.[30] By the age of 13, Page started entering adult competitions.[14][20][31] To prepare, he would train five hours a day for five days a week.[32] During tournament days he would often fight up to 14 times due to competing in three weight classes, and at one point fought 22 times in a day across five weight classes.[33] Another world title win was at theW.A.K.O. World Championships 2007 (Coimbra) where, at the −89 kg semi-contact division, he won gold after defeating Dave Heffernan.[34][35] He also competed at the W.A.K.O. Austrian Classics Worldcup 2008 (Kufstein), winning gold in the −84 kg semi-contact division over Krisztián Jároszkievicz.[36][37] Page participated at the W.A.K.O. Irish Open 2008 (Dublin), earning silver in the −84 kg semi-contact division after falling short toRaymond Daniels.[38] Page then won gold at the W.A.K.O. Austrian Classics Worldcup 2009 (Walchsee), placing first in both the −84 kg light-contact and semi-contact divisions, defeating Bojan Miskovic and Zvonimir Gribl, respectively.[39][40] Page returned to participate in the W.A.K.O. Irish Open 2009 (Dublin) but was defeated by Raymond Daniels, placing second in the −84 kg semi-contact division.[41] Page – appointed as theWKA Head Coach[42] – led a team to the WKA World Championships 2009 (Huelva), defeating James Benjamin Stewart to claim gold in the organisation's first semi-contact prize competition[43] and bronze in the −90 kg light-contact division, upon being bested by Tarek Haydar.[3][4] He then participated in the W.A.K.O. World Championships 2009 (Lignano Sabbiadoro) and finished second in the −84 kg semi-contact division, after being defeated by Krisztián Jároszkievicz.[44] On 4 September 2010, he competed at theWorld Combat Games 2010 (Beijing) in the −84 kg semi-contact division, where he earned silver, losing gold to Krisztián Jároszkievicz.[45][46] Page fought Raymond Daniels at the W.A.K.O. Irish Open 2011 (Dublin), securing silver in the −84 kg semi-contact division.[9]
Page was scouted by the Great BritainTaekwondo team to train and qualify for theOlympics but turned it down to pursue a professional combat sports career winning a professional kickboxing fight and continuing his journey in mixed martial arts.[47]
When not competing Page trains others in kickboxing, primarily as an instructor at the Hands Down Martial Arts Academies throughoutSurrey.[48]
Dissatisfied with the lack of exposure[49] as well as the politics[50] involved in competing among various kickboxing associations, Page decided to cross over intomixed martial arts.[51][52] He initially considered going toAmerican Top Team[53] during his transition into MMA since his older siblings live in Miami[19] but chose to start his career with London Shootfighters[54] in July 2011.[55] Page spends up to seven hours training in the gym, and does not undergoIV therapy after cutting weight.[56][57] He cross-trainsBrazilian jiu-jitsu atGracie Barra.[58] Page is represented byParadigm Sports Management.[59][60]
Page made his MMA debut atUCMMA 26 against Ben Dishman on 4 February 2012 and won via technical knockout from a first round tornado kick.[61] His original opponent Sam Boo withdrew a day before the fight.[62][63] The fight wentviral and comparisons were drawn between Page andAnderson Silva.[64][65][66] He was paid £200 for the bout.[67]
On 7 April 2012, Page faced Miguel Bernard at UCMMA 27 in a 176 lb catchweight bout despite weighing in at 165 lb.[68] Page won in the first round after forcing Bernard to tap out upon transitioning from a triangle choke into an armbar.[69]
Page briefly returned to kickboxing when he fought in a UK-1 bout on 18 August 2012 at UCMMA 29. Page was supposed to challenge UCMMA UK-1 welterweight champion Peter Irving for the belt.[70][71] However, Irving pulled out of the fight due to a neck injury[13] and was replaced by Jefferson George after another three opponents dropped out within a month for undisclosed reasons.[72][73] Page won after knocking out George from a two punch combination in the second round.[74]
On 24 June 2012,Super Fight League announced that they signed Michael Page[75] to an exclusive 18-month, four-fight contract.[76]
Page made his promotional debut on 2 November 2012 atSFL 7 as the main event against Haitham El-Sayed, winning by technical knockout in round one via doctor stoppage due to cuts.[77]
Page returned to Super Fight League on 12 April 2013 to face Ramdan Mohamed atSFL 15 as the main event and won via rear-naked choke in the first round.[78]
After winning his UK-1 fight against Jefferson George, Page announced that he had signed a five-fight contract withBellator MMA and that he would fight for Bellator andSuper Fight League under their respective contracts.[79][80]
Page was expected to make his promotional debut atBellator 82 but pulled out of the bout citing surgery for an old injury.[81][82][83] Another potential yet unannounced debut atBellator 90 against Sean Powers was cancelled for undisclosed reasons.[84]
Page made his debut on 21 March 2013 atBellator 93.[85] He faced Ryan Sanders and won via knockout at 10 seconds into the first round.[86]
Page was scheduled to fight Kenny Ento atBellator 102[87] but withdrew due to a rib cartilage injury,[88][89] an ankle injury,[90] and a knee injury.[91] A later appearance slated forBellator 109 against Andrew Osborne was also cancelled because of lingering injuries.[92]
Page was slated to fightFight Master: Bellator MMA contestant Marcus Aurelio atBellator 120 on 17 May 2014 but Aurelio withdrew due to injury.[93][94]Ricky Rainey was immediately sought as a replacement after hisBellator 116 victory[95] and was informed of his opponent a week later.[96] Page won via technical knockout in the first round.[97]
On 19 December 2014, Michael Page confirmed that he was no longer contracted with Super Fight League and instead signed an exclusive two year, five-fight contract extension with Bellator.[15][100]
Page was expected to faceCurtis Millender atBellator 134.[101] However, Page pulled out of the fight due to a cut over his left eye which was sustained during a guard passing drill[102] and required six stitches.[103] He was replaced byBrennan Ward.[104]
Page fought Charlie Ontiveros atBellator 144 on 23 October 2015 with less than three weeks' notice after four opponents – including his initial opponentMarius Žaromskis[107] and laterCristiano Souza[108] – pulled out of the fight for undisclosed reasons.[109] Page won via verbal submission due to elbows in the first round after dislocating Ontiveros' jaw.[110][111][112]
He was expected to fightFernando Gonzalez atBellator 151 as the co-main event[113] but withdrew from the bout as he was already committed to officiate at the W.A.K.O. Irish Open 2016 (Dublin)[114] as coach of the Top Ten UK team.[115] He was replaced by Gilbert Smith.[116]
Page defeated Jeremie Holloway atBellator 153 on 22 April 2016, submitting him with an Estima lock in round one.[117][118][119]
Page's fight withFernando Gonzalez was rescheduled[120] forBellator 158 on 16 July 2016 but visa issues forced Gonzalez to withdraw.[121] Page accepted a contract to fightPaul Daley afterJosh Koscheck withdrew but Daley chose to fightDouglas Lima instead.[122] Page foughtEvangelista Santos[citation needed] and won by knocking out Santos with a flying knee in the second round.[123] Santos underwent surgery afterwards due to a depressed frontal sinus fracture.[124] The fight went viral partly due to thePokémon Go-inspired post-fight celebration.[125]
In July 2016, Bellator claimed that Page re-signed[126] with the promotion and had four fights left on his contract.[127] However, Page stated that he did not re-sign but had two fights left from existing contractual provisions.[128]
A proposed bout between Page andPaul Daley was targeted forBellator 179 but negotiations fell through after Daley chose to fightRory MacDonald instead.[131] Page was supposed to fightDerek Anderson[132] but an old knee injury[133][134] and neck injury forced him off the card.[135] Daley attempted to brawl with Page after losing his fight.[136] Another fight with Daley was proposed for September 2017 in London but was turned down by Daley, who instead opted to fightLorenz Larkin atBellator 183.[137][138]
Page was expected to compete atBellator 191 but a fight was never announced.[139]
On 30 July 2018, Page confirmed signing a new six-fight contract with Bellator, three for the tournament and three as part of the champion clause.[147] The contract will let him box, subject to Bellator's approval.[148]
Page fought former two-time Bellator Welterweight World ChampionDouglas Lima in the semi-final of the welterweight tournament on 11 May 2019 atBellator 221.[155] Despite having some initial success, Page lost the fight via knockout in the second round.[156]
Page faced Richard Kiely atBellator 227 as the co-main event on 27 September 2019.[157] He won the fight via knockout from a flying knee in the first round.[158]
Page was expected to headlineBellator London 2 againstDerek Anderson on 23 November 2019 but Anderson withdrew for undisclosed reasons on 12 November 2019.[159][160] Page instead fought Giovanni Melillo and won by knockout in the first round.[161][162]
Page facedDerek Anderson atBellator 258 on 7 May 2021. Page was supposed to fight Anderson twice before atBellator 179 andBellator London 2.[167] During the first round, Page broke and flattened Anderson's nose with a kick, leading to the doctor stopping the fight between rounds.[168]
Page made his boxing debut on 20 October 2017 at Hayemaker Ringstar Fight Night against Jonathan Castaño as the co-main event.[194] He won via technical knockout in the third round.[195] He was supposed to debut on the undercard ofHaye vs. Bellew but was still negotiating withBellator at the time.[190]
Page wanted to fight at Hayemaker Ringstar Fight Night 2 on 16 February 2018 but Bellator wanted an MMA fight scheduled before allowing him to commit to another boxing fight.[196][197]
In June 2022, it was announced that Page would make his bare-knuckle boxing debut forBare Knuckle Fighting Championship. He foughtUltimate Fighting Championship veteranMike Perry on 20 August 2022 in the main event atBKFC 27.[202] Page lost by majority decision after the sixth round after the bout was declared a split draw decision following the first five rounds.[203]
Page describes his discipline as a "hands down kickboxing style" created from a "mishmash" of taekwondo, karate, and kung fu styles competing under a points scoring ruleset.[206][207][208] As a low-volume movement-based fighter his game plan revolves around controlling distance and landing heavy counterstrikes with high accuracy.[209][210] He relies on his elusive movement and knockout power to finish opponents and often engages in histrionics while fighting to maintain focus, unnerve his opponents, and rile up the crowd.[13][211][212] Page credited his parents, as well as Simon Lewis, and Marvin Francis as being the most influential in his combat sports career.[56][70]
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