That "honest conversation" Michael Page was hoping to have with the UFC after fighting out his contract? It's not looking good.
Heading into the final fight of his contact at UFC Fight Night 287 this past weekend, Page knew he was on the hot seat and in need of a spectacular performance to potentially keep his job. While he was victorious, that's not how his middleweight co-headliner with Nursulton Ruziboev unfolded as Page fended off the Uzbek fighter's grappling to earn a unanimous decision win by three judges' scores of 29-28.
Afterward, Page (26-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC) wasn't afforded an in-cage interview as is customary for co-main event winners. That was the first bad sign of his performance disappointing UFC brass. The second came Monday when CFFC
general manager John Morgan, who is on the media UFC rankings panel, revealed that panelists received an email notifying them of Page's ineligibility to be ranked at middleweight.
"Michael Page has been removed from rankings eligibility effective immediately," the email read. "If you have ranked him in your middleweight division already, we ask that you please re-rank that division to make sure you have 15 athletes."
Michael Page removed from UFC rankings: What does it mean?
While it's true that Page technically is no longer under UFC contract, the question is what does it mean for his hopes of re-signing after the promotion decided to remove him from rankings eligibility. Page's manager, Audie Attar of Paradigm Sports Management, had not responded to MMA Junkie's request for comment on Tuesday morning.
Michael Page in the UFC: 'I haven't done enough'
Page has found success in the UFC since moving over from Bellator in 2024, winning five of his six appearances, with his lone defeat coming against eventual welterweight title challenge Ian Machado Garry. However, all six of Page's fights, including his four-fight winning streak at 185 pounds, have gone to a decision, leaving much to be desired for the 39-year-old.
Page acknowledged as much when speaking to UFC news after his latest win over Ruziboev, saying "the results show I haven't done enough. I probably need to push myself a little bit more, take a few more risks."
Page hoped he could convey that message to the UFC directly.
"I sit down with the UFC, have a honest conversation," Page said. "I'm going to say, 'Look, man, I know I could do better. I'm aspiring to do better. I'm up there. Give me better opponents and have faith that I can go deliver something special for the crowd.'"
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Michael Page's hopes for new UFC contract head in the wrong direction
