
English welterweight contender Michael “Venom” Page showcased his elite-level striking as he moved up from welterweight to middleweight and handed No. 15-ranked Shara “Bullet” Magomedov the first defeat of his MMA career at UFC Saudi Arabia.
Former Bellator welterweight star Page confused Magomedov with an array of feints, then made him pay with a series of clean strikes as he consistently scored with eye-catching strikes throughout their three-round co-main event bout in Riyadh.
More news: Michael Chandler Opens Up on Mental Turmoil After UFC 309 Loss to Charles Oliveira

Ian Maule/Getty Images
Magomedov, who is known for his high-output, high-aggression approach to fights, was reduced to a twitchy, confused target for Page, who did well to stay out of the way of the Russian’s wild strikes, while scoring well with shots of his own.
After 15 minutes of almost complete domination from Page, the judges scored the bout 30-27, 30-27, 29-28 to the Londoner, who claimed his 23rd career victory. Magomedov, meanwhile, suffered the first loss of his career.
After the bout, Page chatted with UFC analyst Paul Felder and said he still has unfinished business to attend to in the UFC’s welterweight division. But he also hinted at a potential future at middleweight as he said he’d need to get more used to prepping to fight at 185 pounds.
“I wanted to mix it up. Shara Bullet is an amazing MMA fighter. Regardless of this result, he’s going to go on and do some amazing things,” said Page.
“One thing I knew coming up, my body’s not going to be used to this just yet. I felt a little bit during this fight. So I need to practice a bit more at this weight.
“But, for now, I’ve got some work to do at 170. Guys, make sure you’re watching, because I’m coming!”
More news: Dana White Admits UFC Could Move On From Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall
Page has already spoken of his desire to work his way into championship contention at 170 pounds, and has also said that he’d love the chance to face former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, on the condition that the bout takes place in their homeland of England.
And, after showcasing his unique striking skills in the weight class above, Page will return to welterweight with another impressive win added to his resume after demonstrating that his striking remains among the very best in the UFC, in any weight class.
More MMA:
Dana White Admits UFC Could Move On From Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall
UFC Champion Alex Pereira ‘Really Wants’ Boxing Bout With Oleksandr Usyk
For more MMA, head to Newsweek Sports.