Michael ‘Venom’ Page didn’t need a knockout at UFC London to make noise. He did it before the fight even began. Walking out to the classic, ‘They Don’t Care About Us’ by Michael Jackson, the No. 13-ranked welterweight turned what is usually just an entrance into a statement. And it wasn’t subtle. Because in a sport where walkouts are usually about hype, this one felt personal. Especially considering the setting, his home crowd at the O2 Arena, and the context surrounding his recent issues with the promotion.

Page got the win over Sam Patterson, but the fight itself saw just 39 significant strikes across three rounds. One of the lowest outputs on a major UFC card this year. The performance didn’t spark much reaction. The walkout did. And according to Page, that was intentional. Speaking to Ariel Helwani recently, ‘MVP’ made it clear the message behind the song wasn’t about one thing; it was layered. But at the core, there was a simple feeling, frustration.

“If I start with my own frustrations, I think it was a little bit of that of just kind of like, man, the kind of decisions that were made,” Page said. “Like I’ve spoken about in terms of being frustrated with, I think the main one for me was the fact that they put a young kid (Luke Riley) who’s super talented, who’s had one fight in the UFC as a co-main event.”

“It was just like…I feel disrespected, you know what I mean? Like the effort and what I’ve delivered for the fans in the same arena and other arenas around the world. And then obviously even though I haven’t necessarily got the finish yet, I’ve delivered some, I feel like some really entertaining fights and a lot of people to speak about and I’ve made a lot of noise still. To be like, ah, no, he’s not co-main, he’s not main, he’s in his own backyard.”

And judging by the crowd reaction during his walkout, he might not be wrong. Even in a quiet fight, the anticipation around him was clear. But ‘Venom’ didn’t stop at UFC politics.

He expanded the meaning behind the song. For him, it reflects something bigger. The state of the world. Conflicts, power struggles, and what he described as innocent people “dying for nonsense.” That’s where the song choice connected. It’s decades old, yet still relevant. Maybe more now than ever. And that contrast stuck with him.

He also talked about how the idea came together. It wasn’t a last-minute decision. It started during a period when he was already feeling frustrated, then built over time. He revisited Michael Jackson’s work, reflected on current events, and eventually locked in the message. By the time fight week arrived, there was no hesitation. “This is the track,” he decided.

Ariel Helwani also pointed out that the promotion has stepped in before to block certain walkout songs or moments. This time, they didn’t. Whether it was intentional or not, the UFC allowed a moment that wasn’t entirely flattering to its own structure. Because Michael Page’s frustration doesn’t exist in a vacuum.

He’s been vocal before about fighter pay and value. Especially after the UFC’s $7.7 billion broadcast deal, which hasn’t visibly translated into major pay increases across the roster. When a boxer like Conor Benn reportedly earns $15 million for a single fight under the same umbrella, fighters noticed, Page included. There’s also the matter of his UFC contract hovering around his future in the Octagon.

Michael Page has “one more” UFC fight left on his contract as he reveals future plans

During the same interview with Helwani, the conversation around Michael Page didn’t stop at his walkout song choices. It also touched upon something more immediate: his UFC contract. The British striker revealed that he just has one fight left on his current UFC deal.

“I think I’ve got one more. I’ve got one more. It was a six-fight deal,” Page shared. “We haven’t had any talks, nothing has been presented. I don’t know when I’m going to go speak to them or if I just wait for them to speak to me.”

For a 38-year-old fighter sitting at 4-1 in the promotion, that silence matters. But here’s where it gets interesting. He believes that his UFC London performance may have delayed things. In his words, he “took a bit of a back step,” and now the next fight might decide everything. So what does he want?

“The next fight, give me somebody that wants to come kill me,” Page said. He wants an opponent who forces action, someone who brings the kind of chaos that allows him to showcase his style. Because in his mind, that’s when ‘MVP’ shows up best, when there’s something to react to, something to build off.

Page admitted that while fighters can feel underappreciated at times, he still sees competing in the UFC as a privilege and is grateful for the platform it provides. At the same time, he made it clear he won’t hold back from speaking his mind if something doesn’t sit right, as long as it’s thoughtful and genuine. The walkout, the comments, the frustration, it’s all part of the same message. He wants more, and he’s willing to say it out loud.