Michael ‘Venom’ Page’s UFC run has just taken a pretty wild turn. Fresh off a unanimous decision win over Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Paris this past Saturday, MVP has been booted from the UFC rankings eligibility pool. And, according to reports, the promotion isn’t currently looking to bring him back.

To be fair, the timing is hard to ignore. The No. 8-ranked middleweight had just stepped into the cage for the final fight of his UFC contract in Paris. Now, just days later, he’s suddenly out of the rankings altogether.

A leaked internal email reportedly sent to UFC ranking panelists and shared online by veteran MMA reporter John Morgan made the situation pretty clear.

“Dear Panelists: 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.”

That suggests the next UFC rankings update will no longer feature Michael Page among the Top 15 at middleweight. While the UFC has not officially confirmed whether the promotion has released the 39-year-old, removing him from rankings eligibility despite his latest victory certainly hints at a potential parting of ways.

For his part, Michael ‘Venom’ Page clearly hoped the win would be enough to earn him another UFC deal, despite the fears that he could be let go after his fight at UFC Paris. Speaking after his fifth promotional win, the 39-year-old admitted that if he wants to take his career to the next level, he’ll have to stop playing it quite so safe and start taking more chances.

“The worst part is that despite winning, I feel physically excellent,” he said after the fight. “This proves I didn’t push myself to the limit, and the result reflects that.”

He also showed similar feelings in the backstage interview post-fight, while admitting a roster cut might be near.

The former Bellator fighter certainly seemed open to another conversation with the UFC. If anything, he sounded like a fighter who still had plenty left to prove and wanted another shot at showing what he could really do inside the Octagon.

The problem? That conversation could now be a whole lot tougher than ‘Venom’ expected.

The London native put together a solid 5-1 record during his UFC run, with his only loss coming against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 303 in June 2024. Along the way, he also scored some seriously eye-catching wins over Kevin Holland, Sharaputdin Magomedov, and Jared Cannonier.

The 39-year-old’s latest win over Nursulton Ruziboev only makes the whole situation even more bizarre. The win pushed him to four straight wins inside the UFC, yet the 26-3 fighter could now be heading for the exit anyway.

‘Venom’ won the Paris matchup by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring it 29-28 in his favor. But this isn’t the first time there’s been a bit of tension between him and the UFC.

Back when he narrowly beat his teammate Sam Patterson at UFC London in March, clips started circulating of Dana White leaving the arena before Michael ‘Venom’ Page’s fight was over.

The former Bellator fighter later even spoke about the incident himself, telling the UFC boss to be a little more mindful of the message his actions can send.

Now, Page’s situation leaves the UFC with a decision that, at least for the moment, doesn’t appear to have gone his way. Sure, he’s 39 and still hasn’t landed that signature UFC knockout everyone was waiting for.

But there is no denying that ‘MVP’ remains one of the most recognizable strikers in MMA, thanks in large part to the flashy, highlight-reel style knockouts that made him a star during his Bellator days and earned him his UFC contract in December 2023.

And if this really is the end of his UFC run, the promotion would be letting go of a guy who went 5-1 inside the Octagon while sharing the cage with some of the biggest names in the division.

For now, though, the rankings move tells its own story. Michael Venom Page is out, and his next chapter could very well be written somewhere far away from the Octagon. In fact, he may not have to wait long before finding another major opponent.

Michael Venom Page already has a first fight outside UFC on the table

If ‘Venom’ is indeed heading into free agency, he is already set for a possible one-on-one. After all, former UFC middleweight contender Derek Brunson has already thrown his name into the mix.

“What Michael Venom Page doing?!?!” Brunson wrote on X before sharing an AI-generated poster featuring the two fighters with the caption, “Two free agents.”

Brunson, of course, brings plenty of UFC pedigree of his own.

During his long run at 185 pounds, Derek Brunson picked up wins over some seriously recognizable names, including Darren Till, Kevin Holland, Lyoto Machida, and Uriah Hall. He eventually made the jump to the PFL, but that run lasted just one fight before questions started swirling around what was next for him.

That’s what makes a potential Michael ‘Venom’ Page vs. Brunson matchup pretty interesting. Both men have name value, plenty of experience, and something to prove. Now with both potentially on free agency, a fight like this could give them the perfect chance to turn that attention into their next big opportunity.

‘MVP’ didn’t exactly arrive in the UFC as an unknown. By then, he was already one of Bellator’s biggest stars, building a cult following with his karate-inspired striking, bizarre movement, ridiculous range control, and a highlight reel full of spectacular knockouts.

The UFC version of ‘MVP’ was a little more calculated, but he still managed to rack up wins over some well-established names. Now 39, Page leaves the promotion with a 26-3 professional record and a 5-1 UFC record.

Michael Venom Page never quite delivered that huge, viral knockout fans were waiting for inside the Octagon, but his ability to control distance, dictate exchanges, and make opponents chase him around the cage remained his biggest weapon and a nightmare for anyone trying to get a clean shot at him.

Now, the 39-year-old’s own admission that he needs to turn things up a notch could be pretty important wherever he lands next. Whether that means jumping to another major MMA promotion, chasing a crossover fight, or simply taking on a completely new challenge, ‘MVP’ still has plenty of doors open to him.

For now, though, his UFC chapter appears to be coming to an abrupt end just days after he delivered another victory, and before he got the chance to show whether the stylistic changes he believes he needs could have taken his Octagon career to another level.