Michael Page Wins UFC Paris Decision

Venom Page left UFC Paris with a unanimous-decision victory over Nursulton Ruziboev, but the result came without the emphatic performance he had sought. Page won all three scorecards by 29-28 after three rounds, landing the cleaner strikes often enough to overcome Ruziboev’s early control and repeated attempts to turn the contest into a grappling fight. The featured middleweight bout took place at Accor Arena on Saturday, September 5, 2026.

The win was Venom Page’s fourth straight UFC victory and the final fight on his current deal with the promotion. That contract backdrop made the bout more significant than a routine decision: Page entered Paris wanting to make a statement after acknowledging frustration with his recent activity, matchups and performances. Instead, the fight followed a familiar pattern. Page created moments with his striking, but there were long stretches in which neither fighter built sustained offense, and Page did not turn his clearest openings into a finish. The judges nevertheless saw enough in his work over the final two rounds to award him the decision unanimously.

Venom Page rallied after a difficult opening

Ruziboev made the first meaningful move of the fight by securing a takedown soon after Venom Page opened with an inside kick. From there, Ruziboev controlled extended portions of the opening round on the ground. He maintained position, used occasional elbows or punches, and stayed attached as Page worked to return to his feet. Page eventually escaped the control sequence, landing shoulder strikes while Ruziboev held a body lock, but the first round established the tactical problem he had to solve.

Venom Page began to alter the shape of the contest in the second. He clipped Ruziboev with a kick to the knee, causing Ruziboev to stumble and show the impact of the strike. Page did not rush to force a finish, however, returning instead to a patient countering approach. The cleaner work was still increasingly his, even as Ruziboev continued to seek clinches and takedowns. In the final round, Page landed a right hand that drew a reaction from Ruziboev and later added stiff punches late in the fight. Ruziboev did secure another takedown attempt against the cage, but Page worked back toward his feet. The overall picture matched the decision: Ruziboev had important grappling moments, while Page landed the more effective strikes across the latter stages.

Contract question follows the decision

The decision closed Venom Page’s current UFC contract, giving his post-fight situation an added layer beyond the scorecards. Page said after the bout that he did not think the UFC had been happy with him before the performance and would not be happy now. He also questioned what the promotion might expect to see differently if it chose to sign him again. Those remarks do not confirm a new contract or a departure; they show that Venom Page himself viewed the Paris performance as unlikely to settle the issue in a decisive way. He remains interested in re-signing, with title aspirations identified as a factor that could make that choice straightforward if the UFC wants to discuss a new deal. For now, the confirmed outcome is a fourth consecutive UFC win, achieved by decision in the last bout of his existing agreement.

• First-round challenge: Ruziboev took Venom Page down early and controlled substantial time on the ground before Page regained his feet.
• Decisive adjustment: Venom Page landed the cleaner strikes over the final two rounds, including a damaging kick to Ruziboev’s knee and late punches.

Venom Page earned a unanimous decision over Ruziboev in Paris, but the performance did not deliver the fireworks he had promised. The win came in the final bout of his current UFC contract, leaving his next move uncertain after another decision victory.