Page Wins Tepid UFC Paris Decision Over Ruziboev
Michael Page won a unanimous decision over Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Paris on Saturday, but the middleweight contest drew boos from the French crowd and brutal reviews from pros on social media.
Page took all three rounds on two scorecards — 30-27 twice and 29-28 — to extend his winning streak to four. The bout offered little action across fifteen minutes, with Ruziboev content to retreat and Page unable to land anything significant despite pressing forward throughout. BJPenn.com described the fight as an absolute snoozefest, noting that Page landed just 30 significant strikes after promising a knockout in pre-fight interviews.
Fighters Slam Page Performance on Social Media
Lightweight contender Terrance McKinney wrote on X that he had never been so excited for a fight to end. Journalist Tom Taylor was harsher, posting that he was done defending Page and calling the performance horrendously boring. "MVP is really one of the most frustrating fighters ever to watch," Taylor added, per BJPenn.com. "You know he can do absolutely violent things at a moment's notice, but he spends 99% of his time doing absolutely nothing."
MMA reporter Aaron Bronsteter noted that Page has proven he can beat solid competition in the UFC but hasn't been able to do it with the same sort of magic that once made him such a big attraction. Journalist Adam Martin went further, predicting zero chance the promotion re-signs Page after the showing.
Page entered the bout riding decision wins over Sharabutdin Magomedov, Jared Cannonier and Sam Patterson. Ruziboev also brought a three-fight winning streak, most recently submitting Andrey Pulyaev in June. The Uzbek fighter secured an early takedown in the first round and controlled position before Page scrambled to his feet. The final two rounds saw both men exchange feints and posture with minimal engagement. Page's next fight — if the UFC offers one — remains unannounced.
Photo: SPORTS UZ / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Original reporting:
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