Michael Page frustrated by struggle to land UFC top-10 opponents

Michael Page says securing ranked opponents in the UFC has been far harder than expected for a fighter who once headlined Bellator cards.

Page meets Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Paris on Sept. 5 in a middleweight bout that closes his current promotional contract. While he respects Ruziboev's credentials, Page told Ariel Helwani he has spent his last three UFC assignments requesting bigger names without success. "In all honesty, it's been frustrating," Page said, per Sherdog. "I feel like it's crazy that I've reached the pinnacle of MMA and trying to get a name in the Top 10 seems very, very difficult."

Page's UFC run lacks Bellator finishing rate

The 39-year-old British striker is 4-1 since joining the promotion, his lone defeat coming against Ian Garry, who challenges Islam Makhachev for the welterweight title next. Page built his reputation in Bellator on flashy knockouts, but he has yet to record a stoppage inside the Octagon. He said ranked middleweights have declined multiple times after he submitted alternate opponent lists.

"It's excuse after excuse," Page told Helwani. "Then we send another slate of names, and the same thing happens." He added that Ruziboev is a tough matchup but not the profile he has been chasing for three consecutive bookings. Page acknowledged uncertainty about whether the UFC will offer a new deal once his contract expires in September.

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• Sherdog — Michael Page says UFC big fights have been ‘very difficult’ to get