Israel Adesanya finds it unfortunate that Michael Page was let go by the UFC.
Page (26-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC) fought out his contract at UFC Fight Night 287 earlier this month when he outpointed Nursulton Ruziboev. After a 5-1 octagon tenure, the UFC did not re-sign Page.
Page was disappointed that he didnāt even get a conversation with UFC brass and found out the same way everyone else did when Dana White said they werenāt interested. Adesanya called the situation unfortunate, and he can relate to Pageās frustration with opponents failing to engage, especially when he had a lackluster title defense against Yoel Romero at UFC 248.
āThe UFC is a different business,ā Adesanya said on his "Precision Podcast." "They, the brass themselves, go on a case-by-case basis. Theyāre human beings, man. Iāve had my dealings with my managers in the UFC, and Iāve heard stories of how they get deals done, you know? Iām sure thereās a lot of bodies buried in the desert. But with Michael āVenomā Page, I felt like they got it wrong on that one because he only lost to Ian Garry, who just went toe to toe with the pound-for-pound No. 1, Islam (Makhachev).
āMichael is just a hard man to kill, and everyone that fights him ā I know this because Iāve done this to people. Iām not the same style as Michael, but Iāve been in fights where I just know this guy just doesnāt want to attack me. This guy is just waiting. Heās waiting for me to come to him, but Iām touching the guy, Iām peppering the guy, and Iām like, āBro, Iām hitting you. Youāve got to come to me.ā But they just want a freebie, and this is not a freebie.ā
A disappointed Page was not getting the step up in competition he desired after getting ranked as a UFC middleweight. He wanted another opportunity to showcase what he can do, and Adesanya thinks the UFC should have granted him his wish.
āYou have to let people cook, give them time,ā Adesanya added. āLike, Michael, yeah, I understand he was a big investment from Bellator. Heās getting paid well, and heās delivering, I think, because heās winning. But maybe they werenāt seeing what they were seeing in Bellator, and they were hoping for that kind of excitement. Look what he was doing against Kevin Holland, Jared Cannonier. I find it exciting.ā
Izzy is right
He is 40 years old.
I can see the UFCās point. He is exciting, but not really marketable except to fags from England.
By the time they build him up for a tittle fight, he would be 42 or 43.
I donāt agree with cutting guys on a winning streak.