Dan Hardy says the PFL would be the ideal landing spot for Michael “Venom” Page as the Bellator star ponders his next move following his move into free agency.
Page has been one of Bellator’s biggest stars over the past decade, and his announcement on The MMA Hour that he is now a free agent has sparked plenty of intrigue and speculation over where he’ll head next. Bellator is still an option, though the future of the promotion and its ownership is up in the air, while the UFC would offer the chance for Page to test himself on the sport’s biggest stage.
Another promotion that could prove to be a strong option for Page is the PFL, and Hardy, the Head of Fighter Operations for PFL Europe, chatted to Fighters Only and gave us his pitch to “MVP” as he explained the benefits of signing for the PFL.
“The thing is, if he goes into the UFC, he’s just going to be another welterweight in the mix, and he’s seen how much they’ve slowed other welterweights down to the belt,” said Hardy, who suggested that huge matchups for Page could await, in two sports, if he made the switch to the PFL.
“MVP’s a star. He also is going to want the freedom to be able to box – that’s the biggest sway for me,” he continued.
“He comes over, he joins the PFL, he’s got fighters like Carlos Leal and Sadibou Sy over in the US that he can fight that are going to give him a hell of a fight. I mean, imagine MVP vs. Sadibou Sy. I said it the other week when (Sy) landed that head-kick knockout.
“But then, the other thing as well is he could then go and box. He’s an excellent boxer. Imagine MVP vs. Jake Paul at Wembley – that’s what we’re talking about.”
Page burst onto the scene with a viral tornado-kick knockout on his professional debut for UK promotion UCMMA back in 2012, and “MVP” has garnered plenty of attention ever since.
Just three fights later the Londoner made his debut for Bellator, where he claimed a 10-second knockout to make an instant impact on his first appearance on US soil.
“MVP” has been an ever-present on the Bellator roster ever since, and in 20 fights with the promotion, has lost just twice – once to Douglas Lima, a fight he later avenged in their rematch, and once to Logan Storley for the interim welterweight title in a bout that even Bellator president Scott Coker said he thought Page had won.
But now, following his announcement on The MMA Hour that his contract with Bellator was up and he was exploring free agency, the intrigue over “MVP’s” next move has gathered pace, with his appearance at Octagonside at UFC London leading many to suggest that Page could be close to inking a deal with the UFC.
But Hardy offered a word of caution over Page potentially signing for the UFC. While the lure of competing for the biggest promotion in the sport is sure to be strong, Hardy suggested that the restrictive nature of the UFC’s fighter contracts would stifle Page’s ability to compete, and earn, from his full range of combat sports talents.
“If he signs with the UFC he’s gonna get locked into a contract, and we’re gonna see him a couple of times a year, and it’s most likely not going to be favorable fights for him,” Hardy suggested.
“That’s what’s going to happen, especially given the fact that he was such a star in Bellator. That’s the way the sport goes, right? He’ll be cycled in and he’ll be used to boost up somebody who’s a UFC star.
“If he comes to the PFL, he’s going to have freedom, he’s going to have the ability to then box, as well as fight on pay-per-view events. We have welterweights left and right that are going to be able to compete with him, and I think that it would be the right move.”
Despite his clear wish to see Page competing inside the PFL SmartCage in the coming months and years, Hardy said that he was also just excited to see how the next chapter of Page’s career will play out after a decade as a Bellator fighter.
“MVP is a strong-minded individual. He knows his own mind, he knows what he wants, and he knows better than me where his destiny is gonna be lying,” he said.
“So, I’m looking forward to seeing his journey. Of course, I would love to see him over at the PFL, but I am a little bit biased right now!”