The European MMA market has grown exponentially in recent years. Ilia Topuria has made his mark, representing Georgia and Spain. There are two champions from the UK – Tom Aspinall and Leon Edwards. Moreover, Dana White recently announced a scintillating UK vs Republic of Ireland matchup between Michael “Venom” Page and Ian Machado Garry.
The promotion has announced UFC 304 for England in Manchester in July, headlined by Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad. However, the Garry vs. Page matchup is on UFC 303, headlined by Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler. Aspinall recently picked the winner of Garry vs. Page.
I think I give MVP the edge on it. I think he’s very, very smart. He’s very, very tricky. As someone who’s trained with him, obviously there’s a big size discrepancy between the two, but I can see the way he moves, and I can feel the way he moves. He moves so well, and he’s so unpredictable. His grappling is massively underrated.
Tom Aspinall via Title Sports Network
Colby Covington was the presumed opponent for Garry at UFC 303, but the fight failed to materialize, allegedly due to Covington’s foot injury. The UFC offered several fighters to face Garry as their next opponent for which Page was the first to accept. After Dana White announced the fight, Garry sent a stern message to Page via X.
The duo have been at odds since MVP signed with the UFC. The Irishman was against the idea of fighting Page, suggesting MVP wouldn’t beat Kevin Holland. However, after he defeated Holland, Garry said he wouldn’t fight Page due to his lower rankings. Page has cited Garry’s hesitance as a sign of the Irishman’s fear for him.
Michael Venom Page speaks on Ian Garry
Colby Covington vs Ian Garry was a dream matchup for fight fans. More than the fight, fans wanted to see the trash talk between the two welterweights. On the other hand, the Ian Garry vs. Michael Venom Page is the opposite.
Michael Venom Page and Ian Garry (Via Sky Sports/BBC)Fight fans won’t see a trash-talking battle between the two, but their fight style would likely showcase an amazing striking contest at UFC 303. Page recently spoke of how Garry motivates him in a recent interview with Sky Sports.
I’d fight [Ian] next week… for that fight, I’ll do it next week… I never like to judge too much from a distance but he inspires me to get in shape because he has an annoying air about him…If there was any motivation needed, it’s just him talking.
Michael Venom Page via Sky Sports
Michael ‘Venom’ Page says that Ian Garry is “annoying” and motivates him to get in shape 👀
“I’d fight [Ian] next week… for that fight, I’ll do it next week… I never like to judge too much from a distance but he inspires me to get in shape because he has an annoying air… pic.twitter.com/1MiVbcaxdj
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 18, 2024
Page appreciated Garry as a good fighter but also stated that the Irishman had nothing new to surprise him. Garry had a lackluster showing in his previous fight at UFC 298 against Geoff Neal. On the other hand, Page showcased his famed striking on his debut at UFC 299 against Kevin Holland.
Against MVP, Garry won’t have the luxury of fighting at a range where the Brit holds the upper hand. Garry has never been beaten in professional MMA, and haters are eager to see it happen. Many think Page would be the one. However, Garry is now a teammate of Charles Oliveira. If he mixes grappling in the fight, Garry will certainly hold the advantage.
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