Page Calls Out Shara, Then Beats Him in 2025
On October 30, 2024, Michael “Venom” Page said he was willing to move up from welterweight to middleweight to face Shara “Bullet” Magomedov. Page made the callout on The Ariel Helwani Show after Magomedov’s October 26 win; the matchup was an idea at that point, not an announced bout.
Why Page called out Magomedov
Magomedov had just stopped Armen Petrosyan with a spinning backfist on October 26. Afterward, he called for a fight with former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. Page said he would be interested in taking that opportunity against Magomedov instead. The two men were both known for striking, which made the proposed matchup an intriguing style pairing.
The proposed move to middleweight
Page had competed at welterweight in his first two appearances with the promotion: he beat Kevin Holland in March 2024 and lost a decision to Ian Machado Garry in June. A move to the 185-pound middleweight limit would be a step up in weight. At the time of Page’s October interview, no bout with Magomedov had been formally announced.
The matchup later became official
Page and Magomedov eventually met in Riyadh on February 1, 2025, in a three-round middleweight co-main event. Page won by unanimous decision, handing Magomedov his first professional loss. The official scorecards awarded Page the decision on all three judges’ cards.
Sources
- The Ariel Helwani Show interview with Michael Page
- MMA Fighting: Page targets a fight with Magomedov at middleweight
- Official judges’ scorecards for Page vs. Magomedov
- Official event recap and result
Tags: MMA, Combat Sports
