Dana White Defended Shara Magomedov After Michael Page Loss
Dana White commented on Shara Magomedov’s first professional loss. After Michael “Venom” Page outpointed Magomedov in Riyadh, White reminded reporters that Magomedov has vision in only one eye and said that condition should be kept in mind when assessing the result.
What White actually said
The credible post-event coverage reports a short defense of Magomedov that referenced his one-eye vision impairment. Read the report on White’s reaction.
Page won a tactical middleweight bout
The February 1, 2025 co-main event was contested at middleweight. Page, normally a welterweight, relied on distance, feints and quick counters to limit Magomedov’s offense over three rounds. The judges awarded Page a unanimous decision, with official scores of 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28. The result ended Magomedov’s unbeaten professional run and gave Page a notable win over one of the promotion’s most talked-about rising fighters. See the official event recap.
Page offered his own explanation after the fight: he said that by the end of the opening round he had recognized Magomedov was looking to strike and had begun second-guessing himself. That gave Page confidence to keep controlling range rather than chase a dramatic exchange. He also credited his years of experience and familiarity with that kind of striking style, while explicitly describing Magomedov as an exceptional fighter. The distinction matters because the result was not simply a case of Magomedov failing to perform; Page believed his movement and timing had made the opponent’s preferred attacks less available. The tactical reading fits the three-round decision and avoids treating one defeat as a complete measure of Magomedov’s ability. Page’s account came in his post-fight media comments, and it complements White’s separate remarks about the health issue without suggesting that either point changed the official result. Read Page’s post-fight explanation.
Magomedov later said he had fought while dealing with serious health issues, including an injury that limited his vision. That context and White’s comment should not erase Page’s performance: the British striker controlled the exchanges and earned the decision. Read Magomedov’s statement after the fight.
The loss did not end Magomedov’s run
Magomedov returned to competition later in 2025 and continued adding wins, including a decision victory over Marc-André Barriault in Abu Dhabi. Page also stayed active at middleweight, defeating Jared Cannonier before later moving back to welterweight. Their Riyadh matchup was an important test for both men, but it was not a forecast of either fighter’s entire career. Review the later Abu Dhabi results.
White’s brief defense focused on Magomedov’s physical circumstances, while the scorecards recorded a clear win for Page.
Sources
Tags: MMA
