This past Saturday at UFC 303, the PPV main card was kicked off by a very intriguing matchup in the welterweight division. Undefeated Irish contender Ian Garry (15-0) was looking to remain unbeaten as he took on the dangerous and entertaining Michael “Venom” Page (22-3).
MVP was making his second octagon appearance after a successful debut earlier this year against Kevin Holland. In that fight with Holland, MVP showed off just how incredible he is with his slick striking and incredible speed. Ian Garry has long said that he’s the best striker in the welterweight division and he wanted to put himself to the test with this matchup.
However, many were wondering if Garry would actually strike with MVP. He started to when the fight started at UFC 303, but it became clear very quickly that he wasn’t on the same level as Page. MVP was much faster than Garry and was darting in and out before Garry could land any counters. Garry transitioned into wrestling and nearly submitted Page in the first round.
In the second round, the fight primarily stayed on the feet where Page was the clear winner. In the third round, MVP started strong and after a scramble, he ended up on top. However, Garry got back to his feet and ultimately clinched MVP against the fence. From there, he got his back and rode out the rest of the fight at UFC 303. With the back control, the judges unanimously gave Garry the 29-28 decision, although Dana White called the fight a draw.
What’s next after UFC 303?
Despite losing a decision and it not being the best fight, I think MVP had a great showing on Saturday. He showed that when the fight is at distance, he might be the very best striker in the welterweight division. People have long talked about how good the striking is of Ian Garry and MVP made him look incredibly slow.
So, what should the UFC do with Page coming off this loss? I think there is one fight and one fight only that should be made. Michael “Venom” Page needs to fight Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Wonderboy doesn’t have a fight right now and he’s coming off a loss to another undefeated contender in Shavkat Rakhmonov.
It’s a dream matchup with their incredibly unique and dynamic striking styles. Sometimes matchmaking is incredibly easy and this is one of those times. The UFC shouldn’t overcomplicate this one.