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MVP set for final fight on UFC contract in Paris
Michael 'Venom' Page has been chasing a fight with fellow Briton Leon Edwards since joining the UFC [Getty Images]Michael 'Venom' Page will fight the final bout on his UFC contract when he takes on Nursulton Ruziboev in Paris on Saturday.The 39-year-old has had a mixed career in the octagon since joining in 2024, with four wins from five fights - and all his victories by decision.Known for his eye-catching striking, MVP admits he has underperformed in his UFC tenure without a stoppage to his name."I'm still buzzing to be in this game, but then there's also [the fact] I feel like I haven't delivered what I wanted to deliver," Page said."We (Page and the UFC) don't seem to be as aligned as I thought we would be."Maybe at the beginning I felt like we were - something's changed. But either way, the goal is [to] keep stepping out there and kicking people in the face."[This fight is to] specifically to remind the UFC why they brought me to this organisation."Page has openly spoken about his frustration about the frequency of his fights, questioning why the UFC were not booking him more regularly.The Englishman has fought twice at middleweight beating Sharabutdin Magomedov and Jared Cannonier - despite being a seasoned welterweight.An all-British bout with Leon Edwards has also not materialised.Page faces a tough opponent in Ruziboev, who arrived in the UFC in 2024 with 20 submissions, has competed in 50 MMA fights and has four stoppages in his five victories in the octagon, with one defeat.Uzbekistan's Ruziboev, 32, is the underdog against the more experienced Page, who is back at middleweight again for this bout.With Page set to enter free agency, he would represent an attractive option for several rival promotions having spent most of his MMA career with Bellator.But the Londoner is keen to sit down with the UFC after Saturday."This fight is important to re-establish myself with the UFC," Page said."Then sit down with them and say 'OK, guys, can I have an idea of what you expect of me? Can I have an idea of what direction is best for me to work towards? Can I have an idea of what it is that you guys need from me?'"And then we get to work... I prefer if I have targets, and I have an idea of what I'm supposed to do, then I go and attack it."UFC Paris main cardMain card from 20:00 BST:Dan Hooker v Salahdine Parnasse - lightweightFares Ziam v Axel Sola - lightweightMichael Page v Nursulton Ruziboev - middleweightDaniil Donchenko v Punahele Soriano - welterweightKurtis Campbell v Trevor Peek - featherweightLosene Keita v Muhammad Naimov - featherweightMMA schedule and results 2026Watch every Born to Brawl episode More MMA from the BBC Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport
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