Michael Web page is an MMA free agent.
Recognized for his flashy and theatrical hanging type, the 36-year-old welterweight introduced Monday on The MMA Hour that his Bellator contract has expired and he’s inquisitive about exploring his choices inside the fight sports activities world.
“I’m presently unemployed,” Web page stated, laughing.
“I believe it’s time for me to simply discover what else is on the market. It doesn’t imply I’m not going to return with Bellator. It simply means I need to see what different individuals consider ‘MVP.’”
Web page (21-2) stated Bellator nonetheless holds an identical clause for any new contract presents, nonetheless he believes the promotion will accommodate him if he desires to pursue different alternatives. He famous that he has “plenty of choices on the desk” and a return to boxing or bare-knuckle boxing is feasible as effectively.
Web page additionally stated he plans to be in attendance this Saturday at The O2 Area for UFC London.
“MVP” has competed underneath the Bellator umbrella since 2013 and owns the file for probably the most knockouts (11) within the promotion’s historical past. He’s received 17 of his 19 appearances within the Bellator cage, dropping solely to former champion Douglas Lima and in a controversial break up determination to Logan Storley for the interim welterweight title in Could 2022. Alongside the best way, Web page picked up wins over Paul Daley, Lima, Derek Anderson, David Rickels, and Evangelista Santos, the latter of which was extensively thought to be one in every of 2016’s finest knockouts.
Web page wanted simply 26 seconds to defeat Goiti Yamauchi through TKO this previous March in a battle that will finally function his remaining look within the Bellator cage.
He stated information of his contract expiring was shocking and speculated that the unsure standing of a possible sale of Bellator might have performed an element in his present state of affairs.
“I believe all of us missed it,” Web page stated of his contract. “Weirdly sufficient, I believe it’s simply a kind of ones that we simply all missed. [The Yamauchi win] was an thrilling, fast battle. I used to be really wanting to attempt to get one thing going once more. Clearly they have been checking out their very own exhibits and getting that in place. However no person actually checked out contracts till we have been like, ‘OK, what’s the following transfer?’ And I believe it was [manager] Audie [Attar] or one of many guys on the staff was like, ‘Oh yeah, you’re up.’ So it’s fairly an attention-grabbing state of affairs.
“[Bellator officials are] usually quite a bit sharper on that, and even normally if you’ve nonetheless bought just a few fights left, they’re already speaking about what the development is,” Web page added. “So I believe there’s quite a bit occurring within the again workplace with their potential transition as effectively, and new house owners, and so forth and so forth. So yeah, I undoubtedly really feel like they sort of missed one thing there, however I believe issues occur for a motive for my part. I believe all of it occurred for me to have the ability to have this house now and to make this determination, to truly say to myself, ‘OK cool, let me discover the waters within the MMA ocean and see see what bites.”
