Michael Venom Page and the 5 UFC Stars That Should Jump to MVP MMA

By now you've surely heard the news: Michael "Venom" Page has completed his UFC contract, and the promotion will not be making him another offer.

Page's departure from the UFC is not really surprising—but also a little surprising, depending how you look at it.

On the one hand, the former Bellator star is now 39 years old, and responsible for some of the most dreadful UFC fights we've seen in recent years, notably his recent decision win over Nursulton Ruziboev, which looked like a sparring match. Based on that, he's obviously not a guy the UFC would want to keep around, especially given the high price tag he surely comes with.

At the same time, Page's UFC record sits at 5-1, spanning two divisions, with his lone loss coming in a close fight against recent title challenger Ian Machado Garry. So, even at 39, he's clearly still elite. We also know that, despite the sedative quality of most of his UFC fights, he's capable of some of the most extreme violence you'll ever see in a ring or cage, like his infamous, skull-cracking KO of Evangelista Santos. Considering all that, it's a shame the UFC didn't give him another chance to live up to his obvious potential.

The good news, at least as far as Page is concerned, is that he is unlikely to have much trouble finding a new home. In fact, he has seemingly already been welcomed to Jake Paul's MVP MMA promotion, which is set to kick off in earnest next year, following its absorption of the Professional Fighters League.

For all his flaws, Page is just the kind of fighter Paul will be looking to align himself with next year: legitimately talented in the cage, and capable of drumming up plenty of interest outside of competition too. Of course, the enigmatic Brit is not the only UFC star to tick those boxes. The UFC roster is full of fighters that Paul would surely be taking a serious look at, were they not locked up in airtight contracts.

Here are five other fighters we could eventually follow Page to Paul's upstart MMA promotion.

Tom Aspinall

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Tom Aspinall is now the former UFC heavyweight champion—but that's sure not his fault.

Aspinall held the division's undisputed title until very recently, and were it not for factors outside his control, could have kept his seat on the throne for years to come. Unfortunately, his last fight ended prematurely when he was poked in the eye multiple times by reigning interim champ Ciryl Gane, and the injuries he suffered as a result have kept him out of action since—and will do so for the foreseeable future. As a result, Aspinall decided—or was perhaps forced—to vacate his title and let the division move on while he attempts to get back into fighting shape.

Obviously, the real tragedy of this whole saga is that one of the best heavyweights we've ever seen in the Octagon is missing years of his prime due the mistakes of his last opponent. However, another unfortunate outcome of all of this is that it has clearly soured the relationship between Aspinall and UFC CEO Dana White, who has not been shy to criticize the former champ over the last year.

Their relationship became so strained that Aspinall signed with White's chief rival, Eddie Hearn.

In the time since signing Aspinall, Hearn has repeatedly criticized the former champ's UFC contract, going so far as calling it a "disgrace." That, understandably, supercharged rumors that Aspinall may look to get out of his contract, and take his career elsewhere.

That would certainly be easier said than done, as UFC contracts are notoriously bulletproof, and Aspinall's isn't over yet. At the same time, leaving the UFC would open up some very interesting opportunities for him, namely a deal with MVP.

Paul's upstart promotion would surely pay him well, if only for the optics of treating him better than the UFC. They could also find him some very compelling opponents, namely former UFC champ Francis Ngannou, who left the promotion due to his own issues with White several years back, and picked up a devastating KO win over Philipe Lins on MVP's first MMA show earlier this year.

Arman Tsarukyan

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Arman Tsarukyan is clearly one of the best lightweights in the UFC. Unfortunately—and despite big wins over Charles Oliveira and Dan Hooker—a crack at the division's title has so far eluded him.

That's largely his own doing, as he can't seem to stay out of trouble outside the cage, and is clearly seen as a bit of a liability by UFC brass. He's also spent most of free time doing anything but fight for the UFC, competing RAF wrestling every few weeks, and collaborating with streamers and influencers almost daily, which gives the impression he's a little distracted.

At this point, the UFC's decision-makers clearly have so little faith in him that they won't even guarantee him a title shot if he beats fellow contender Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 this Saturday.

Of course, that's not to say it won't happen. If Tsarukyan beats Ruffy impressively, and makes a sincere commitment for showing up for a title fight, he might get the opportunity. At the same time, it's possible that his constant antics and apparent disinterest in actually fighting have already doomed him. He's certainly right that, if he loses to Ruffy, he probably won't ever get the opportunity.

If a title shot continues to elude Tsarukyan, and he's able to get out of his UFC contract, he'd be a great fighter for MVP to sign. That's first and foremost because he is absolutely elite, and like Page and Aspinall, would add immediate credibility to the promotion's already strong roster. Yet he will also appeal to the promotion because he's—for lack of a better term—extremely online. He is always followed by cameras, always streaming, always collaborating with influencers of Paul's ilk, and basically always in the headlines.

He's just about a perfect fit for them.

Paulo Costa

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You had to know Paulo Costa would be on this list.

The Brazilian, a former middleweight title challenger and now a top light heavyweight contender, has bumped heads with UFC brass countless times over the years, and asked for his release from the promotion as recently as last week.

Like most popular, relevant fighters, the UFC is very unlikely to grant Costa a premature release from his contract. He's still valuable to them, and more importantly, would be valuable to their competition—like MVP.

Of course, that's exactly why a guy like Costa is so comfortable asking for his UFC release. For all the big opportunities that exist for him as a member of the UFC roster, he'd have no difficulty finding big fights outside the Octagon.

He would almost certainly get a cushy offer from MVP, for just the same reasons Tsarukyan would. On the one hand, despite some tough losses in recent year,s he recently reestablished himself as an elite fighter with a vicious win over Azamat Murzakanov. On the other, he is as active on social media as any fighter in the sport. In other words, he knows how to promote himself and engage with fans—something we know Paul and his team appreciate.

MVP would also have no trouble matchmaking for Costa, as they'll inherit a solid lineup of middleweights and light heavyweights from the PFL, such as Costello Van Steenis, Johnny Eblen, Impa Kasanganay, Bryan Battle, and Corey Anderson. He could even find himself in a blockbuster scrap with Paul, who has been teasing his MMA debut for years.

Renato Moicano

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Brazilian lightweight Renato "Money" Moicano is not quite as elite Tom Aspinall or Arman Tsarukyan, or as popular as Paulo Costa. However, he undeniably high-level, and has developed a cult following, particularly in his home country, where is a very popular streamer. In other words, he's just the kind of fighter MVP would love to sign, both for the way he'd legitimize the quality of their roster, and help drum up interest in their events.

Granted, Moicano has never really butted heads with the UFC the way Aspinall or Costa have. Still, he's had his share of gripes with the promotion, oftentimes about the fights they offer him, such as his recent win over Chris Duncan. So, while leaving the UFC is probably not his first choice, it's probably something he would do if he was paid well for big fights.

MVP could definitely make that happen for him. They have the bankroll to rival or even surpass what he's paid by the UFC, and have plenty of elite lightweights for him to tangle with. Even if they don't re-sign Usman Nurmagomedov, they could set Moicano up with the likes of Alexander Shabliy, Gadzhi Rabadanov, and Paul Hughes. Those would all be very high-level matchups that would both challenge the Brazilian veteran, and add serious legitimacy to any MVP broadcast.

Jorge Masvidal

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At his best, Jorge Masvidal was one of the top welterweights in the UFC, and one of the most popular fighters in the sport. That was when he was beating the likes of Darren Till, Ben Askren, and Nate Diaz, and battling Kamaru Usman for the welterweight title.

Things have changed.

Following a string of losses from 2020 to 2023, Masvidal took a break from the UFC for a boxing rematch with Diaz, which he lost by decision. That left him winless in any combat sport since he beat Diaz in the Octagon in 2019, which obviously isn't great, especially considering he's now in his 40s.

Despite all that, Masvidal is adamant he is still under contract with the UFC, and that he and the promotion are hard at work ironing out the details of his Octagon return.

While that's definitely possible, it seems highly unlikely. It's more likely that's he's either misinformed, or naive. It's simply very hard to believe that the UFC would be willing to give him another opportunity, in light of his recent results, his age, and his price tag. Even if he is used to be a star. Even if he is still under contract.

That said, MVP would probably throw him a bone.

While Paul and co. will definitely be looking to bolster their roster with elite, relevant talent—like Aspinall and Costa—we also know they have no objection to squeezing the last dregs of juice out of fading MMA legends. Just this year, they did so with the likes of Ronda Rousey, Gina Carano, and Diaz on Netflix—to great success. They could surely find use for Masvidal in similar contexts, and have the money and platform to make him feel like the big deal he once was. It may not be exactly what he had in mind for the twilight of his career, but it beats hanging around the UFC like a party guest who has overstayed his welcome.