Michael Venom Page Questions Islam Makhachev’s No.1 P4P Status: It’s Too Early
The debate over Islam Makhachev’s status as the number one pound-for-pound fighter in MMA continues to generate discussion, with prominent voices like Michael ‘Venom’ Page weighing in. Page, who is competing in the UFC this weekend, recently shared his thoughts on Makhachev’s dominance and the pound-for-pound rankings.
Michael ‘Venom’ Page Talks Islam Makhachev and P4P
Islam Makhachev is a protege of the late Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov and teammate of Khabib Nurmagomedov who has been on an extraordinary run in the UFC. Makhachev has defended his lightweight title multiple times, including victories over elite opponents such as Alexander Volkanovski (twice), Charles Oliveira, and Dustin Poirier. His most recent win came against Renato Moicano at UFC 311 via first-round submission, setting a new record for lightweight title defenses in UFC history.
Michael ‘Venom’ Page praised Makhachev’s skills, calling him “unbelievable” and a “force to be reckoned with.” However, he expressed reservations about labeling the UFC lightweight champion as the definitive pound-for-pound best. “Is he an incredible mixed martial artist? 100%. Is he a force to be reckoned with? 100%. Pound for pound? I don’t know yet,” Page said. He acknowledged Makhachev’s potential to become one of the greatest of all time but suggested that it might still be “early” to crown him as the top fighter across all divisions.
According to fan controlled rankings on Tapology and UFC official rankings, Islam Makhachev is unanimously chosen as the current top position on MMA’s overall pound-for-pound.
The English athlete Michael ‘Venom’ Page was a popular figure in Bellator with incredible knockouts. He is now competing in the UFC’s welterweight division. This weekend at UFC Riyadh, he will face the undefeated ‘Bullet‘ Shara Magomedov in a middleweight bout.
The debate over pound-for-pound supremacy will likely persist as fighters like Islam Makhachev continue to build their legacies while competitors and media like Page offer critiques from within the sport.
