TLDR
- Michael Page defeated Sam Patterson by unanimous decision at UFC London but was heavily booed by the crowd
- Page accused his former training partner Patterson of running away and refusing to engage throughout the fight
- The London crowd showed their displeasure with the inactive bout that lacked excitement despite referee urging for more action
- Page is now considering a complete style change after the frustrating performance that he called annoying
- Patterson entered the fight on a four-fight first-round finishing streak but adopted a passive strategy against his former teammate
Sources: Bloody Elbow | Bloody Elbow | Sherdog
Michael Page is considering a complete overhaul of his fighting approach after fans booed him at UFC London on Saturday night. The welterweight defeated Sam Patterson by unanimous decision, but the bout was filled with inactivity that frustrated the crowd at London’s O2 Arena.
Page and Patterson, who are both from England and former training partners, failed to engage throughout the fight. The feeling-out process never seemed to end despite referee Rich Mitchell urging both fighters to increase their output.
Page Blames Former Training Partner
In a post-fight interview with the UFC, Page accused Patterson of running away for most of the fight. He suggested that Patterson’s familiarity with his style from their time training together gave his opponent an unfair advantage.
“For the most part he was running,” Page said. “In general, I think I could get someone relatively amateur and if they’re moving around, it’s still gonna be difficult for you to lock in on them if they’re not engaging.”
Michael ‘Venom’ Page responds to #UFCLondon fight criticism: ‘I’m not here to be in boring fights’https://t.co/X6MTGNeH7i
— RDX Sports (@RDXSports) March 23, 2026
Page explained that even less skilled fighters become difficult to track when they refuse to engage. He believes Patterson knew exactly where he was dangerous from their shared training history and used that knowledge to avoid those situations.
The fighter known as “MVP” questioned whether Patterson had any strategy to actually win the fight. Page felt his opponent was simply happy to survive the full 15 minutes without taking serious damage.
“I just didn’t understand where he was gonna get the win from,” Page said. “So I just felt like he was happy to get by.”
Style Change on the Table
The frustrating performance has led Page to consider abandoning his trademark flashy approach entirely. “It’s annoying, it’s frustrating, I might have to just completely change my style,” he stated.
Page now holds a record of 25 wins and 3 losses overall. In five UFC fights, he has lost only once, but most of his victories have been underwhelming performances similar to Saturday’s bout.
Patterson entered the fight with momentum, riding a four-fight finishing streak. All four of those previous victories came by first-round stoppage, making his passive approach against Page even more surprising to fans and observers.
The loss drops Patterson’s record to 14 wins and 3 losses. His cautious strategy against his former training partner marked a dramatic departure from his recent aggressive performances.
Page emphasized that Patterson’s knowledge of his dangerous techniques played a major role in how the fight unfolded. “He’s familiar with me, so he knows where I’m dangerous,” Page explained.
The London crowd made their displeasure clear throughout the bout, with boos raining down on both fighters. The negative reaction intensified after the final bell when Page was declared the winner.
Page has vowed not to engage in boring fights moving forward. Whether that means changing his entire fighting style or simply seeking different opponents remains to be seen.
The unanimous decision victory extends Page’s recent run in the UFC welterweight division. Despite the win, his post-fight comments suggest he views Saturday’s performance as a low point in his promotional tenure.
