Ahead of his highly anticipated return at UFC London, Michael “Venom” Page has shared compelling insights into training with Khamzat Chimaev, praising the Chechen-born fighter’s elite gym capabilities while also questioning the current trajectory of the middleweight title picture that sees Sean Strickland slated for a championship challenge later this year.
Michael “Venom” Page Returns to Action at UFC London
Michael Page is scheduled to compete against fellow English fighter Sam Patterson in a welterweight bout at the O2 Arena on March 21st, as part of the UFC London card which is headlined by Lerone Murphy versus Movsar Evloev. The 38-year-old Page, a former standout from Bellator, joined the UFC roster in 2024 and currently holds a position within the top 15 of the welterweight division. His opponent, Patterson, enters this contest on the back of several impressive stoppage victories since his challenging UFC debut in 2023.
Page and Khamzat Chimaev’s Training Connection
In 2024, Page spent significant time training alongside Khamzat Chimaev in Dubai, a period during which both athletes were preparing for crucial UFC engagements. This collaborative stint became a notable discussion point among both fighters and fans. Earlier, Caolan Loughran, a teammate of Irish contender Ian Garry, made claims that Page had “dominated” Chimaev in sparring. However, Page later refuted these assertions, clarifying that any misunderstanding arose because it was his teammate, Norbert Novényi Jr., who actually engaged extensively with Chimaev in those specific sparring rounds.
Page characterized his time in camp as a valuable opportunity to witness firsthand Chimaev’s intense wrestling prowess on the mat and his unique approach to prolonged training sessions. He noted Chimaev’s ability to cycle through numerous fresh partners, often pushing through entire rooms of training partners without any discernible decrease in his output or intensity.
As UFC London approaches, Page reflected further on his experience, stating he had “the privilege of seeing Khamzat in the gym, working very closely with him.” He described Chimaev as “a monster” and “not normal” after observing his performance in live rounds. Page emphasized that this perspective comes from firsthand experience at an elite level, highlighting how much more challenging it is to truly appreciate Chimaev’s relentless pace, seamless chain wrestling, and exceptional control of positions until one actually shares the mats with him.
“I don’t even think that fight should exist right now. I feel like Imavov deserved the fight, and that’s the fight we should be talking about. But I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Khamzat in the gym, working very closely with him. That guy’s a monster. He’s not normal. Seeing him up close and personal, it was beautiful. He’s going to be a tough person to beat.”
The Chimaev–Strickland Title Narrative
Chimaev is slated to defend his UFC middleweight title against former champion Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on May 9th in Newark. This will mark Chimaev’s first title defense since he claimed the championship last August. The booking of this fight came as the promotion weighed options between Strickland and the rapidly ascending contender Nassourdine Imavov, who, despite his strong recent performances, had previously lost to Strickland in their January 2023 main event encounter.
Page explicitly stated his conviction that Imavov should have been next in line for the title shot, remarking, “I feel like Imavov deserved the fight.” Nevertheless, he also supported Chimaev, affirming that he would be “a tough person to beat,” based on his observations from their training together. From Page’s viewpoint, while rising contenders like Imavov are closing in, Chimaev’s exceptional form in the gym suggests the champion remains an incredibly daunting challenge for anyone in the 185-pound division.
