Michael ‘Venom’ Page has shot down the idea of fighting Israel Adesanya unless the pay is right. It would be fair to say that a bout between an MVP and Adesanya would be highly anticipated, as both fighters have demonstrated elite striking skills in their respective careers. MVP is set to fight Jared Cannonier this weekend at UFC 319, and a win against Cannonier could potentially propel his name into big fights against the likes of Israel Adesanya.
Speaking at the UFC 319 media day, MVP said, “You know what it is, we are prize fighters and I am a person of respect. I can fight someone that I respect highly, but you’re going to have to pay us a lot of money. I’m hoping this $7.7 billion deal does something for that, maybe. If I get given a lot of money, and I think it’s the same for him, we’d 100% fight, but likely, not on the money they pay us.”
MVP and Adesanya have trained together before, with Adesanya posting a video on his YouTube channel in March showing the two working on their grappling skills. The two have also collaborated in Adesanya’s training camps in the past. Whilst this does perhaps make the fight unlikely, MVP has not ruled out the possibility completely.
For many fans, this would be a dream matchup, with two elite strikers who have consistently shown KO power in their careers. MVP’s ‘point fighting’ style would be challenged by Adesanya’s technical and methodical approach to fighting, likely resulting in a chess match between the two, with the consequence of a mistake potentially being a knockout. It would be fascinating to see how both fighters would adjust to each other’s respective styles.
For MVP, he will have to come through Cannonier first, who presents a unique challenge in his own right, but should MVP come through that fight victorious, it seems that he will be fighting a top contender in the Middleweight division next.
