Fans have been clamoring for a step-up in competition for welterweight contender Michael Page, and it looks Bellator have been listening.
The MMA promotion is looking to book Venom against fellow Brit Paul Daley in what is being billed as a ‘Battle of Britain’ event in London, England, per Flo Combat’s Jim Edwards.
No date has been set, but Bellator will be hosting a press conference in the British capital next week and look set to announce Daley vs. Page at the SSE Arena in London.
According to Page, he’s waiting on ‘Semtex’ to sign the contract and finalize the deal.
Page, an undefeated fighter with a wealth of kickboxing and taekwondo experience under his belt, is one of the most flashy and dynamic fighters in the sport. The 29-year-old often uses dance moves in the cage to set up his strikes and has finished most of his bouts in the first round.
A video of Page rolling a Pokemon ball to downed opponent Evangelista ‘Cyborg’ Santos at Bellator 158 went viral. The London Shootfighters representative fractured Santos’ skull with a perfectly timed flying knee in the second round.
Despite his highlight reel finishes, Venom has faced criticism for facing lower ranked opponents and his last fight against Fernando Gonzalez — which Page won via split decision — elicited a chorus of boos from the crowd.
His targeted opponent, 33-year-old Paul Daley, has been competing in MMA since 2003 and sports a professional record of 39-14. The ex-UFC fighter has won six of his last seven bouts and is coming off a spectacular flying knee knockout over Brennan Ward. Like Page, Nottingham-based talent Daley is a stand-up fighter and possesses some of the most technical striking in the game.
A welterweight bout between the two Brits promises to be one of the most explosive bouts of 2017.