‘I had my first fight at five years old and I’ve not stopped – it’s my life’

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    Michael Venom Page was forged into an accomplished fighter and a crowd-pleasing entertainer while growing up with nine siblings – and has no plans to slow down 30 years on.

    Page is without doubt one of the most recognisable names in British MMA having clocked up a professional record of 20-2 with a signature fighting style which originated from freestyle kickboxing and sport karate.

    Having lost for only the second time in his MMA career with a controversial split decision against Logan Storley for the Interim Bellator Welterweight World Championship in May, he returns at Bellator 292 on Friday (March 10).

    READ MORE: 'I flogged cars before becoming lead Bellator ring girl – and now I'm training to fight'

    Having returned to the promotion after a decision defeat to Mike Perry in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship action, Page, 35, spoke about where it all began.

    Speaking exclusively to Daily Star Sport, Page said: "I was in classes at three years old, three and a half. My first competition I was five years old and I've just been competing non-stop ever since.

    "That's 30 years of punching people, kicking people, getting punched, getting kicked – and then all the rest in between. So yeah, it's my whole life experience."

    He added of his extended family: "We're all very close, all raised in the martial arts world but all very tight, all have very similar principles. I blame the martial arts for it.

    Which MMA star would you most like to see Michael Page in the cage with? Tell us in the comments section below.

    "Where we've had to come from, you've got to have similar disciplines and principles from martial arts. We balanced it out very well.

    "But when I listen to other people speak about siblings and all the complications that happen with family… I wish you guys just trained together when you were younger, because I'm sure you wouldn't have the same kind of issues now."

    His father, Curtis Page Sr, coached Michael and his siblings, with emotional tributes to the three-time kickboxing world champion following his passing in 2019.

    Despite his success, Page has never strayed far from his roots and even now makes sure to have plenty of people around him.

    He added: "I'm used to having big families. And even now I would live with them, I need noise in my house. I have my team-mates that live with me as well, because I just need energy around me, you know? It helps me because I'm just so accustomed to it."

    For all of his success that has come before before his Bellator 292 bout on the undercard of Usman Nurmagomedov's lightweight title fight against Benson Henderson, Page has never held a world title in MMA.

    Sitting #2 in the Bellator Welterweight Rankings and looking to defend it against #5 Goiti Yamauchi (28-5) a belt remains a goal – but it won't define his legacy in combat sport.

    He added: "Having a belt… it justifies that you're better than the other person and you know, why you're the more highly regarded in that moment…

    "But I see it as this, particularly in my sport now, is belts being passed around a lot, you know, one person each year. Most people can't name everybody that has had a belt but you'd remember memorable people?

    "My style, my personality, the energy that I bring in MMA is memorable. It's something that you're not going to forget. But there are many people that you've forgotten that have had belts, so why does it mean anything to me?

    "Don't get me wrong, it means that you're at the top and I'm obviously climbing to be at the top so it's part and parcel of what we do. But yeah, I'm not eager to try to grab one just for the sake of saying I had one."

    Watch live coverage of Bellator 292 including Page vs Yamauchi and Nurmagomedov vs Henderson on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app from 23:55 BST this evening.

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