According to UFC welterweight contender Michael “Venom” Page, any decision regarding retirement will be made in the gym and not in the Octagon.
While Paige is undoubtedly in the latter stages of his career, he is just beginning his fighting career on MMA's biggest stage, having moved to UFC from Bellator MMA after more than a decade at the end of last year.
In his debut at UFC 299 in March of this year, Paige defeated Kevin Holland, dealing a blow to those who had long doubted his ability to compete against highly ranked opponents in the UFC.
Most recently, “MVP” was seeking a shot at an all-British showdown with champion Leon Edwards, but that goal was halted after Ian Garry was narrowly defeated in the opening bout of the UFC 303 pay-per-view main card.
But based on his performance in pre-fight training and on game day, it's safe to say Paige still has plenty of energy left, even a few months after his 37th birthday.
Page reveals factors driving resignation
Speaking with Demetrious Johnson ahead of his second Octagon appearance at UFC 303, Page spoke about the “passage of time” that looms over fighters his age.
In MMA, a long losing streak often leads to some athletes being encouraged to retire when they appear to be fighting beyond their physical limits – Tony Ferguson being the most recent example.
But the 37-year-old Page is adamant that he won't get to that stage – instead, he plans to retire as soon as his performance falls short against the up-and-coming fighters in the gym.
“Everybody's tired of it. There's one thing nobody can beat, and that's time, but you can adjust,” Page said. “The gym is always tough, but sometimes you know where your coach is. For me, he's like, 'You can take it easy today. You can finish a little early.' … He can tell I'm a little too tired.”
“I always tell myself, if I'm overpowered by the younger guys in the gym and they're all hungry, when I start to overpower them, that's when it's time to retire,” Page continued. “I don't have to wait until they do it in public. If the guys in the gym are trying to kick me out, that's when I'll be like, 'OK, I'm done.' And it hasn't happened yet.”
In addition to a strong camp that showed no signs that his time competing at the top level is over, Page's loss on June 29 was far from crushing. UFC CEO Dana White suggested the bout felt like a draw, pointing to the competitive nature of the fight between the London native and Garry.
It remains to be seen what “MVP” will do next after his plans to chase gold on MMA's biggest stage were thwarted, but after coming so close to a title shot at UFC 303, Page has vowed to “bounce back” and not lose sight of his goal.
