Michael Page: Patterson fight not the matchup I wanted

Michael Page will return to action in London, but the matchup isn’t the one he was hoping for.

Page (24-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) faces fellow Brit Sam Patterson (14-2-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 270 on March 21 at The O2, a fight the former Bellator star admits came as a surprise and a disappointment.

Coming off back-to-back wins over Shara Magomedov and Jared Cannonier, Page had been calling for bigger names at welterweight. Instead, he was booked against Patterson – a fighter he already knows from previous training – and one he feels doesn’t move him forward.

“This isn’t a fight I expected or was looking for,” Page said. “I came to the UFC for the big fights and the big names. I respect Sam, but I’m not sure what a win here really does for me outside of maybe a highlight.”

Page also suggested he may not be in the promotion’s best graces, noting his placement lower on the fight card despite his profile.

“I don’t feel like I’m in good favor with the UFC right now,” he said. “With my name, I expected to be positioned differently. But I didn’t want to sit around and wait – I just wanted to fight.”

As for the reason behind his current standing, Page believes his recent performances may lack one key element.

“The only thing I can think of is that I haven’t had a finish,” he said. “Maybe they’re looking for spectacular stoppages. But even without that, I feel like I’ve put on exciting fights and delivered a show.”