Full Breakdown
MVP Pushes for an MMA Fighters Union
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Call for a Union
Michael “Venom” Page, a 39-year-old British mixed-martial-arts competitor, announced that he has signed with Misfits Boxing after leaving the UFC. In the same interview, Page said he will earn “a lot more” with Misfits and wants to use his new platform to rally fellow fighters around a collective bargaining effort. He cited the Muhammad Ali Act—a 2000 U.S. law that improved boxers’ pay and curbed monopolistic practices—as a model for a similar union in MMA.
Background and Context
Page’s UFC stint began in 2024; he won five of six bouts before his departure. His criticism of fighter compensation comes amid broader scrutiny of MMA pay this year, especially after boxer Conor Benn secured a reported £11 million one-fight contract with Zuffa Boxing, a company owned by UFC president Dana White. Critics have questioned why White does not extend comparable salaries to UFC athletes. White has repeatedly defended the UFC’s pay structure, pointing to a £5.7 billion broadcast agreement with Paramount as justification.
Official Statements & Responses
Dana White responded to recent criticism—including remarks from UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland—by highlighting the promotion’s lucrative broadcast deal and noting that the UFC signed a new contract in May. White’s remarks frame the organization’s financial health as evidence that fighter compensation is already competitive.
Data & Statistics
Verbatim Quotes
- “It's less about speaking out now, it's more about forming a union and coming together. We have to move as one,” — Venom' Page — Venom' Page