SUMMARY
- Michael 'Venom' Page explained to Tom Aspinall about the tactic he applied to achieve a devastating flying knee knockout in Bellator.
- The fighter on the receiving end of the KO retired six months later.
UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall was joined by UFC’s new recruit Michael ‘Venom’ Page (MVP) for an interview and a training session. The pair discussed their fighting styles and memorable moments from their careers. MVP opened up about the tactic he used to clinch a flying knee KO against Evangelista ‘Cyborg’ Santos.
Page comes from a freestyle kickboxing background. He explained how kicking below the waist was not allowed in his style of fighting along with any type of knee strikes. However, the former Bellator fighter efficiently adapted his fighting style. He went on to earn several victories by knocking out his opponents via flying knee and leg kicks.
One of his most devastating wins was against Santos in 2016. MVP hit Santos with a flying knee so brutally that the Brazilian’s skull was crushed.
He explained to Aspinall, “One thing that he [MVP’s coach] spotted from Cyborg is when he likes to throw his overhangs, he dips his head.”
Aspinall responded, “So, that’s when you exactly go straight up.”
MVP agreed and further explained his tactic, “What I find is a lot of people instinctively when they see his head move forward, they adjust back. That puts you on the end of the punch. And my coach is like instead of, just in case his timing is good for it, it’s easy if you jump up, you’re safe anyway [pointing to his head], what it’s going to happen it’s going to hit your body but his head dipped and we got the knee and we were training that over and over again.”
Page has earned two flying knee knockouts in his career along with a leg kick. Let’s look at the damage caused by the British fighter.
Michael ‘Venom’ Page crushed the skull of Evangelista Santos and blew out Goiti Yamauchi’s knee
Before entering Bellator 158 on July 16, 2016, MVP was on a 10-match win streak with a 10-0 record. As explained in his tactics above, he struck Santos with a devastating knee. Santos was down and out in agony in the second round of the fight. The Pokemon-Go-inspired victory celebration by MVP made the fight go viral further.
And just like that, MVP drops another flying knee (his 2nd as a pro) to rack up his 15th win.
Now, with a pro record of 16-1, @MichaelPage247 is headed to Japan to face @Shinsho_Anzai as he seeks for another W. pic.twitter.com/CAwsBm2hSv
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) December 24, 2019
Three years later, at Bellator 227 on September 27, 2019, MVP defeated Richard Kiely via a flying knee. He earned the knockout win in the first round. The London-born fighter then mocked his knocked-out opponent who was the home favorite in Dublin.
A 𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙨 leg kick! 😱@MichaelPage247 stops Goiti Yamauchi in the FIRST ROUND. No messing around from MVP!
📺 #Bellator292 | LIVE NOW | 🇺🇸 @SHOsports pic.twitter.com/vTdQ6bgXGf
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) March 11, 2023
In his latest fight at Bellator 292 on March 10, 2023, MVP defeated Goiti Yamauchi. MVP’s leg kick brutally damaged the Brazilian’s knee and ruptured his patella tendon.
Evangelista Santos retired months after suffering a flying knee knockout against MVP
In July 2016, Santos fractured his skull due to MVP’s flying knee. He went through a successful seven-hour surgery but a recovery timeline was not known at the time.
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Six months later in January 2017, however, Santos announced his retirement from competition. According to MMA Fighting, Santos said, “I want to be remembered as someone who dedicated his life to the sport he loves and always gave his best, and never picked opponents.”
Santos fought at several well-known promotions such as Strikeforce, Pride, and Bellator. Out of 39 professional MMA bouts, Santos won 21 and lost 18.