Bellator star Michael Venom Page backs Jake Paul’s campaign to increase fighter pay and would ‘definitely’ face YouTuber
MICHAEL VENOM PAGE has backed Jake Paul’s movement to increase fighter pay – but would ‘definitely’ return to boxing to face him.
YouTube star Paul has vocally called out Dana White and accused the UFC president of underpaying his roster.
And he even claimed to have taken money out of his own purse from his last fight to contribute to increasing the money given to undercard fighters.
Bellator welterweight MVP admitted it is no wonder ex-MMA champions are crossing over to the boxing ring in search of a bigger payday.
He told Sky Sports: “Yeah, I’m a massive supporter of what he’s doing there, and I completely agree with him on that side.
“Why is it that fighters are so eager to then jump ship? It’s because we’re not being paid what we should be paid in our thing
“This is why he’s completely right. Nobody would entertain these kind of fights, if we were being treated the way we should be treated.”
Paul, 24, won his professional debut against online rival ‘AnEsonGib in January and 11 months later knocked out ex-NBA star Nate Robinson, 37.
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His last two fights have been against former UFC fighters Ben Askren, 37, which ended in another KO and a points decision over Tyron Woodley, 39.
Venom Page, 34, who is 2-0 as a boxer, tipped Woodley to beat Paul and is now ready to instead get the job done himself.
He said: “These kind of stuff is it’s annoying, I get why it’s happening. Obviously, business-wise, a lot of money that’s drawn in.
“But, I thought Tyron Woodley was going to correct this whole crazy world that we’re living in right now.
“Just to correct the world, I would definitely jump in and just knock him out, shake his hand afterwards and say, ‘Continue doing what you’re doing.’
“Yeah, I just need to prove to everyone that this is nonsense.”
I would definitely jump in and just knock him out, shake his hand afterwards and say, ‘Continue doing what you’re doing.’
Michael Venom Page on Jake Paul
Venom Page is unbeaten in his last five MMA fights, losing just once in his career, against Douglas Lima in 2019.
He now rematches Lima, 33, on Friday and has the chance to avenge the loss in front of his home crowd at Wembley Arena in London.
Venom Page said: “It’s been two years, so I’m definitely excited I think it’s amazing that it’s actually happening, I’ve got it in the hometown.
“I feel a lot of my supporters were with me on this journey, When I lost that fight, it hurt them just as much.
“And now they have the ability to come and witness the redemption.”