dna: interview -
michael ‘venom’ page

WE RECENTLY SAT DOWN WITH BELLATOR MMA STAR MICHAEL ‘VENOM’ PAGE, TO BREAKDOWN MENTALITY, MUSIC AND SPORTS CROSSOVER AND MORE.

You're known for your unorthodox fighting style and flashy techniques. Is this a reflection of your approach to situations outside of the cage? 

MVP: Not at all. I like to compare it to Eddie Brock from Spiderman, like a type of split personality, I have me in the real world and me for the cage.

We know you have been fighting in some capacity from a very early age, what prompted your journey as a fighter and did your upbringing play an important role in this? 

Combat in my household was a necessity, my father said it was identical to going to school, you must go to school, and you must go to martial arts, however, he never forced us to compete. The love for competing came from the experiences that competitive events gave me; meeting new people, travelling to new places, the fun and trying different cuisines, this all came from going to competitions. It wasn’t just the fighting it was also the experience.

In addition to your MMA career, you've also competed in kickboxing and boxing. How do you manage the different disciplines and what do you enjoy most about each one? 

I enjoy the same thing in every single one, which is the new challenge in combat. The enjoyment mostly comes from the environment, the crowd, the noise and hitting people.

We know that you were brought out to the cage by Skepta, the renowned British musician. Could you tell us about your relationship with Skepta and how it has influenced your own artistic journey, both in music and in MMA? 

For me moments like that just demonstrate your progression in what you are doing. To meet someone like Skepta, and then be at the stage to call him a friend and get to the point of bringing our passions together is special and a reminder to keep pursuing what you love.

What would you say is the most important element when considering the crossover between music and sports industries? 

Rhythm is a strong, regular repeated pattern of movement or sound. Fighting is full of repeated patterns of movement shown through bouncing, punches, kicks etc this all creates a pattern, a tempo and a flow. So being good with Rhythm helps you better anticipate your opponent’s movements.

How do you handle pre-fight nerves or anxiety? Are there any rituals or practices that help you stay calm and confident before stepping into the cage?

Music helps manage whatever energy levels I’m at to where I should be. I will play a specific genre to whatever energy is needed.

If you had to choose one walkout track from any OF OUR CONTAINED ARTISTS, which artist would you choose and why? 

I’ll have say Prido with a feature from K1 Strange on the track cos he’s got a dope unique style and Prido is my current vibe.

As a role model for many aspiring fighters, do you have any plans to mentor or train the next generation of athletes in your gym or through other platforms? 

This is something I have done. I would be interested in doing an MVP gym with a syllabus created by me. I’ve proven that my style is effective, and I know many would benefit from learning it.

Can you name one thing outside of your profession that is worth fighting for? 

Family. “The Blood of the Covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.”

Resilience is crucial in combat sports and music, both physically and mentally. How do you build and strengthen your mental resilience to overcome obstacles and keep moving forward in your career? 

Meditation and self-care. Self-care looks different in everyone so being mindful that this should promote health and happiness in the way you gain it.

What can we expect to see from MVP in the next 12 months, is there any other avenues or ventures you envision exploring? Are there any specific projects or interests that you're passionate about pursuing?  

I’m passionate about storytelling, whether this be through myself writing the stories for others to tell or for me to act out. So I’ve gotten into writing and have been working on a TV series idea which I’ll be turning into a comic also. And when I’m at the stage of making it I’ll definitely have a cameo in the show.