Mixed martial arts star Michael “Venom” Page has dismissed any notion of animosity with UFC CEO Dana White, following reports that White departed the O2 Arena during Page’s bout against Sam Patterson at UFC London. Page acknowledged that he heard about the incident indirectly, but stated he could fully “understand” White’s reaction, even if his performance was the reason for the early exit.
UFC London Event Overview
Page marked his return to the welterweight division at UFC London on March 21, 2026, securing a unanimous decision victory over England’s Sam Patterson in a three-round contest at the O2 Arena. However, the fight drew significant criticism from both fans and media due to its notably low activity, with Page landing 33 out of 61 strikes and Patterson connecting on 25 out of 78. Despite a fight card rich with British talent, the atmosphere in the arena was widely described as “absolutely dead.”
This lackluster reception stood in stark contrast to Page’s established reputation as one of MMA’s most thrilling strikers, especially given it was his first UFC appearance on home soil in London. The negative feedback even extended to social media, where some users called for the promotion to release him, a reaction Page later admitted only compounded his own dissatisfaction with his performance.
Allegations of Dana White’s Departure
In the days following the event, various UK news outlets and attendees claimed that White left the arena shortly after Page’s win over Patterson, before the co-main and main events had even begun. Further reports suggested White appeared “bored” and specifically highlighted Page’s fight as one of the most heavily scrutinized matchups on the card.
During an episode of The Ariel Helwani Show, Ariel Helwani brought up these claims to Page, stating there were “some reports that Dana left in the middle of your fight,” and inquired if Page knew whether this was linked to his performance. Helwani clarified that he had not personally witnessed White’s departure and was merely relaying information from others present at the O2.
MVP’s Candid Response
Page revealed he was only made aware of these claims after the event concluded and emphasized he still couldn’t confirm the truth of White’s alleged walkout during his match.
“Yeah, somebody had mentioned it, but again, I couldn’t tell you if that’s true or not. Someone just mentioned it to me and even they didn’t seem sure… If it was due to my performance, then fair enough. I would have probably walked out of my performance. It was bad.
“I’m not going to be butt hurt by it… If I was like kicking him in the face, spin kicking him and slamming him and doing all this stuff and then he decided to walk out then we’d be like, ‘Oh, what’s going on there?’ ’Cause I’ll take that as personal. But like I said, I myself am disappointed in the result and the fight. So if he was like, ‘Yeah, I’m done with watching.’ Fair enough.”
Page repeatedly categorized his performance as “not good enough” and stressed that his own frustration with his output meant he could empathize if a promoter or fan chose to disengage. He also mentioned that he experienced no direct negativity from UFC staff during fight week and did not personally encounter White in London, though he felt generally supported by matchmaker Hunter Campbell and other officials.
The seasoned 25-fight veteran expressed his desire for a quick return to action to “make as many people forget what just happened.” He is already implementing changes aimed at revitalizing his finishing prowess, following a streak of five consecutive decision victories. Furthermore, he urged the UFC to provide him with a clear direction, either at welterweight or middleweight, and a willing opponent, so he can “showcase” the version of MVP he felt was absent at UFC London.