Ian Machado Garry vs Michael ‘Venom’ Page Preview
Irish and UK MMA will go head-to-head in a spectacular clash at UFC 303. Streaking hotshot Ian Machado Garry will fight Michael ‘Venom’ Page on the main card in Paradise, Nevada on June 29. This has the potential to be a barnburner between two striking masters.
Garry has enjoyed a steady progression through the UFC rankings. The promotion recognised his star potential and they’ve handled his career brilliantly. Meanwhile, this is Page’s second UFC fight since he crossed over from Bellator.
This bout is dividing fans. Some think that MVP’s tricky point-fighting style will confuse Garry. Others believe ‘The Future’ will ‘fraud-check’ the Londoner and knock him out. This is such a compelling match-up with genuine title implications.
Ian Machado Garry vs Michael ‘Venom’ Page Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Garry and Page are brilliant fighters, but they’re at very different stages of their careers. The 26-year-old Irishman is slowly entering his prime. He holds an unbeaten 14-0 record with marquee wins over Geoff Neal and Neal Magny. A former Cage Warriors champion, Garry is now the UFC’s 7th-ranked welterweight.
Meanwhile, Page transitioned to MMA after a glorious kickboxing career. The 37-year-old veteran has a 24-2 record. Many critics accused him of fighting ‘cans’ during his Bellator run. He lost key tests against Douglas Lima and Logan Storley. However, Page proved his elite credentials when he dissected Kevin Holland at UFC 299 in March.
Ian Garry spoke to Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour about the support that he gets from Irish fans, bringing the UFC back to Dublin and missing home. @iangarryMMA @arielhelwani @SevereMMA @ufc pic.twitter.com/HqbyRqKW2u
— Ian O'Neill (@ioneillmma) July 6, 2022
It’s almost guaranteed that this MMA fight will play out on the feet. 13 of Page’s wins have come by knockout while Garry has a 50% KO record. The biggest question is whether the Irishman can get to grips with Page’s rangy style and unorthodox movement.
MVP likes to fight at a distance and outpoint his opposition. One of his most underrated attributes is his impressive conditioning. It takes incredible cardio to maintain his relentless style of movement. This was one of the most remarkable aspects of his win over Holland. Page completely bamboozled the American.
Both men have excellent distance control. Garry demonstrated this in his most recent fight against Geoff Neal. He understood his opponent possessed a dangerous KO threat, so he effectively used his range and mobility. Some fans criticised him because he didn’t look for the finish. However, it was a pragmatic approach in a risky match-up.
It’s interesting to note Garry’s camp situation ahead of this fight. He appears to have forsaken his nomadic lifestyle and settled in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Now he’s training full-time at Chute Boxe with Diego Lima. He left Kill Cliff FC after he moved up the UFC rankings. Infamously, Birmingham’s Team Renegade banned him from working there.
On paper, this appears to be one of Garry’s most stable preparations. He isn’t receiving the same online backlash as before and now he’s focused completely on this fight. This is ominous for Page because Garry has been excellent, even with distractions.
Meanwhile, MVP continues to train at one of the UK’s most famous MMA institutions. His longstanding relationship with London Shootfighters stretches back to 2011. They’ve helped him to adapt his kickboxing style to mixed martial arts.
One of the biggest questions about this UFC fight is how Garry will handle MVP’s elusiveness. It’s worth noting Garry came through Team KF in Dublin alongside Adam and Ryan Shelley. Like MVP, these current Cage Warriors contenders also come from the worlds of Taekwondo and kickboxing. They’re not on the same level as Page, but the experience will help Garry.
Garry has a very impressive IQ. His win over Neal Magny was arguably the best of his career. He devastated the American with leg kicks in a ruthless display. We expect he’ll use a similar tactic to slow down MVP’s movement. ‘The Future’ will attempt to chop at MVP’s thighs and calves.
We’ve already mentioned these men’s knockout threat. Every diehard MMA fan will remember the time Page obliterated the skull of Cyborg Santos. Garry also possesses outstanding power and timing. He was the first fighter to stop Daniel Rodriguez in the UFC and did so with a perfectly timed head kick.
Garry is the favourite to win this match, but MVP is a live underdog. Page has a significant reach advantage, and this is unfamiliar territory for Garry. The first round will reveal a lot. It could be a long night for Garry if he can’t neutralise Page’s movement. Keep an eye on live betting after round one because the odds may shift dramatically if Garry struggles to reach the UK superstar.
Ian Machado Garry vs Michael ‘Venom’ Page Predictions
We predict Garry will knock MVP out in this striking battle. He’s going to nullify MVP’s movement with his outstanding leg kicks. Garry will hack away until Page slows down. Then he’ll attempt to corner him and finish him in the second or third round.
Garry’s patience is a key attribute. It’s unlikely that Page will frustrate him like he did with Kevin Holland. It’s helpful that Garry doesn’t mind if he isn’t entertaining. He will do what it takes to win and if that means clinching with Page and beating him against the cage, he’ll do it.
We may see a more rounded display from Garry in this match. He only has a single submission win on his record, but he’s a good grappler. The Irishman is also training with some of the best BJJ experts in the world, including Charles Oliveira and Damian Maia. He may even attempt to surprise Page by using his ground game.
Page can win this match if he forces Garry into his world. His unique striking style is problematic for everybody. He also has knockout power and we’ve seen Garry take damage already. If Song Kenan can hit him, MVP can also land his strikes.
This isn’t a foregone conclusion, but we expect the younger man to win this intriguing battle. Garry has already pointed to how Douglas Lima defeated Page and says he will knock him out the same way. The trash-talking Irishman also said that MVP couldn’t win the Bellator title, so he won’t win the UFC belt.
Only time will tell who wins this fight, but it’s more likely to be Garry. This is the biggest test of his career, and Page is receiving too much disrespect. Our MMA prediction is that Garry will win this fight, but Page represents a dangerous threat. The rankings don’t matter in this clash.
Ian Machado Garry vs Michael ‘Venom’ Page Betting Tips
Garry is a slight favourite to win this MMA fight against Page. It’s 3/4 for him to emerge as a victor for anyone betting on UFC 303. A €10 bet would win €7.50, so they’re not bad odds. €50 would win €37.50 if Garry was successful.
However, these odds also show the bookmakers don’t have full confidence in Garry. MVP is a live underdog, and he has a chance to win. The problem with Page is his style is so unpredictable. He could dominate this match or Garry could find him out very quickly.
It’s 21/20 for MVP to beat Garry on the sports betting platform. This time, a successful €10 stake would win €10.50. There isn’t much between these men, but the markets could shift dramatically after the first round.
Betting on MMA is exciting because fighters can produce a knockout blow in the blink of an eye. If the fight goes the distance, Page is likely to defeat Garry by decision. We expect a potential MVP victory to look similar to his win over Kevin Holland. However, Garry is a superior fighter to Holland, so this would be a shock. Nobody has dominated the Irishman on the feet before.
Garry’s most likely method of victory is a knockout. He hasn’t finished his past two opponents, but he came very close against Neal Magny. Page has taken damage in the past and his chin isn’t getting younger.
We’ve also seen MVP struggle against wrestle-heavy game plans. He lost to Logan Storley and barely beat Paul Daley. Garry will probably mix his grappling with his striking. Betting on Garry to win by submission may be a smart option.
Don’t forget to make use of our welcome bonus. Why not bet on Jiri Prochazka to beat Alex Pereira in their exciting rematch? The Czech star is an underdog in the UFC 303 main event. He is desperate to reclaim the 205 lb title. Meanwhile, Pereira recently recovered from a broken toe.
If you are a fan of combat sports, there are two other Irish fighters to watch this week. Two fantastic boxing stars face off on Friday, Pierce O’Leary vs Darragh Foley. Plus, we have Lamont Roach vs Feargal McCrory predictions available as well.
Ian Machado Garry vs Michael ‘Venom’ Page Outcome
Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard deserve credit because this is matchmaking at its finest. It’s a win-win situation for the UFC, regardless of who emerges as a victor. They will probably hope Garry sees his hand raised at the weekend because he’s so close to title contention. The Irishman will probably have an eliminator next against somebody like Shavkat Rakhmonov or Jack Della Maddalena. However, given his beef with Leon Edwards, he may even get the next title shot. A win over MVP will increase his star power and give him great momentum.
But an MVP victory wouldn’t be the worst outcome. The UFC could fast-track him toward a title shot depending on the result of Leon Edwards vs Belal Muhammad. They’re being ruthless with how they’re using Page. The matchmakers are happy to sacrifice him to build Garry’s brand. At least they’re not wasting him against a wrestler who could nullify his striking game. A victory likely puts Page one more win away from a title fight. However, we could even see a UK vs UK clash for the belt! If he loses, there are still great match-ups available like Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson or Gilbert Burns.
Ian Machado Garry was originally meant to fight Vicente Luque in December at UFC 296. However, a couple of days before the event, the Irish MMA fighter withdrew from the event. Garry developed pneumonia and it was too short notice to schedule a replacement. However, we have ended up with an even more exciting match-up. Both fighters will seek to entertain this Saturday.
