In a highly-anticipated battle of technical strikers, Michael Page became the first to hand Shara Magomedov a loss in MMA.
Saturday in the UFC Fight Night 250 co-main event, Page (23-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) handily defeated Magomedov (15-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28). The bout took place at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The fight generated a lot of buzz due to the unique fighting styles and personalities of the combatants involved. The bout much more resembled a chess match than a barnburner. Both men were supremely technical in their approach. Page was more willing to make the fight grindy and dirty as his clinch became an effective weapon against the cage.
It was clear Page had the upper hand for nearly the entirety of the fight. His success came mainly from punches, though he also wowed those in attendance with the occasional flashy strike attempt whether it was a spin kick or a flying knee.
MVP stunned Shara 👊 #UFCSaudiArabia pic.twitter.com/VhVQlPDJ6N
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 1, 2025
After the victory, Page declared, “I am the captain, now,” a play on Magomedov’s pirate persona. He also discussed his first trip up to middleweight in the UFC and admitted there was a mental and physical adjustment in competing there.
With the win, Page, 37, bounces back from a defeat to Ian Machado Garry in June. The loss came in his second UFC appearance. His UFC debut was a win over Kevin Holland.
Magomedov, 30, encounters defeat for the first time as a professional martial artist. Prior to Saturday’s bout, Magomedov defeated Bruno Silva, Antonio Trocoli, Michal Oleksiejczuk, and Armen Petrosyan in succession under the UFC banner.
“I’M THE CAPTAIN NOW!” 🏴☠️
MVP’s post-fight speech 😤 #UFCSaudiArabia pic.twitter.com/UK4m92Ziov
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 1, 2025
Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 250 results include:
- Michael Page def. Shara Magomedov via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Sergei Pavlovich def. Jairzinho Rozenstruik via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Vinicius Oliveira def. Said Nurmagomedov via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Fares Ziam def. Mike Davis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Muhammad Naimov def. Kaan Ofli via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Shamil Gaziev def. Thomas Petersen via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 3:12
- Terrance McKinney def. Damir Hadzovic via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 2:01
- Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Mayra Bueno Silva via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Bogdan Grad def. Lucas Alexander via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 4:22
- Hamdy Abdelwahab def. Jamal Pogues via split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 250.
