Michael "Venom" Page concedes there were times in his combat-sports career when he doubted he would ever make it to the UFC.

"For the last couple of years, I didn't know if it was going to be possible," the 36-year-old said. "At the same time, I've never said never. I never wrote it off.

"A lot of people talk about my age and so on and so forth, but I know what I'm capable of doing regardless of my age, and I think other people have been able to see that. I always believed there was a chance for me to go [to the UFC], but the window just got a little bit smaller."

The British fighter, who has spent the bulk of his MMA career to date in Bellator but has also competed in boxing, kickboxing and bare-knuckle boxing, finally signed with the UFC late last year.

His debut with the promotion came at UFC 299 on March 9 in Miami, when he took on top-15 welterweight contender Kevin Holland.

Page entered the Octagon as a slight underdog, but just as he has done in so many of his previous fights, he confounded his opponent with his world-class striking. And after three tense rounds, he was named the winner by unanimous decision.

"I was a bit hard on myself, but now that I've taken some time and watched it back, I'm very proud of myself," he said of his debut. "I just know that was like 60 percent of myself—as good as it was. I know that there was so much more I could be able to do. I know I could have pushed a bit more and got that knockout."

While Page is known for his big personality and showmanship, his knockouts are his main claim to fame.

He holds the record for the most stoppage victories in the history of Bellator's welterweight division, and he is behind some of the most devastating finishes we've seen in the promotion, including his 2016 flying knee KO of Evangelista Santos, which left his opponent with a fractured skull, and his 2023 victory over Goiti Yamauchi, which he achieved with a leg kick in just 26 seconds.

He may have failed to score a KO in his UFC debut, but he promises more additions to his dizzying highlight reel in the future—along with plenty of entertainment outside the Octagon, from his press conferences to his walks to the cage.

"Big walkouts and big knockouts," he said when asked what his future in the UFC holds.

Page also has his eyes on the UFC welterweight title, though he recognizes a title shot is probably a few wins away, as his victory over Holland only pushed him into the No. 13 spot in the division's rankings.

Since his debut, he has named Ian Garry, Vicente Luque and Jack Della Maddalena as potential opponents for his next fight, but insists that he really has no preferences in terms of his matchmaking.

"Genuinely, I've always been the same, even in Bellator: I don't care [who I fight]" he said. "It really doesn't matter."

It remains to be seen whether Page will work his way to a welterweight title fight, and who will be the champion by the time that happens.

However, the London-born fighter is hopeful that countryman Leon Edwards will still hold the title then, as it would be a huge contest for their country, particularly if it occurs on home soil.

"It's massive," he said. "It's a historic fight. It's something that hasn't happened before in the UFC. It's something that hasn't happened for the UK. We're both in prime condition. We're both at the top of our game.

"It's great when one or two guys [from the UK] breakthrough, but when it's two guys who are fighting at the top together, it's massive. They're used to getting that kind of thing in boxing, but it hasn't happened for the UK in mixed martial arts."

At 36, Page realizes time is of the essence and he will need to work his way to a title shot soon if he intends to achieve his dreams. However, he is "massively confident" he can make it happen, and he promises to change the face of the welterweight division for as long as he's a part of it.

"There's a lot of exceptional talent right now in the division," he said. "No matter what weight class I'm in, it's just my style. I just bring something different."