Michael Page condemns UFC trash-talk 'Everyone seems to have lost themselves' (Video)

On Saturday night, following UFC 296, UFC president Dana White announced that Michael "Venom" Page had signed with the UFC and would make his debut at UFC 299 in Miami next year.

But Page is entering the UFC during a time when trash-talk is at an all-time low, and he's not down for that kind of fight build-up.

“The trash-talking is going to be good, but respectful,” Page said on The MMA Hour on Monday, “What I’ve been seeing so far in combat sports, I hate. I don’t like people talking about people’s fathers, people’s wives, people’s girlfriends, people’s kids, all of that stuff. We need to go back to martial arts."

During UFC 296 fight week, Colby Covington was criticized for bringing up Leon Edwards' dead father, Sean Strickland went after Dricus du Plessis for mentioning him being abused as a child, Sean O'Malley's open marriage, and Ian Garry's wife was also brought up. It was a dark few days.

“Everyone seems to have lost themselves a little bit,” Page said. “I have zero respect for people that feel the need to go that way. We’re skillful athletes, and that should be enough. I’m all for the banter, I’m all for the jokes and keeping it kind of friendly, and that should be enough to build a fight. We can keep the intensity, but it should stay between me and the person that’s fighting, and that’s it.”

Page will be fighting Kevin Holland who is known for his personality, but he tends to stay within the correct boundaries.

“When it gets that kind of personal, real stuff can actually happen, and it falls back on the UFC,” Page said. “Hopefully, they’ve seen that it’s getting a bit too much, and they tighten it up. But on a positive note, I think me and Holland are going to be the way it should be.”

UFC 299 takes place on March 9, 2024 in Miami, FL.