The Fighter Nobody Wants To Face - Michael 'Venom' Page (Elite Podcast #58)

Michael 'Venom' Page joins Lee Matthews on The Elite Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about his journey from a kid getting beaten week in, week out, to one of the most recognisable and unconventional fighters in the UFC.

Before MMA, MVP became a multiple-time kickboxing world champion, won open weight titles against grown men as a teenager, and helped form one of the best points-fighting teams Great Britain has ever produced. When he switched to MMA, his very first fight went viral off a spectacular knockout — and he explains why the showman style that makes referees and fighters stop just to watch is the exact same reason so many opponents now want nothing to do with him.

He opens up on the years of losing that built him, the giant who bullied him before becoming a friend, and the six-year grudge that fuelled one of his most personal fights. He talks about the birth of the "MVP" alter ego, watching 98% of the comments on his first viral fight turn negative, and the moment that made him stop reading them for good. Lee and Mike also dig into finding a coach who wouldn't strip away his style, why he stays off the floor, and the mission behind Total Kombat — a professional home for the 200 million martial artists the mainstream has ignored.

From North West London to the UFC, this is the story of a fighter who refused to be conventional — and won anyway.

The Elite Podcast is a brand-new show where host Lee Matthews speaks to individuals who are at the top of their industry and profession. The guests will be from different backgrounds including combat sports, military, and business to coaching. Lee will be finding out along with you why they have become the best in their fields and enjoyed acclaimed success and what they all share – their determination to become ELITE in their field.

Lee Matthews is a former paratrooper, kickboxing world champion and now entrepreneur. He is the owner of the UK's biggest chain of martial arts centres.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Intro
01:35 Playing football at Old Trafford
02:36 Becoming mates with his childhood idols
03:38 His dad's philosophy & the family dojo
05:22 Why every school needs martial arts
08:05 Learning to lose: years of getting beaten
10:27 Chasing his talented siblings
12:30 The moment it clicked: a world title at 12
14:58 Begging his dad to fight grown men
18:48 Terry Hillman, the giant who bullied him
20:50 Beating Lee in a final as a teenager
24:18 Building the unstoppable GB team
26:22 The grudge he held for six years
31:08 The birth of MVP, the alter ego
34:15 His first MMA fight goes viral
40:04 98% hate & the comment that changed his mind
44:09 Doubling down on being himself
46:14 Finding a coach who wouldn't change him
51:23 Why he stays off the floor
52:03 Why nobody wants to fight him now
55:08 The dead end for points fighters
56:30 Why Total Kombat had to exist
59:53 "The right level of violence"
1:01:14 The 200 million martial artists the UFC ignores
1:03:39 Tais O'Donnell, the Muay Thai phenom
1:04:43 Tais vs Joe Brooks for the world title
1:06:04 Who wins? MVP's prediction
1:07:07 TK04 Liverpool & the Page family
1:08:33 Zappli & the supplement that surprised him
1:12:20 Wrapping up

Follow Lee on social media for more:
▶︎ Facebook -   / lee.matthewsbmma 
▶︎ Instagram -   / leematthewsofficial 
▶︎ Website - www.leematthewsofficial.com
▶︎ Lee's Book - https://shorturl.at/fyGI7

Recorded and Produced by Liverpool Podcast Studios
▶︎ Web - http://www.liverpoolpodcaststudios.com
▶︎ Instagram -   / liverpoolpodcaststudios 
▶︎ LinkedIn -   / liverpool-podcast-studios  

The Elite Podcast is a brand-new show where host Lee Matthews speaks to individuals who are at the top of their industry and profession. The guests will be from different backgrounds including combat sports, military, and business to coaching. Lee will be finding out along with you why they have become the best in their fields and enjoyed acclaimed success and what they all share – their determination to become ELITE in their field.

Lee Matthews is a former paratrooper, kickboxing world champion and now entrepreneur. He is the owner of the UK's biggest chain of martial arts centres.

Follow Lee on social media for more:
▶︎ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lee.matthewsbmma
▶︎ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/leematthewsofficial/
▶︎ Lee’s Book - https://shorturl.at/fyGI7

Recorded and Produced by Liverpool Podcast Studios
▶︎ Web - http://www.liverpoolpodcaststudios.com
▶︎ Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/liverpoolpodcaststudios
▶︎ LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/company/liverpool-podcast-studios