Page passed another test.

Bellator 158 featured some pretty awesome displays of athleticism particularly with the competitors of the Welterweight class. The main event featured Paul Daley and Douglas Lima locking horns in a battle that took place primarily on the feet. But despite the fact that the main event produced some fireworks, everyone has been talking about Michael “Venom” Page and his KO victory over veteran Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos. Everyone is touting Page as one of the best Welterweights in the world and while that may be true we still haven’t seen him tested. The battle with Cyborg was supposed to be the first legitimate test that Page has ever faced (though his battle with Nah-Shon Burrell was also a pretty tough test as well). There were a few instances throughout the fight that saw Page taken to the ground and put into tough spots by the Brazilian veteran. That being said, Cyborg has seen brighter days and though he may still be dangerous, he isn’t at the level of Page just based on pure mileage. Cyborg has been through a ton of wars and in all reality was always going to have a tough time dealing with Page’s movement. So what questions were really answered at Bellator 158? Well, for one Michael Page needs to work his ground game even more. He did well to survive against Cyborg, but there still appears to be some discrepancies when you consider how he transitions from striking to wrestling and grappling. Page comes from a freestyle karate background which means great movement, exceptional timing, and some amazing kicks. Page has all of these at his disposal. The problem is that the high flying, over the top attacks he likes to implement will do him no favors when he runs into a fighter with a heavy top game. All in all Michael Page is still one to watch, but if he wants to reach the top of the Welterweight division then he’ll have to buckle down, trim the fat, and find a way to combine his striking and reactive wrestling into a cohesive package. For now let’s just enjoy the fruits of his labor and check out that nasty flying knee and Pokemon victory pose. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU6CvPRl2Hw What do you think of Michael “Venom” Page? Let us know by hitting up our comments below or head on over to our official Facebook and Twitter.

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.