LONDON — Michael 'Venom' Page had only lost one of his first 20 MMA bouts but avenged that sole defeat to Brazil's Douglas Lima with a narrow split decision win in the main event of Bellator 267 at the SSE Arena in Wembley.
Page made the crowd erupt when he won several stand-up exchanges and staggered Lima more than once, but he also found himself on the ground in rounds one and three only for 'The Phenom' to struggle to do too much to convert his control into serious advantages.
The ringside judges all had it at 29-28, with two giving the edge to the Brit and one to Lima.
Page said after the decision: “I wanted to finish him. He’s a tough man. I understand why he’s been a champion three times.
"Even when I hit him with those big shots, he just kept coming and then he started to adjust and make it more difficult. I was confident.
"I knew he was going to go for a takedown. Every single striker that stands in front of me, I turn them into wrestlers. Every single one of them.
"Now I want that bling! I’ve come over and got my redemption. Now I want that bling.”
Here is all the action from Bellator 267: Lima vs. MVP 2 and the undercard below.