JRE MMA Show #170 with Michael "Venom" Page
Narrator, Joe Rogan (host), Michael "Venom" Page (guest), Joe Rogan (host), Joe Rogan (host), Joe Rogan (host)
In this episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, featuring Narrator and Joe Rogan, JRE MMA Show #170 with Michael "Venom" Page explores michael ‘Venom’ Page Breaks Down Point-Fighting’s Evolution In MMA Joe Rogan hosts Michael “Venom” Page (MVP) for a long-form conversation on how traditional point-fighting and unconventional striking have reshaped modern MMA. MVP explains his roots in point karate and kickboxing, how he transitioned into mixed martial arts, and why his elusive, unorthodox style is so hard to solve. They dive into grappling development, weight-cutting, fighter mentality, and the business of marketing yourself as an athlete. The episode also explores memorable fights, the psychology of competing under pressure, and MVP’s future ambitions in the UFC and beyond.
Michael ‘Venom’ Page Breaks Down Point-Fighting’s Evolution In MMA
Joe Rogan hosts Michael “Venom” Page (MVP) for a long-form conversation on how traditional point-fighting and unconventional striking have reshaped modern MMA. MVP explains his roots in point karate and kickboxing, how he transitioned into mixed martial arts, and why his elusive, unorthodox style is so hard to solve. They dive into grappling development, weight-cutting, fighter mentality, and the business of marketing yourself as an athlete. The episode also explores memorable fights, the psychology of competing under pressure, and MVP’s future ambitions in the UFC and beyond.
Key Takeaways
Point-fighting footwork and distance control can be a massive MMA advantage.
MVP and Rogan argue that elite point fighters bring a ‘fencing-like’ ability to close distance, hit, and escape without being touched—creating a style that most opponents have never seen or trained for, especially in a big cage where every round starts standing.
Get the full analysis with uListen AI
Unorthodox movement forces opponents out of their patterns and drains their gas tank.
By constantly feinting, switching rhythm, and offering angles that don’t fit normal boxing/Muay Thai patterns, MVP forces rivals to think instead of flow, which exhausts them mentally and physically even when nothing lands.
Get the full analysis with uListen AI
To succeed in MMA, strikers must solve grappling and takedown defense early.
MVP describes starting grappling at London Shootfighters, getting constantly submitted, and learning to love the process; Rogan stresses that wrestling and defensive grappling are essential foundations so your striking can actually be used.
Get the full analysis with uListen AI
Mental toughness and comfort with losing early are crucial to long-term growth.
MVP recalls years of getting “destroyed” as a kid while his siblings won everything, then a single breakthrough tournament flipped his performance; both he and Rogan argue that kids need real competition and the sting of losing to build resilience.
Get the full analysis with uListen AI
Fighters who don’t market themselves deliberately often get overlooked, regardless of skill.
MVP breaks down how he consciously designed his persona—nickname, walkouts, snake pose, catchphrases, celebrations—to be memorable, and urges other fighters to think of branding as another essential skill, not an afterthought.
Get the full analysis with uListen AI
Weight cutting is normalized but deeply problematic for fighter health and fairness.
They discuss extreme examples of drastic cuts, fighters passing out, and champions fighting 20–30 pounds above the limit the next night; Rogan argues for more weight classes and hydration checks so athletes compete closer to their real weight.
Get the full analysis with uListen AI
Some of the most talented gym fighters never show their true level under the lights.
MVP tells stories of freakishly athletic teammates who could do impossible kicks and acrobatics in training but tightened up in real fights, highlighting how anxiety and lack of mental tools can cap even world-class physical talent.
Get the full analysis with uListen AI
Notable Quotes
“Power only means something if you land. My whole element is not being touched.”
— Michael “Venom” Page
“Your style is exhausting because you always have to be at high alert. There’s no moment where you can catch your breath.”
— Joe Rogan
“I’m just making it seem a lot less difficult than it actually is. These guys are super talented fighters—I’m just not fighting on the same wavelength and timing.”
— Michael “Venom” Page
“When you win, in this competition specifically, you go into the grand championships… I beat everybody and got to the final. After that my dad could never tell me no again.”
— Michael “Venom” Page
“You are the product. As a professional, figure out how to market yourself.”
— Michael “Venom” Page
Questions Answered in This Episode
How would MMA look if more elite point-fighters from karate and taekwondo transitioned into the sport with serious grappling training?
Joe Rogan hosts Michael “Venom” Page (MVP) for a long-form conversation on how traditional point-fighting and unconventional striking have reshaped modern MMA. ...
Get the full analysis with uListen AI
What specific training methods could help fighters like MVP’s gifted teammates translate their gym skills into high-pressure fight performances?
Get the full analysis with uListen AI
If major promotions banned extreme weight cutting and enforced in-camp hydration checks, which champions and divisions would change the most?
Get the full analysis with uListen AI
How can coaches better adapt training and fight scheduling to women’s hormonal cycles to optimize performance and safety?
Get the full analysis with uListen AI
Where is the ethical line between ‘smart game-planning’ (wrestling-heavy, low-risk strategies) and fighting in a way that damages the sport’s entertainment value?
Get the full analysis with uListen AI
Transcript Preview
(drumming music plays) Joe Rogan podcast. Check it out. The Joe Rogan Experience. Train by day, Joe Rogan podcast by night. All day. (rock music plays)
We're up.
All right.
MVP in the house.
Yes.
The most enigmatic-
(laughs)
... difficult dude to solve in all of MMA. That's you, man.
Bro, you know what? I, I always ... I wanna start simply because you ... What you have done for me specifically, I get a lot of criticism, a lot of hate, and especially obviously jumping, when I first got into the, into the MMA world. New to me, you know, I'm just like, "Okay, let me just be myself, do my thing." First fight goes well. Land this crazy kick, goes viral, and I get nothing but hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate. But then having prominent figures like yourself that are constantly have been championing my style, uh, champion, championing the, like, the points element of things, I just appreciate you for that.
Oh, my pleasure brother.
I appreciate that.
I appreciate you. It's almost like we called for you, because there was a time in the early days of MMA, like in the early 2000s, where I was like, "This is what's missing."
Mm-hmm.
"This ... What's missing is point fighters." And people would, like, mock me.
(laughs)
They, they'd be like, "No, no, no, no, no, like, I've sparred with these dudes. You can't hit them. It's a different thing." I'm like, "They have a very specific skill. That skill of closing distance-"
Yeah.
"... and being elusive."
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's not like any other sport.
Yeah, yeah.
It's almost like fencing and MMA combined, or, uh, and martial arts combined.
Yeah, yeah. I always tell people that, like, most of the combat sports in terms of kickboxing, the full-contact side of things, is more to do with the ... There's a fixation on power, knocking people out.
Yes.
Whereas our element is just the speed element.
Yes.
Just getting in and getting out.
Yeah.
Not getting touched. Like you said, the tag, tag kind of feel, fencing.
Mm-hmm.
Similar kind of footwork and, yeah, just not many people had decided to cross over to any kind of full-contact world, really. Um, and you had the likes of Wonderboy Thompson.
Raymond Daniels.
Raymond Daniels.
Yeah, just you and Raymond were the most-
Yeah.
... prominent ones, and him and Glory-
Yeah.
... and of course you, and-
Yeah, yeah.
And the-
Well, he did a little bit of MMA.
A little bit of MMA.
A little bit of MMA, but-
Yeah, but you're more prominent in MMA.
Yeah.
But the, the point was that this was a, an element that when ... I remember when I was doing TaeKwonDo and I would fight in tournaments, I would occasionally fight in point fighting tournaments.
Install uListen to search the full transcript and get AI-powered insights
Get Full TranscriptGet more from every podcast
AI summaries, searchable transcripts, and fact-checking. Free forever.
Add to Chrome