Michael 'Venom' Page smashed MMA veteran's skull with savage flying knee KO
01/31/2025 11:39 AM
Few fight results will make you cringe like Michael ‘Venom’ Page’s flying knee knockout over Evangelista ‘Cyborg’ Santos at Bellator 158.
‘MVP’ gears up for his third UFC appearance as he takes on Sharabutdin Magomedov in the co-main event of Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia. Fans expect fireworks as the two stand-up strikers are known for their flashy technique.
While Magomedov is 15-0 in MMA, his resume isn’t nearly as deep as Page, who fought in Bellator as far back as 2013. some of ‘Venom’s’ best highlights are from this era, including his spectacular flying knee finish over Cyborg, which literally crushed his skull.
The following is not for the faint-hearted.
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When Michael Page retired Cyborg with a crushed skull after flying knee KO
By the time Page faced Cyborg, he was 11-0 and featured on the main card. Cyborg was 21-17, having fought tough MMA veterans Melvin Manhoef, Nick Diaz, ‘Shogun’ Hua, and Gegard Mousasi.
Cyborg struggled early with Page’s karate blitz but managed to get ahold of his slippery adversary and showcased his grappling prowess. Round one was in the books for Cyborg, but nobody could have anticipated the disaster in round two.
After tentative action from both men in round two, Cyborg threatened the takedown again. This time, he feinted the movement by dipping his posture, hoping to exhaust or fool Page into showing vulnerability. However, it worked against him as Page made the read and launched a missile of a flying knee into Cyborg’s dome as soon as he committed to the actual takedown.
Cyborg was down and out, clutching his smashed cranium; Page rolled a Pokeball at him in the post-fight celebration.
Cyborg showcased gut-wrenching injury after Michael Page defeat
In an Instagram post shortly after the fight, Cyborg’s wife, Cristiane Justino, A.K.A. Cris Cyborg, shared a scan of Cyborg’s skull and a photo of his dented forehead.
The injury remains one of the worst in combat sports history, and Cyborg hasn’t fought since.
