DUBLIN —Michael Page shook off his first career loss in grand style on Friday. “MVP” knocked out an overmatched Richard Kiely in the opening round of their welterweight fight at Bellator Europe 4 with a picture-perfect flying knee in a return to his highlight-reel form and to the win column.
However, it did not come without controversy. “Venom” was controversially deducted a point for showboating by referee Dan Miragliotta before the finishing flurry.
In his post-fight interview backstage at 3Arena, Page (15-1 MMA, 11-1 BMMA) made an explosive claim, saying the referee called the fighter a “piece of (expletive)” after the bout. Page further said that he never wants the New Jersey-based official to be the third man in the cage for one of his fights ever again after the bout with Kiely (3-2 MMA, 1-1 BMMA).
“I was disgusted,” Page told MMA Junkie. “Not only did he give me … minus a point and put me in position, he pushed me at the end and called me a piece of (expletive). Now, nobody should do that. That says to me that there’s something personal there. I don’t know what it is, but he should never be the referee for me, ever again.”
Bellator 227/Bellator Europe 4 took place Friday at 3Arena. The Bellator 227 main card aired on Paramount and streams on DAZN via tape delay following live prelims on MMA Junkie. The Bellator Europe 4 main card streamed on the Bellator app.
To hear more from Page following his latest win, click on the video above.
