Joe Rogan, a lifelong martial artist and prominent figure in the UFC as a commentator and interviewer since 1997, has recently disclosed what he considers the most horrific injury he has ever witnessed in the sport. Over his 27 years immersed in the world of mixed martial arts, Rogan has observed countless knockouts, submissions, and freak accidents. Yet, one particular incident, dating back to a Bellator event in July 2016, remains seared into his memory as exceptionally gruesome.
The Unforgettable Knockout by Michael `Venom` Page
The infamous event saw Michael `Venom` Page inflict a devastating knockout at Bellator 158, shattering the skull of veteran fighter Evangelista `Cyborg` Santos. Following this brutal flying knee, `MVP` famously celebrated by tossing a Pokémon ball towards Santos, who was writhing on the canvas in agony, apparently oblivious to the severity of the damage he had caused. This career-ending blow left Santos with a visible indentation in his forehead, and he never competed professionally again. A widely circulated image of Santos`s injured skull vividly underscores the catastrophic impact of Page`s knee.
“That`s the most gruesome injury I`ve ever seen,” Rogan remarked when Page recently appeared on his podcast. “I`ve seen a lot of broken bones, but I`ve never seen someone with a caved-in head.” Page further explained that medical professionals were profoundly perplexed by the injury`s nature, as it was unlike anything they typically encountered in an MMA context. “The doctors were saying that they`ve only ever seen that in a car accident, never in MMA,” Page added.
Rogan continued, “That is so crazy. And that was his last fight. The doctor`s like, `Hey, that`s a rap.` It sounds like a baseball bat on a pumpkin… That was a bad one.”
Michael `Venom` Page`s Transition to the UFC
After a successful run with Bellator, Michael Page transitioned to the UFC in 2024. The 38-year-old kickboxer has since amassed an impressive 3-1 record within the Octagon, consistently facing high-caliber opposition. His UFC debut saw him comfortably outpoint Kevin Holland in a welterweight contest. Subsequently, he experienced a decision loss against Ian Garry at UFC 303 in June 2024, where Garry employed a wrestling-heavy approach to secure the victory.
`MVP` then moved up to the middleweight division for his next bout, where he made history by becoming the first fighter to defeat the previously unbeaten Shara Magomedov. In his most recent performance at UFC 319 in August, Page overcame what he described as a `silly` mistake to secure another significant win over the 185lb veteran Jared Cannonier. The timeline for Page`s next cage appearance before the end of 2025 remains unknown, as does whether he will continue competing at middleweight or revert to the welterweight division. The MMA world eagerly awaits news on `MVP`s` next move.
