UFC competitor Michael ‘Venom’ Page has secured his next middleweight match set for UFC 319, scheduled for August 19 in Chicago, Illinois. This fight will place him against Jared Cannonier, a highly ranked contender and former title challenger, on the same event night as the Khamzat Chimaev UFC 319 middleweight title fight.

Page, who shifted to the middleweight division earlier this year with a notable victory over Shara ‘Bullet’ Magomedov at UFC Riyadh, is aiming to build momentum after demonstrating his skills at 185 lbs. Previously a welterweight, he holds a 2-1 UFC record at 170 lbs, with his only loss coming last summer against top contender Ian Machado Garry.

Jared Cannonier, 41, is currently ranked seventh in the middleweight category and carries experience as a former title challenger after his 2022 bout against Israel Adesanya, which ended in a decision loss. Recently, Cannonier rebounded from setbacks by delivering a TKO win over Gregory Rodrigues, following defeats to Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho.

Victory Could Propel Page Near Title Contention

A successful performance by Michael Page against Cannonier could bring him significantly closer to a title shot in the UFC’s middleweight division. While Cannonier is ranked just outside the very top tier, several elite fighters including former champions Israel Adesanya, Sean Strickland, Robert Whittaker, and recent opponents Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho, rank ahead of him.

Overcoming Cannonier would represent a major step forward for Page, whose February win over Magomedov marked his first at middleweight. This upcoming bout provides a crucial opportunity for ‘Venom’ to stake his claim among the top contenders.

The middleweight division’s landscape remains dynamic, as champion Dricus du Plessis prepares to defend his title against undefeated Khamzat Chimaev on the same card, spotlighting the significance of UFC 319 for the division’s future.