Joe Rogan, a long-standing commentator and interviewer for the UFC since 1997, recently pinpointed what he considers the “most gruesome injury” he has ever seen throughout his extensive career as a martial artist. Across his 27 years immersed in mixed martial arts, Rogan has been privy to countless knockouts, submissions, and freak accidents, yet one incident stands out as uniquely horrifying.
This particularly brutal injury actually occurred at a Bellator event in July 2016.
Michael `Venom` Page`s Devastating Knee Fractures Opponent`s Skull
At Bellator 158, Michael “Venom” Page delivered a shocking knockout blow that fractured the skull of seasoned MMA veteran Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos. Initially, `MVP` celebrated his victory by throwing a Pokémon ball towards Santos, unaware of the catastrophic damage he had just inflicted. Santos was writhing on the canvas in excruciating pain after being caught by Page`s perfectly timed flying knee.
Following this savage knockout, which left a visible dent in his forehead, Santos was never able to compete professionally again. A viral image of Santos’s skull vividly depicted the devastating impact caused by that single knee strike from the English fighter.
“That’s the most gruesome injury I’ve ever seen,” Joe Rogan stated 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 recounted that medical professionals were profoundly puzzled by the extent and nature of the injury he caused, noting it was unlike anything they had ever encountered in an MMA setting.
“The doctors were saying that they’ve only ever seen that in a car accident, never in MMA,” Page added, highlighting the severity and rarity of the trauma.
Rogan echoed this sentiment, expressing his deep shock at the incident:
“That is so crazy. And that was his last fight. The doctors were like, `Hey, that’s a wrap.` It sounds like a baseball bat on a pumpkin… That was a bad one.”
Michael `Venom` Page`s Impressive Start in the UFC
Michael Page concluded his tenure with Bellator and officially signed with the UFC in 2024. Since making the transition, the 38-year-old kickboxer has compiled an impressive 3-1 record inside the Octagon, facing a roster of top-tier opponents.
Page made a successful UFC debut in the welterweight division, decisively outpointing Kevin Holland over three rounds. His subsequent fight saw him suffer a decision defeat against Ian Garry at UFC 303 in June 2024, with Garry employing a wrestling-heavy approach to secure the victory.
`MVP` then ascended to the middleweight division for his next bout, where he made history by becoming the first fighter to defeat Shara Magomedov. In his most recent outing at UFC 319 in August, Page overcame a “silly” mistake to earn a victory over the 185lb veteran Jared Cannonier.
It remains uncertain whether Page will return to the cage before the close of 2025. The MMA world eagerly anticipates who `MVP` will face next, and whether he will continue competing at middleweight or make a return to the welterweight division.
Neville Whittle