Bellator star Michael 'Venom' Page has said that Jake Paul's push for improved fighter pay is driving him to become a fan of the YouTuber-turned-boxer.
Paul has been at war with UFC president Dana White over his stance on paying larger purses to fighters, even offering to retire from competition if White will implement new minimums for his athletes.
The social media star has said that he would gladly take a very unfavourable match-up against Jorge Masvidal for just $50,000 if the UFC agree to make that their minimum payout to fighters, increase the revenue split to 50 per cent and provide healthcare.
And Page, who at one point joked that he would like to return to boxing to fight Paul, has said that he is now becoming a fan of the YouTuber for attempting to tackle the controversial issue.
"Since [calling Paul out], I've actually been a bit of a fan of him to be honest," Page said during an appearance on The MMA Hour. "It’s just what he’s about in terms of what he’s trying to pushing for which did surprise me.
"And it’s something that is kind of near to my heart and kind of affects me and affects a lot of my colleagues.
“A lot of up and coming fighters that I’m training with, in the gym and I would love to see their generation, the next generation coming up, that they don’t have the same struggles and the same complaints and things going through their career.”
Paul's stance has drawn the ire of White, but it appears that the majority of fighters who have spoken up about the issue, both in boxing and MMA, have agreed with his take.
The YouTuber was a divisive figure in combat sports until recent times, where he has gone to bat for his fellow fighters against UFC boss White, who has hit back in his own aggressive series of messages.
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And Page, who is set to finally fight for the Bellator welterweight title against Yaroslav Amosov at the SSE Arena Wembley in London this May, believes that fighters must unify for real change to be made.
“We need a competitor that is willing to make those things happen," he continued.
“If it doesn’t start with the biggest show in MMA and they’re not willing to do it then other shows are going to have to be the first person to take that step and it will definitely apply pressure to the bigger shows.
“A lot of fighters are going to be like, ‘it’s better over there.'
“I want to try and help fighters as much as I can.
“Fighters do need to come together. It is a difficult one, it puts a lot of people under strain.
“They get sidelined… and that’s another reason why we need to come together. Somebody needs to organize something so that we can actually have one stance.”
