Page won't beat Rory, though. Rory is way too experienced against much better competition and has some of the highest fight IQ you'll ever see in this sport right now. I think Rory would just outsmart him and end up picking him apart with the basics.
I feel Page would do good at first, but Rory will find his rhythm and push Page backwards to the fence to neutralize his kicks, give him little space, pick him apart for awhile and if Page stops at the fence and covers up like many of Rory's opponents do, Rory will swarm him.
We've seen Page do amazing work against much lower level competition, he has never faced anybody like Rory, not even close. Rory is too experienced, I think that will be a big factor if they ever fight. If Rory can back Page into the fence, he'll tear him apart.
Rory will force Page to show what kind of heart he has. Once Page realizes his tricks aren't working on Rory like they did with everybody else so easily, we'll see what he's truly capable of. A lot of amazing fighters wilt when they can't dominate like they normally do and are pushed into a more physical contest, a fight where they can't sit back and snipe.
Almost everybody Page has fought was horrified of him on the feet, Rory won't be. Rory is extremely confident and confidence alone can go a long way in this sport. Rory is one of the very best welterweights in the world, he's good enough to be a UFC champion (some may disagree).
That said, I think Thompson would run through Page right now. Again, Page will be going against a far more experienced MMA fighter, one that has fought MUCH better competition. Thompson isn't just a flashy striker, he has good boxing fundamentals, too, as he showed in the Rory fight, and his wrestling has improved drastically over the years.
We'll see what Page is really made of when he fights somebody that can take all that flash away. Page isn't used to being pushed, he's used to clowning his opponents easily, put him against a legitimate top guy with great striking, experience and fight IQ, and they'll forced Page to show his heart and how mentally tough he is.
Something like this would actually be good for Page. He needs to overcome adversity if he wants to become the very best fighter in the world (in his division), because sooner or later, you're going to run into somebody where the flash isn't getting the job done and he just doesn't go away - and this kind of thing will either make you or break you, and many fighters have broken from this in the fight and it cost them.
I'm very interested in seeing Page against the best guys in the world. It'd be about goddamn time we see Page against a REAL opponent, somebody who will push him more than ever before. You can't finish everybody, you just can't, sooner or later, you're going to run into that one guy that just won't go away and like I said - it will either make you or break you.
Maybe Page would destroy Rory, we don't know until the fight happens - but as of right now, I think Rory is the safe bet. He's too experienced, skilled and his fight IQ is very high. I feel he will outsmart Page and just end up outclassing him everywhere.
Rory is elite and has proven it, Page is still all hype right now because of the lower competition he's been facing. TONS of potential, obviously, but it's hard to say where he's truly at right now. He needs to fight better opponents, not guys that he's easily going to HL reel all the time. It looks good, but it doesn't help Pages' legitimacy as one of the best.
Rory beats him convincingly right now, in my opinion, and so does Thompson.
I see everybody has bought into the hype like they always do. I bet if Page loses, everybody will say he was 'exposed' and never was that good, the usual bullshit. Everybody's a fan until said fighter loses, then they all hate said fighter. Really sad.
/rant
