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As the UFC welterweight division braces for a potential shake-up at UFC 315 on Saturday, British contender Michael 'Venom' Page is preparing a charge of his own.
Following his clinical win over previously undefeated Russian striker Sharabutdin Magomedov in February, the 37-year old Londoner says his performances aren't surprising.
"It's only a shock for everybody else - not a shock for me," Page told BBC Sport.
"I already knew what I was going to do and now it's the same thing, rinse and repeat, we go back and get another big win."
Now ranked 15th in the welterweight division, he will be closely watching the weekend's title bout in Montreal between champion Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena.
A dominant performance from either could reshape the division's future, but Page senses an opportunity of his own to climb quickly with the right match-up and, for him, that is fellow Briton Leon Edwards.
"I want to fight Leon, that is the obvious choice," he added.
Edwards suffered his second successive loss against Sean Brady at UFC London in March, but remains one of the top welterweights.
A win over the 33-year-old former champion would catapult Page up the rankings, as well as provide a tasty domestic showdown, potentially in front of a home crowd.
"The hype for it was always going to be the case," he said.
"It might not be Leon, but a fight in London is going to happen. It just hasn't been timed right so far."
Page said the skill and ability of UK fighters has grown in quality and excitement over the last decade.
Manchester featherweight Lerone Murphy, 33, is on track for a title shot in the next 12 months, while 30-year-old Liverpudlian Paddy Pimblett has emerged as one of the stars of the UFC with a seven-fight win streak.
"The MMA scene over here in the UK is just exceptional," Page added. "The standard has gone up dramatically over the last five to 10 years."
With the welterweight division wide open, Page knows success over someone like Edwards could cement his status as a genuine contender, especially as the impressive victory over Magomedov was at middleweight.
Yet for all the hype and momentum, Page - who had his first UFC contest in 2024 against Kevin Holland - remains grounded and the key to his motivation was constant self-reflection and a willingness to adapt.
"It changes all the time," he added.
"One thing that does happen is you need to accept that your ego is going to get knocked, your pride is going to get hit.
"It is tiring to keep spinning those plates, those mental plates, but it is part and parcel of it."
Rather than allowing setbacks to spiral, Page is looking for new ways to challenge himself and stay fresh, even if that means momentarily stepping away from the cage.
Down the years he has competed in boxing, grappling tournaments and even bare knuckle boxing.
"After a tough fight, I might jump into a jiu-jitsu competition or do something that just refreshes the plate," he revealed.
"When I come back, I'm eager again. Sometimes you need to take a sidestep away from what you are passionate about, just to come back stronger.
"But first you have to realise you are in that place, and then find what is going to motivate you for the next step."
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