Cage Rage Championships

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Cage Rage Championships logo.
Cage Rage Championships logo.

Cage Rage Championships, also known as Cage Rage, is a United Kingdom-based mixed martial arts promotion that premiered on September 7, 2002 in London. It has grown to become one of the UK's most popular promotions.

Cage Rage is promoted by Dave O'Donnell and Andy Geer, who have also served as on-screen personalities for Cage Rage TV shows and DVD releases. Cage Rage events are shown on Sky Sports,[1] along with a weekday show on TWC Fight!.[2]

Cage Rage boasts links with some of the top MMA camps in the world such as AMC Pankration[3] and Chute Boxe Academy, who have had fighters competing since the first Cage Rage event.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Origins

In 2002, with their martial arts school requiring new mats, Dave O'Donnell and Andy Geer set out to raise money by promoting a small mixed martial arts show, Cage Rage, in Elephant and Castle, London. The first Cage Rage event became a cult hit, leading to further shows and what we know today as Cage Rage Championships.[4]

[edit] Popularity

The popularity of Cage Rage grew hugely in 2006. At the start of the year, the promotion was putting on shows in the 2,500-seater Wembley Conference Centre. With the closure of that building, they moved to the nearby Wembley Arena that has a potential capacity of 12,000, though the arena was configured for a smaller crowd. At the conclusion of the year, a move to Earls Court Exhibition Centre sees Cage Rage looking to fill between 11,000 and 19,000 seats, depending on the configuration.

[edit] Rules

Cage Rage's current rules[5] are based upon the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts that were originally established by the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board and modified by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.[6] These rules have been adopted across the US in other states that regulate mixed martial arts. As a result, they have become the standard de facto set of rules for professional mixed martial arts across the US and for cage-based MMA worldwide.

As of Cage Rage 13, amendments to the Unified Rules have been made, most notably the "Open Guard" rule and the banning of elbow strikes to a downed opponent.

[edit] Rounds

All Cage Rage fights are contested over three, five minute rounds. There is a one minute rest period in-between rounds.

[edit] Weight divisions

Cage Rage currently uses six weight classes:

[edit] Cage

Cage Rage uses an octagonal caged arena to stage bouts similar to the UFC's trademark Octagon, though it is smaller in size. It has foam padding around the top and between each of the eight sections and has two entry/exit gates on opposite sides. The canvas is marked with a line that is a metre away from the fence at all points.

[edit] Attire

As per the Unified Rules of MMA, Cage Rage only allows competitors to fight in approved shorts, without shoes or any other sort of foot padding. Fighters must use approved light gloves (4-6 ounces) that allow fingers to grab.

[edit] Match outcome

Matches usually end via:

  • Submission: a fighter taps on the mat or his opponent three times (or more) or verbally submits.
  • Knockout: a fighter falls from a legal blow and is either unconscious or unable to immediately continue.
  • Technical Knockout: stoppage of the fight by the referee if it is determined a fighter cannot "intelligently defend" himself or by ringside doctor due to injury.
  • Judges' Decision: Depending on scoring, a match may end as:
  • unanimous decision (all three judges score a win for one fighter),
  • split decision (two judges score a win for one fighter with the third for the other),
  • majority decision (two judges score a win for one fighter with one for a draw),
  • unanimous draw (all three judges score a draw),
  • majority draw (two judges score a draw).
  • split draw (the total points for each fighter is equal)

A fight can also end in a technical decision, technical draw, disqualification, forfeit or no contest.

[edit] Judging criteria

The ten-point must system is in effect for all Cage Rage fights; three judges score each round and the winner of each receives ten points, the loser nine points or less. If the round is even, both fighters receive ten points. The decision is announced at the end of the match but Cage Rage do not announce the judge's scorecards.

[edit] Fouls

The following are considered fouls in Cage Rage:

  1. Butting with the head.
  2. Eye gouging of any kind.
  3. Biting.
  4. Hair pulling.
  5. Fish hooking.
  6. Groin attacks of any kind.
  7. Putting a finger into any orifice or into any cut or laceration on an opponent. (see Gouging)
  8. Small joint manipulation.
  9. Striking to the spine or the back of the head. (see Rabbit punch)
  10. Striking downward using the point of the elbow. (see Elbow (strike))
  11. Throat strikes of any kind, including, without limitation, grabbing the trachea.
  12. Clawing, pinching or twisting the flesh.
  13. Grabbing the clavicle.
  14. Kicking the head of a grounded opponent, unless an open guard has been called (as of 10 September 2005).
  15. Kneeing the head of a grounded opponent, unless an open guard has been called (as of 10 September 2005).
  16. Stomping a grounded opponent, unless an open guard has been called (as of 10 September 2005).
  17. Elbow strikes to a grounded opponent (as of 10 September 2005).
  18. Kicking to the kidney with the heel.
  19. Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his head or neck. (see piledriver (professional wrestling))
  20. Throwing an opponent out of the ring or fenced area.
  21. Holding the shorts or gloves of an opponent.
  22. Spitting at an opponent.
  23. Engaging in an unsportsmanlike conduct that causes an injury to an opponent.
  24. Holding the ropes or the fence.
  25. Using abusive language in the ring or fenced area.
  26. Attacking an opponent on or during the break.
  27. Attacking an opponent who is under the care of the referee.
  28. Attacking an opponent after the bell has sounded the end of the period of unarmed combat.
  29. Flagrantly disregarding the instructions of the referee.
  30. Timidity, including, without limitation, avoiding contact with an opponent, intentionally or consistently dropping the mouthpiece or faking an injury.
  31. Interference by the corner.
  32. Throwing in the towel during competition.

When a foul is charged, the referee in their discretion may deduct one or more points as a penalty. If a foul incapacitates a fighter, then the match may end in a disqualification if the foul was intentional, or a no contest if unintentional. If a foul causes a fighter to be unable to continue later in the bout, it ends with a technical decision win to the injured fighter if the injured fighter is ahead on points, otherwise it is a technical draw.

[edit] Match conduct

The referee has the right to stop the fighters and stand them up if they reach a stalemate on the ground (where neither are in a dominant position nor work toward one) after a verbal warning.

[edit] The "Open Guard" rule

Cage Rage is the home of a unique rule in the world of cage-based MMA; the "open guard" rule. Designed to prevent stalling on the ground, it allows a standing fighter to use strikes on a downed opponent that would otherwise be fouls.

If a downed fighter is at least a metre away from the cage, on his back and able to avoid or defend against attacks, the referee will raise his arm and call "open guard". Once an open guard is called, the standing fighter can use the following attacks on their opponent:

  • stomps,
  • kicks or knees to the head, or
  • flying attacks.

Unless an open guard has been called, these strikes are fouls.

This rule was introduced at Cage Rage 13 and was designed to prevent a fighter from laying in an open guard where his opponent can only throw leg kicks or drop to initiate grappling.[5]

[edit] Events

See also: List of Cage Rage events

The first Cage Rage event featured top British fighters, such as Matt Ewin and Robbie Oliver, and international fighters, such as Chute Boxe Academy-trained Jean Silva. This formula has continued down the years since the first show, with such top domestic fighters like Ian Freeman and Michael Bisping appearing, as well as internationally-known fighters like Murilo Rua and Anderson Silva.

Thus far, Cage Rage shows have been held exclusively in the London area.

[edit] Cage Rage Contenders

In early 2006, Cage Rage Championships launched Cage Rage Contenders, a secondary-level show for up-and-coming fighters to showcase their skills. Trying to conjure up the feel of early Cage Rage shows, these shows take place in a nightclub setting with VIP tables surrounding the cage.

Cage Rage also aimed to franchise the Contenders name to other promoters across the country, the first promoter of which was Jay Gilbey of Intense Fighting in Peterborough.[7]

The Contenders shows have been expanded to the Republic of Ireland, where the biggest Contenders show to date will take place in The Point Theatre, Dublin, Ireland on May 26th, 2007.[8] This is the first Cage Rage Championships show to be held outside the UK.

[edit] Current Champions

Main article: List of Cage Rage champions
Division British Champion Since World Champion Since
Heavyweight Tengiz Tedoradze Cage Rage 20 Antonio Silva Cage Rage 12
Light Heavyweight Ian Freeman Cage Rage 18 Vacant
Middleweight Zelg Galesic Cage Rage 19 Anderson Silva Cage Rage 8
Welterweight Paul Daley Cage Rage 17 Chris Lytle Cage Rage 15
Lightweight Abdul Mohammed Cage Rage 13 Vitor Ribeiro Cage Rage 13
Featherweight Robbie Olivier Cage Rage 18 Masakazu Imanari Cage Rage 20

[edit] Notable fighters

[edit] Notable champions

The following fighters have won titles in Cage Rage and are well-known in the world of MMA.

[edit] Other notable fighters

Non-titleholders who have competed in other top-level promotions.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Cage Rage 18: Battleground. Sky Sports 3. 10pm, cagerage.tv. Retrieved November 21, 2006.
  2. ^ Cage Rage (2006). Cage Rage SLAMS onto TWC Fight!. cagerage.tv. Retrieved on December 6, 2006.
  3. ^ NW Fight Scene, Issue Zero, Summer 2006, "Amateur Pride" page 10, column 2. Retrieved November 22, 2006
  4. ^ TheKnucklepit.com website Retrieved October 18, 2006
  5. ^ a b Cage Rage Rules of MMACage Rage website. Retrieved October 4, 2006
  6. ^ NSAC Regulations: CHAPTER 467 - UNARMED COMBAT. Nevada State Athletic Commission. Retrieved October 4, 2006
  7. ^ Christmas comes early, cagerage.tv. Retrieved November 16, 2006
  8. ^ Cage Rage Ireland, cagerage.tv. Retrieved February 15, 2007

[edit] External links

Professional mixed martial arts organizations
Major promotions: Ultimate Fighting Championship | PRIDE Fighting Championships | HERO'S
Other promotions: Pancrase | KOTC | Rumble on the Rock | Icon Sport | Elite XC | EFC | WEC | MFC | ZST | DEEP | Cage Rage | Cage Warriors | FFC | IFL | TKO | Strikeforce | WWCN | Cage Fury | BodogFight
Defunct promotions: IVC | RINGS | WFA
Sanctioning bodies: Shooto | International Sport Combat Federation | NSAC
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