13 Facts About Cage Rage

Cage Rage Championships, known as Cage Rage, was a United Kingdom-based, mixed martial arts promotion that premiered on 7 September 2002 in London.

Cage Rage events were replayed on Nuts TV, along with their own weekday show on The Fight Network until these channels closed down.

Cage Rage started when Dave O'Donnell and Andy Geir set out to raise money by promoting a small mixed martial arts show, to provide new mats for their martial arts school.

The first Cage Rage event in Elephant and Castle, London was a success, which led to fans and fighters asking for a follow up show, leading to further shows and promotion as it exists today.

In March 2007, after the purchase of PRIDE Fighting Championships by Frank Fertitta III and Lorenzo Fertitta from Dream Stage Entertainment, Cage Rage were announced as members of a promotional alliance instigated by ProElite and FEG, the parent companies of EliteXC and Hero's respectively, along with Strikeforce, BodogFight K-1 and Spirit MC.

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When Cage Rage signed K-1 star Bob Sapp to a main event in London for their show on 21 April 2007, K-1 stopped Sapp from fighting on the card.

Cage Rage's rules were 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.

All Cage Rage fights were contested over three, five-minute rounds, with a one-minute rest period in-between rounds.

Cage Rage used an eight-sided caged arena to stage bouts similar to the UFC's trademarked Octagon, though it was smaller in size.

Cage Rage was the home of a unique rule in the world of cage-based MMA; the "open guard" rule.

Cage Rage 26 was the first main Cage Rage show to be held outside London.

In early 2006, Cage Rage Championships launched Cage Rage Contenders, a secondary-level show for up-and-coming fighters to showcase their skills.

Cage Rage 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.