In this episode of the MMA History Podcast, Cage Rage co-founder Andy Geer returns to cover the promotion’s final chapter. Elite XC and parent company ProElite arrived with cash and television promises, American names poured in, and a run of Wembley Arena cards mixed British regulars with imported stars before the brand collapsed after ProElite failed in 2008.

Geer talks through Kimo Leopoldo’s British debut at Cage Rage 18, where the Pride and UFC veteran lost by guillotine to Dave Legeno, and addresses the talk that followed that fight. He also tells the Cage Rage 21 story in full: Bob Sapp was booked, recorded promos and did the usual cage walk, then pulled out midweek after claiming threats tied to his earlier walkout in Holland; Tank Abbott took the main event on a few days’ notice, flew in, drank the night before, promised a short burst of chaos, and was stopped by Gary Turner.

Also discussed are the UFC dispute over the eight-sided cage and the phrase “ultimate fighting,” the deal Geer says was worth ten million dollars with four million paid in cash, Sky Sports live television, last-minute replacements, and the budget cuts and culture clash that followed the sale.

Cage Rage shut its doors but left a lasting mark on European MMA.

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0:00 start

0:37 MMA History Podcast Intro

1:10 Joey Venti’s guest introductions

1:21 interview start

1:34 brawl at the mall 2

3:12 Dan Hardy trained by the Shaolin monks

4:00 Robbie Olivier vs Brad Pickett

5:34 Alexandru Lungu vs Mark Buchanan

6:23 experience with Kimo Leopoldo

9:17 Kimo Leopoldo vs Dave Legeno

10:18 Cabbage Corrreira mugged on the street

15:21 Butterbean in MMA

17:23 Jason Barrett

19:27 cage rage 20 fight card

19:53 Mark Kerr hotel story

22:20 Anderson Silva detained at customs

23:13 Bob Sapp at Cage Rage

27:27 Dan Severn vs Dave Legeno

28:25 copyright issues with the UFC

34:50 broadcasted live on Sky Sports

36:08 Cage Rage 21 highlights

36:53 Tom Watson vs Xavier Pokam

38:21 Murilo Rua vs Alex Reid

38:38 Cyborg Santos vs James Zikic

40:07 Vitor Belfort mental issues

41:29 choosing Wembley stadium as a home

44:06 Mario Sperry vs Lee Hasdell

46:00 Butterbean helping market Cage Rage

48:03 agreement with EliteXC

54:28 $10 million offer to sell Cage Rage

59:47 legal proceedings with the UFC

1:03:34 Jeremy Lappin

1:04:18 Chris Brennen affiliation program

1:05:09 Gary Turner vs Julius Francis

1:06:57 Paul Daley F word controversy

1:08:04 Sky TV dropping Cage Rage

1:12:27 OJ Borg

1:14:16 communications with Jared Shaw

1:15:09 dealing with Phil Baroni

1:17:00 Mark Epstein vs Tom Watson

1:18:01 Drew Fickett vs Mark Weir

1:18:24 Robert Berry vs Ken Shamrock

1:23:46 Andy Geer leaving Cage Rage

1:30:42 false rumors about Andy Geer

1:32:54 EliteXC planning events outside of London

1:34:02 Manchester Combat sports market

1:34:52 how swing bouts worked in Cage Rage

1:37:21 finding out Cage Rage was finished

1:42:48 silent partner in Cage Rage

1:43:55 Terry Trebilcock after Cage Rage

1:47:22 having to a judge at a Cage Rage event

1:50:08 interview wrap up

1:52:06 outro/ closing thoughts

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