Fighters Only

Issue 034

February 2008

December 1^st 2007, Wenbley Arena, London

Report and photographs by Hywel Teague

Part of the growing Elite XC family, Cage Rage is the UK’s biggest home grown promotion, and their position in the world scene has always been notable thanks to their continued efforts in importing top talent to entertain the London fans.

Disappointingly only the hardcore fans elected to brave the bitter weather and make it to the arena, with the 7000 seats looking only half-full at best. Broadcast on Sky Sports and ProElite.com, the event will have still drawn plenty of attention, especially from overseas fans.

Ninja gives the Professor a lesson

Headlining this event was the veteran Murilo ‘Ninja’ Rua, coming off a tough loss to Robbie Lawler in Hawaii. The Chute Boxe member would be looking to get his record back on track, and his opponent, Frenchman Xavier ‘Professor X’ Foupa Poukem, would be no easy obstacle to over come. A vaunted striker with a proven ground game, Xavier has quick hands and feet and a mean streak to match.

Entering the cage first with London MC Dizzie Rascal providing a live entrance tune, he looked confidant and relaxed in contrast to Ninja’s nervous appearance. Bolstered by the presence of his brother Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua in his corner, Ninja began feeling out his foe, and the first round was a case of both men looking for openings on the feet with no grapling to speak of, even in the clinch. The Brazilian’s Muay Thai skills have always been a little ‘rough and ready’ so to speak, and Foupa-Poukem’s cleaner strikes seemed the more precise, though not damaging save for a shot that dropped Ninja against the fence seconds from the end of the first.

Entering the second round both men seemed at ease on the feet, though Ninja didn’t want a repeat of those moments at the end of the first round and shot a double that put him in half guard. Passing to side control, he constantly threatened with the arm-triangle choke before moving to mount. Once there he began dropping some good shots that forced the Frenchman to turn, exposing his back and presenting a rear naked choke that sealed the victory for the Brazilian.

The fight was even enough on the feet and could even have swayed in Xavier’s favour had it stayed there, but Rua’s groun game was leagues ahead of the Frenchman’s and this, along with the visible difference in experience, was ultimately the deciding factor.

Cahoon KO’s the King

Liverpool-based light heavyweight fighter Paul Cahoon is one of the UK MMA scene’s best kept secrets. With a wealth of experience (including fights in the UK, Europe and Japan) the powerful wrestler-cum-brawler gave the Australian Elvis Sinosic a shock with a sharp right hand only 21 seconds into their fight.

Sinosic is one of those guys who is destined to always be a B-class fighter, yet he proves enough of a danger to aspiring fighters that his role as a gate keeper to greater things is known to good effect. A crafty veteran with decent skills on his feet and on the mat, he was expected to last longer than he did in this contest. Cahoon made it an early night for both of them by calmly avoiding the initial attacks from the Aussie and firing a lightning-quick right cross that had a wonderful delayed effect in dropping Sinosic. Elvis caught the shot on the chin, lurched forward for a moment, then fell back with both feet in the air; a follow-up from Cahoon sealed it, prompting the referee to jump in. British Cage Rage light heavyweight champion, Cahoon’s next move will be watched with interested by many.

Pointon proves worth in war

Ross Pointon is the kind of fighter who will agree to fight anyone. Whether he suffers from a blatant disregard for his own safety or simply believes in himself with absolute conviction, he will step in the cage with absolutewly anyone, as proved by his record, which features fights in every category from welterweight to heavyweight.

Some questioned Pointon’s choice in agreeing to fight the dangerous striker Marius Zaromskis, especially after his surprise KO loss to Abdul Mohamed, yet the UFC veteran went to wart against the Lithuanian powerhouse in a battle that proved he can walk the walk as well as talk the talk.

Zaromskis’s kickboxing is possibly the most explosive in all of Cage Rage, as proved by his destruction of Ross Mason earlier in the year. Pointon’s strength has always been his stand up (as well as his gameness) and he proved he can hang with a top striker in this back and fore fight in which he seemed to have the edge throughout.

Pointon pressured forward at all times, drawing first blood and forcing Zaromskis to circle continually. A few hefty shots forced the Lithuanian on the backfoot and staggered him more than once, and his counter striking strategy seemed unwise given Pointon’s advance. Questions were raised about the Englishman’s chin after the KO at the hands of Mohammed, yet he took some good shots on the chin and knees to the body with hardly a flinch.

What caused it is still unclear, but a glancing blow opened a huge gash on Pointon’s head that caused the fght to be stopped immediately. Instant cries for a rematch were met with approval from both camps, so hopefully we will see a satisfactory conclusion to this fight sometime in 2008.

Round Up

Abdul Mohamed defeated Robbie Olivier and retained his British lightweight title belt in a close fight that saw neither man willing to over-commit. Olivier’s strength was in question entering the fight as he usually fights at featherweight, yet he wrestled well and defended with skill. The contest could have gone either way, but the old maxim “to beat the champ” comes to mind.

Mark Weir did well in his fight with Drew Fickett, showing some excellent ground and pound, but succumbed to a tight rear naked choke from the ground specialist. Robert ‘Buzz’ Berry braved a chest infection and almost took out Neil Groves in the first round of their fight but was too winded to make it out for the second, while up-and-comer Ivan Serati overwhelmed veteran Lee Hasdell and sent him to the hospital with his arm in a sling by way of a horrendous armbar at the close of the first round, although it was a rear naked choke that sealed the win.