Mark Buchanan Vs Kuljit Degun

In the opening fight of the night, the fighters traded low kicks, clashing shins, before Mark took Kuljit’s back standing, put him on the floor and immediately achieved the mount. In control, Mark quickly finished the fight with punches. Mark wins via stoppage (punches from the mount)

Tulio Palhares Vs James Nicholls

In the first round, following a vicious exchange of punches, Tulio took James down into his guard. The fighters were soon stood up, however, allowing James to score the most significant damage of the round with a series of hard kicks to the body.

The second round brought some great stand up as the fighters simultaneously landed left high kicks, prompting a smile from both competitors. Tulio had some success with punches, while James landed a beautiful flying knee as they broke out of the clinch.

As the round wore on, James seemed to get the upper hand and capitalised by sending Tulio across the cage with a right hand, which he capitalised on by smashing home huge bodyshots with both hands for the stoppage win. James wins via stoppage (bodyshots)

Alexandre Izidro Vs Abdul Mohamed

The next fight was one of the most entertaining on the card. Coming out and showing some nice low kicks, Alexandra countered a low kick by Abdul with a beautiful and unexpected takedown.

Working to sidemount, Abdul proved hard to keep down so Alexandra settled for landing a couple of punches as he stood up.

Abdul then stuffed a flying triangle attempt to land in Alexandra’s guard and work away with punches.

The second round saw Abdul take the fight to the floor and work hard on his ground and pound. Alexandra, however, was active off his back and rolled for a footlock. Sharply torquing Abdul’s foot into a gruesomely unnatural position, Alexandra tried desperately to get the tap, but it was not to be as Abdul worked his way out of trouble with hammerfists to put the pressure back on Alexandra.

In the third round, Alexandra again took Abdul down, taking his back and briefly attempting a rear naked choke, before Abdul again made his way out of trouble.

The round, however, went to Abdul who continued to batter his downed opponent until the final hooter. Abdul wins via decision.

Dean Bray Vs Jeremy Bailey

The ‘Bad Boy’ came out looking for redemption against the popular newcomer, Dean Bray. After flying out with huge punches and easily sidestepping a clumsy-looking shoot from Dean, Jeremy found himself securely pinned against the cage, where he was forced to absorb an agonising series of knees to the thigh. Frustrated, Jeremy fired back with knees and footstomps, but the cleaner work was coming from Dean.

Coming out of the clinch, Dean fired off some combinations, but Jeremy was not impressed and covered up defiantly. Seeing his chance, Dean clinched again and bashed home some more knees, narrowly avoiding a massive uppercut from Jeremy. The ref then split the fighters up to inspect a cut on the Bad boy’s face and the doctor stopped the fight (cut)

Ozzy Haluk Vs Brad Pickett

Ozzy looked menacing to begin this fight and came out to land a hard low kick and take Brad down, passing his guard beautifully.

Brad, however reversed position and stood up out of a triangle attempt to regain his feet. Brad then showed his superiority standing by knocking Ozzy to the floor with a right hand after a brutal exchange.

This led Ozzy to continually work for the takedown, before being knocked down again by another punch from Brad to end the first round.

Brad took control in the second round, virtually walking through everything Ozzy had to offer to land his own strikes. This led quite a tired Ozzy to shoot in for takedowns, but he could not hold Brad down and found himself on his back, exhausted, with Brad standing up, stalking him.

Then in a historic moment for Cage Rage, the ref called "Open Guard" and Brad took full advantage, soaring over Ozzy’s defending legs to land a vicious two-footed stomp, prompting Ozzy to sit up on his knees and understandably wanted no more. Brad wins via verbal submission

Remus Ciobnu Vs Anthony Rea

Anthony was the clear favourite in this one and came out to show why as he banged in a couple of hard low kicks and began to control Remus in the clinch.

Remus worked hard to escape the Thai clinch by hammering away with punches, but looked very disorganised as he broke out and tried to escape the pursuing Frenchman.

Antony caught up with Remus and was able to take him down from the clinch. Quickly taking the mount, Antony’s ground and pound was relentlessly encouraged by cornerman, Kristoph Midoux.

Desperate to get out, Remus scrambled, but was outwrestled and gave up his back. Antony put in his hooks and pressurised his opponent until he managed to secure a rear naked choke. Antony wins via submission (rear naked choke)

Darren Little Vs Evangelista Santos

Darren Little came out to show the World that he was not intimidated by the maniacal Brazilian and immediately traded strikes with him. Though Cyborg was forced to eat a couple of hard shots, he came through them well to cause some damage with punches of his own.

Easily avoiding the takedown, Cyborg shoved Darren to the floor where he punched him, before illegally attempting to kick him in the head. The fight was stopped to issue a warning for the rule infraction, but Darren was battered and decided to call it a day. Cyborg wins via verbal submission

Marcelo Azevedo Vs Jorge Rivera

Marcel made it clear from the start of the fight that he wanted it to take place on the floor and continually worked to take Jorge down, landing on more than one occasion in sidemount and at one stage achieving bottom rear mount position.

Jorge did a great job of bringing the fight back to standing, but in the first round, had no answer to Marcel’s single leg takedown from the clinch.

The second round began with a flying knee from Jorge, but he, again, found himself on the defensive by Marcel’s determination to put him on the floor.

Marcel flopped to his back after a failed takedown attempt, but quickly rolled for a kneebar. Jorge, however, was wise to this and stepped out of it.

The third round saw Jorge put on a clinic in takedown defence as he left Marcel scrambling on the floor numerous times following failed shoots. Jorge continued to control the fight with his stand up and finished the round strongly with two beautiful punch combinations that he ended with hard right low kicks. Jorge wins via unanimous decision.

Kyosuke Sasaki Vs Mark Weir

The height difference was all too obvious as the two fighters met in the middle of the cage. Not wanting to over-commit, Kyosuki kept his distance while securing the centre of the cage. Mark danced around the outside, showing some wonderful footwork as he stepped in to throw his southpaw right-left combination, which landed intermittently.

It seemed only a matter of time before something heavy landed from Weir and sure enough, a right hand got through, landing flush on the Japanese fighter’s chin. Mark chased him down with punches as he slumped to the floor, leading the ref to call a halt to the fight. Mark wins via stoppage (punches)

Fabio Piamonte Vs Melvin Manhoef

This fight was always going to be a tear up, as both men like to strike. As it happened, the fight was short and explosive. Melvin began by surging forward, wobbling Fabio with a hard right hook. Looking a bit flustered, Fabio fired back with some kicks before both men went for the takedown.

Melvin was the stronger of the two and landed on top, but decided to stand up to restart his attack on the feet, after smashing home a hammerfist. Fearlessly walking forward, Melvin landed a huge left hook that sent Fabio straight to the mat and his gumshield high into the air. Melvin wins via stoppage (Left hook)

Andy Costello Vs James Thompson

Several cageside observers commented that Andy, a big man, was made to look like a middleweight in comparison to his massive opponent, who charged towards him at the start of the fight. Some scrappy stand up followed, with both men landing shots, but James looking in control.

This control, however, was momentarily halted as Andy took James to the floor with a neat trip, landing in scarf position. Too strong to be held down, however, James took Andy’s back and stood up.

Wanting no part of the stand up, Andy shot in for a double-leg takedown, only for James to sprawl effectively and force Andy to turtle up on the floor.

Working his way to the mount, James banged in some heavy punches that forced his opponent to turn over.

This opened the door for James to seize full control of him and rain down punches until the ref had seen enough. James wins via stoppage (ground and pound)

Jean Silva Vs Vitor Ribeiro

This fight was the demonstration of pure class that it promised to be, worth the price of admission on its own.

Shaolin predictably shot in straight away for a single leg, but good defensive work from Jean led him to pull half guard and immediately attempt a sweep.

This fell short, leading Shaolin to work for a kimura from his guard. Jean defended nicely, but Shaolin continued to cause trouble by working his opposite leg over the top and transitioning for a straight armbar, which sent Jean rolling to hold off the pressure.

Jean then stacked up Shaolin and defended the armbar, eventually freeing himself and standing back up.

The end of the round saw Shaolin again take the fight to the floor, this time working for a sidechoke, which seemed very close to securing a tap from the Chute-Boxer. Silva, however, defended hard and eventually escaped.

Jean started the second round by throwing a high kick and landing with a solid knee. Shaolin, however, soon took Jean down into his guard.

Standing up to advance his position, Shaolin ate a huge heel to the chin, which he nonchalantly brushed off before he was forced to defend a kneebar attempt from Jean.

In sidemount, Shaolin amazingly hopped over to take Jean’s back, as the Chute-Boxer attempted to reverse position, securing one hook and rolling to achieve his second. Jean bravely struggled out, but found himself pinned to the floor in sidemount. From here Shaolin began to work for his second sidechoke attempt of the match.

Jean kept his arm plastered to his head in order to defend, but he was not able to deter this second choke attempt and tapped out to the delight of the crowd.

This was another absolutely brilliant show put on by Cage Rage. Full respect to the fighters, promoters and backstage staff who have, once again, outdone themselves. Look out for the next show in December!