Review of Cage Rage 10: Deliverance

Introduction

It may often be tough to admit, but the Americans do it better. And the Japanese do it better than them. Perhaps, then, the UK should just leave them to it.

"Deliverance" is the 10th card to be promoted by Cage Rage, the UK`s answer to America`s Ultimate Fighting Championship & Japan`s combination of K1 & Pride FC. Held at the Wembley Conference Centre on 26th February 2005, this event was seen as an opportunity for several British fighters to gain notoriety against more established, international opponents.

Video

Presented in 4:3 non-anamorphic PAL, this video is poor considering how recently the event took place. The problems actually originate from the original recording of this event, rather than the DVD transfer. Quite frankly, this recording harks back to the somewhat amateurish look of televised British boxing matches in the 1980s. Furthermore, footage is provided from only two cameras, one of which is at ringside, shot pathetically through the mesh of the cage.

There is only one serious issue with the actual transfer to DVD & that is the appalling quality of the replays, which remarkably flicker in black and white!

Audio

Audio on this disc is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 format, and is average to say the least.

Features

The only extras provided are interviews with the fighters conducted by ex-Pride announcer Stephen Quadros. These are remarkably bland and are of little value.

Conclusion

Although Cage Rage have done well to promote any sort of MMA event in the UK, it is unfortunate that the inevitable comparisons will be made with UFC & Pride, the DVDs for which are also promoted in the UK by FightDVD. The action contained on this disc has exciting moments and often much more attacking verve than its more illustrious international counterparts. The difficulty with that however, is that it also makes Cage Rage look that much more amateurish - the world`s elite MMA fighters rarely attack with such reckless abandon.

It is also worth noting that the aim of the Cage Rage combatants will be to break from Cage Rage and compete for one of the major MMA organisations. This in itself makes this reviewer feel like he is reviewing an inferior product. And indeed it is telling that, when the action is supposed to be the selling point of this release, one of the most intriguing developments of the evening is the presence at ringside of international MMA superstar Vanderlei Silva, acting as a second for Jean Silva in his bout with Leigh Remedios.