This article contains discussion of racism and real-life violence.
The underground Swedish fight club inThe Cagewas a surprising moment in the MMA series, and some viewers may wonder if it was purely fictitious or based on facts.The Cageis a very dark TV show that deals with some of the harsh truths of MMA, but one scene was so awful it didn’t even seem real. Thecast ofThe Cage, and especially Taylor, were forced into some extremely dangerous situations, and by theending ofThe Cage, several people had almost died. One particularly dangerous scene was a little jarring, and it wasn’t clear if it was realistic.
InThe Cageepisode 4, Boss took Taylor to an underground fight club in Sweden to help him get over the trauma of his brutal knockout at the tournament. Underground fight clubs aren’t terribly surprising, butThe Cage’s had an unexpected twist: it was filled with neo-Nazis. As Taylor took to the cage, the spectators in the crowd called him “monkey boy,” and his opponent even had a mouthguard with a swastika emblazoned on it. After he won, Taylor was nearly killed by the mob, and it turns out thatThe Cagedidn’t fabricate that story element at all.
The Cage’s Underground Swedish Fight Clubs Are Real
Unsanctioned Fights Occur Across Sweden & Are Even More Brutal Than The Cage Depicts
Unfortunately,The Cage’s underground neo-Nazi fight clubs are not a work of fiction; the show actually didn’t depict them as brutally as it could have. Karim Zidan ofSports Politikainvestigated Sweden’s underground fight club, known as King of the Streets (KOTS), and revealed just how vicious the street fights are.InThe Cage, Taylor was told that there were “no rounds, no rules, no referee,” which is an actual motto of KOTS, though some fights do have referees. The real fights are also conducted on concrete floors, meaning fighters could die from a bad fall.
“Whether by accident or by design, KOTS has become a platform for some of the most notorious hatemongers across Europe, united by a shared penchant for violence and a mutual affection for combat sports.”
The Cagemanaged to make the underground Swedish fight club terrifying, but it could have depicted it even worse.KOTS fights regularly feature highly illegal moves like eye gouging, blows to the spine, headbutts, and biting, none of which Taylor had to endure. The real-world fight clubs are also extremely well-organized, as KOTS has a widespread social media presence and fighters have to apply to get into the ring.The Cagetouched on that aspect when Boss showed an e-ticket to the bouncer before entering the ring, but the show didn’t dive nearly as deep as it could have.
The Cage’s Neo-Nazi Fight Seemed Out Of Place, But It Was All Too Real
MMA Has Dark Elements That Are Just As Surprising as The Cage Showed Them To Be
When Boss brought Taylor to the underground fight, there was a marked shift inThe Cage’s tone. It was so dark and concerning that it seemed like it didn’t fit withThe Cageat all. Unfortunately, it fits perfectly with the show’s goal of highlighting the reality of MMA.Along with the hopeful, inspiring tale of Taylor’s rise to MMA fame, the sport also has some devastatingly dark realities, with Sweden’s neo-Nazi fight clubs being one of them. The reality of MMA is just as jarring asThe Cage’s underground fight scene made it seem.
All 13 Real MMA Fighters In Netflix’s The Cage
Netflix’s MMA drama The Cage follows an aspiring fighter, and the series creates authenticity with the appearances of numerous real MMA fighters.
As unfortunate as the reality of underground fight clubs filled with neo-Nazis is, it also highlights somethingThe Cagegot right. MMA and the culture surrounding the sport are very complex. There are real underdog stories and legends of the sport, but there’s also an ugly, unsanctioned element to it.The Cagedid a great job of showing the whole picture of MMA, warts and all, and not just the uplifting aspects of it. That demonstrates that Franck Gastambide and the creators ofThe Cagetruly love MMA, which helped make it one of thebest shows on Netflix.
The Cage
Cast
The Cage follows a young fighter aiming for professional success, who faces challenges in gaining recognition until a chance opportunity pits him against a fierce rival in the competitive arena. Released in 2024, the film explores themes of ambition and rivalry in the world of combat sports.
