Lessons From the Violence at CageWarriors
Alcohol’s effect
Pedro Wrobel May 26, 2005
The second major question mark must be over alcohol.
It is standard practice here that at entertainment events alcohol is not allowed in the main arena. At football games, music shows, theater shows, fight shows — it is always the case that alcohol is sold outside the main arena and even then it is usually served exclusively in plastic cups.
On Saturday we had alcohol all over the main arena, with some
individuals clearly in possession of glass bottles and cans that
could easily be used as weapons.
Compare this situation to that of Cage Rage in Wembley.
CageWarriors was aware of the potential problem of alcohol being present and insisted in its contractual agreement with the Skydome that glass bottles and metal cans were not to be allowed in the arena. The fact that a number of these items did make their way into the arena is further suggestive of lapses in security.
A third question mark has to be put next to the Ewin-Riccio fight, the finish of which left a bad taste in the mouth.
For the benefit of those who were not there, the short story is that Ewin was cut during the fight and the action was paused so that he could be seen to. With the blood-flow staunched, the fight recommenced, only to be stopped again just under a minute later as the English fighter's cut reopened.
Ewin was furious, alleging loudly that Riccio was a "dirty f___er" and that the Frenchman "shoved his f___ing finger in the f___ing cut" and reopened it intentionally. I have to say that I thought Riccio's behavior, often questionable, was on this occasion exemplary. The French fighter remained calm throughout the incident, maintaining his innocence and explaining himself reasonably and non-aggressively, despite Ewin's angry outbursts.
The wrangling between the two teams lasted for maybe half an hour. Tapes were reviewed and, as the crowd grew more restless and more drunk, the promoters took the decision to rule the fight a No Contest, with the (simplified) official reason being that they did not want the title to change hands due to a controversial cut stoppage like this.
A rematch was announced but it was all too late. The length of the delay left the crowd bored — and bored people drink and make trouble.
I'm not saying there was anything wrong with the decision the promoters took, but in the circumstances there may have been something wrong with the length of time it took. Maybe a decision reached in 10 minutes rather than 30 may have made a difference, or maybe not. Either way, whilst the ending of Patterson fight was the spark, this, the alcohol and the inadequate security were the fuel and the kindling.
Another issue is the history of the Skydome arena itself. The venue has not exactly been trouble free since it opened in 1999. Examples such as this story, and this one abound — indeed it was only because the Skydome is such a notorious trouble spot that the police were able to respond so quickly.
The final question mark, and maybe the crucial one in this instance, was the influence of soccer. This was a more insidious manipulator, with various influencing sub-factors. The FA Cup Final, a footballing institution in the UK, was played earlier in the day so many people will have arrived in an excited and boozed up state as a result.
More crucially, the decision by Patterson to enter the cage wearing a Birmingham City shirt undoubtedly riled sections of the crowd whose home team, Coventry City, are local rivals.
More seriously, Patterson is thought to have associations with the Birmingham "Zulu Warriors," a notorious hooligan gang whose members are suspected as being the real protagonists behind Saturday's violence. Patterson's Birmingham shirt was emblazoned with the legend "Zulu 1."
It is standard practice here that at entertainment events alcohol is not allowed in the main arena. At football games, music shows, theater shows, fight shows — it is always the case that alcohol is sold outside the main arena and even then it is usually served exclusively in plastic cups.
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Compare this situation to that of Cage Rage in Wembley.
I have complained in the past that Cage Rage security is too tight
but I don't think I'll be making that complaint anymore. At Wembley
they search your bag before you're allowed in and any potential
improvised weapons are confiscated. Alcohol is only served outside
— you're not allowed to bring anything back to your seats — and
even then it is served only in flimsy plastic cups that are no
danger to anyone.
CageWarriors was aware of the potential problem of alcohol being present and insisted in its contractual agreement with the Skydome that glass bottles and metal cans were not to be allowed in the arena. The fact that a number of these items did make their way into the arena is further suggestive of lapses in security.
A third question mark has to be put next to the Ewin-Riccio fight, the finish of which left a bad taste in the mouth.
For the benefit of those who were not there, the short story is that Ewin was cut during the fight and the action was paused so that he could be seen to. With the blood-flow staunched, the fight recommenced, only to be stopped again just under a minute later as the English fighter's cut reopened.
Ewin was furious, alleging loudly that Riccio was a "dirty f___er" and that the Frenchman "shoved his f___ing finger in the f___ing cut" and reopened it intentionally. I have to say that I thought Riccio's behavior, often questionable, was on this occasion exemplary. The French fighter remained calm throughout the incident, maintaining his innocence and explaining himself reasonably and non-aggressively, despite Ewin's angry outbursts.
The wrangling between the two teams lasted for maybe half an hour. Tapes were reviewed and, as the crowd grew more restless and more drunk, the promoters took the decision to rule the fight a No Contest, with the (simplified) official reason being that they did not want the title to change hands due to a controversial cut stoppage like this.
A rematch was announced but it was all too late. The length of the delay left the crowd bored — and bored people drink and make trouble.
I'm not saying there was anything wrong with the decision the promoters took, but in the circumstances there may have been something wrong with the length of time it took. Maybe a decision reached in 10 minutes rather than 30 may have made a difference, or maybe not. Either way, whilst the ending of Patterson fight was the spark, this, the alcohol and the inadequate security were the fuel and the kindling.
Another issue is the history of the Skydome arena itself. The venue has not exactly been trouble free since it opened in 1999. Examples such as this story, and this one abound — indeed it was only because the Skydome is such a notorious trouble spot that the police were able to respond so quickly.
The final question mark, and maybe the crucial one in this instance, was the influence of soccer. This was a more insidious manipulator, with various influencing sub-factors. The FA Cup Final, a footballing institution in the UK, was played earlier in the day so many people will have arrived in an excited and boozed up state as a result.
More crucially, the decision by Patterson to enter the cage wearing a Birmingham City shirt undoubtedly riled sections of the crowd whose home team, Coventry City, are local rivals.
More seriously, Patterson is thought to have associations with the Birmingham "Zulu Warriors," a notorious hooligan gang whose members are suspected as being the real protagonists behind Saturday's violence. Patterson's Birmingham shirt was emblazoned with the legend "Zulu 1."
