Episode 5 of The Cage begins this finale after the big drama in Stockholm. The fight spills out of the cage and Boss is in a bad way. Unfortunately, he passes away off-screen.
Who killed Boss?
We then cut forward 3 months later. Taylor is visited by Niko, who shows up with Bilal bringing big news. The man responsible for stabbing Boss has been spotted on CCTV cameras outside. Apparently this guy was from France and they’ve made the connection that this was a deliberate act and not an accident.
Who is this man? Well, it turns out he was working with Ibrahim, given he’s been spotted at every one of his fights. The reason for killing him is a little more complicated than a simple grudge though. Apparently Boss had a whole file on Ibrahim, dating back to all the other fighters he trained. Ibrahim has a history of violence as we know, but the turning point is when he beat up a woman. This is what got him kicked out the club in the first place. Boss still has evidence of this, promising to go to the cops if he were to strike again.
Who encourages Taylor in Mexico?
This is no longer about paying back debts or helping his mum, or even the glory of the UFC. This is personal and Taylor is eventually convinced to honour Boss’s memory by fighting Ibrahim in the octagon. After bidding goodbye to Elena, they part ways. They’ve come a long way these two, since their early days of sparring in the ring, and all the ups and downs along the way have led to this.
Taylor struggles to get in the zone though, haunted by the ghosts of the past and decides to hang up his gloves after a training session. Before heading to the airport though, he receives a surprise visitor. Jon Jones!
Jon offers a lifeline, a way of getting his mojo back and the fire he initially brought to the octagon. He offers some words of encouragement, including how he lost his mum and sister at a young age. All the hardships though shaped him into a stronger person with a more steely resolve. And that all led to him becoming one of the greatest UFC champions of all time.
This is just what Taylor needed and he heads back to France with renewed energy. Unfortunately, Ibrahim doesn’t want to do the scheduled face-off, promising to humiliate and kill Taylor in the ring. Whether this is just trash talking or a genuine threat to his life, is anyone’s guess right now.
What happens with Taylor’s mum?
Taylor’s mum promises to come along with Regis for the big fight, while GSP also returns and decides he’s going to be in Taylor’s corner. Unfortunately, as the night draws in, Taylor is worried that the thugs have returned to beat his mum down so he races out to see her.
Sadly, his mum never had any intention of showing up to the big fight. She has tickets to get out of there and partly because Regis has a lot of problems. Taylor is also shocked when he finds out his mum was never really in debt. She’s had money stashed away on the side and she feigned being beaten by thugs just to squeeze 30k out of him. Regis was the one who beat her, but under his mum’s instructions to “make it real”.
Who wins the fight?
Taylor is crushed, and eventually returns to the ring with a renewed energy and hunger. It’s all or nothing, and with a shot at the UFC hanging in the balance, it’s all come down to this. At the end of the second round, Ibrahim gets an illegal strike in, booting Taylor in the eye. He’s not in a great state but he’s going to keep fighting.
Ibrahim has a point deducted, and the fight continues. Unfortunately, stamina plays a big factor and in the final round, with Taylor getting pummelled, Ibrahim is clearly winded and losing focus, as is Taylor. However, a head kick knocks out Ibrahim and the fight is called. Taylor becomes the new champion and promises that this is just the beginning.
How does The Cage end?
In the back, UFC matchmaker Mike Hamilton shows up to offer congratulations. He wants him to fight at UFC France. His dreams have become a reality but who knows what challenges he may face next.
As for Niko, he leaves the room and decides to sabotage Taylor, offering him water spiked with pills just before the anti-doping group show.
The Episode Review
Everything is left on a tenuous knife-edge at the end of season 1, with Niko betraying his friend and seemingly sabotaging him before the anti-doping group show. This sets up a potential second season with Taylor forced to fight against these allegations and claw his way back from disgrace.
However, as a finale The Cage does well, with a lot of intense action inside the octagon and an epic clash between him and Ibrahim. The in-ring action has been solid across the season and that much is especially apparent here too for the final match-up.
The show has a nice ebb and flow to it and while some of the acting is a bit spotty in places, it’s easy to overlook given the fan service thrown into this by including GSP and Jon Jones, to name but a few big faces.
There’s lots to like with this one and although the story is pretty basic and takes a lot of the tropes seen in this genre (and there’s even a self-referential nod to that from Jones showing in the Mexican gym!) but delivers them in an enjoyable manner.
The series isn’t perfect, and some of the familial drama has felt a bit forced and melodramatic, but what’s here has certainly been decent watch, culminating in this solid finale.
Feel Free To Check Out More Of Our TV Show Reviews Here!
-
Episode Rating
(3.5)