In Clyde Gentry's No-Holds Barred, an MMA organization named Kage Kombat is said have originally used the octagon. The art-director for the early UFC's, Jason Cusson, claims in Slideyfoot's UFC 1 review that no one involved with the UFC was ever contacted by Kage Kombat.

What I want to know is if there's any way of knowing if Kage Kombat both promoted events before 1993, and used the octagon during that time? Sherdog doesn't list any KK events before 1998, although the earliest event is listed as "Kage Kombat 6":

http://www.sherdog.com/organizations/Kage-Kombat-122

Kage Kombat apparently used Pancrase-style rules and held fights on a monthly basis for a time in San Pedro, California. It was shut down by the CSAC in the early 2000's, but came back as regular MMA a few years later (Jake Shields fought in the new shows). Here's their outdated website:

http://www.kagekombat.com/index2.htm

The founder of Kage Kombat also has a Youtube account and has posted several news features that profiled the event in the late 90's:

YouTube- Kage Kombat/Octagon Contenders/Sponsored by Matrat 1998 CH2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfqdRovSqM8)


So does anybody know anything about this? Are there any older guys that have experience with it?

The first event ever to use the Octagon was Kazja's Cage of Rage (Martial Art Madness) February 1993 in Irvine California. The Gracies and Art Davie were in attendence.

You can see him cornering guys like Matua and Bitonio in the early shows

YouTube- mike bitonio vs bart vale. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j6_ArKJwPU)

The first event ever to use the Octagon was Kazja's Cage of Rage (Martial Art Madness) February 1993 in Irvine California.


Now that I got that question answered, it's time to set up a once-a-month Pankration tournament at the local bar.

I remember a poster named Kazja13 that was on a tear a few years ago. He was going after zuffa for using the term octagon and also after Armondo Garcia of the California State Athletic Commission. From what I remember he was banned from most forums because of his relentless spamming about his court cases with zuffa, etc.

Interesting to see that he might in fact be the real deal.

From Lutz to putz:
1986
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s253/mattcranky/kazja.jpg
LOL!

2008
YouTube- Kazja, the Octagon Originator (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBqB0y_Pcjk)

This guy ran one of the early NHB rumors pages. I'll see if I can dig it up.

Oh, just to be clear Kage Kombat was also his show, but later than Cage of Rage.

Vince McMahon invented the Octagon for no holds barred in 1989. That's the first MENTION of a chain link octagon i know of offhand

There is that movie...