During a recent visit to LaLaport, one storefront made me do a double take.
Called The CAGE, the tagline of “Duel & Dine” immediately piqued my interest. It wasn’t open on the day I was there, but upon looking it up, I found that just as its tagline promised, The CAGE is a restaurant as well as a sports venue. A space not for food fights, but for bundling food and fights in a unique experience for visitors.
Curious to know more about exactly who was behind this unique concept, I reached out to The CAGE. Here’s its story.
A love for martial arts
Behind this restaurant is actually an organisation called AMA. AMA stands for Any Martial Art, and it claims to be the largest international amateur kickboxing league in Malaysia. It hosts the AMA Championship, a mixed martial arts (MMA) tournament.
And the founder of AMA, and subsequently The CAGE, is 36-year-old Edison Chong.
Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Edison shared that he got into martial arts at a young age after becoming enraptured with a Hong Kong TV show called Fist of Fury with his father.
This love for martial arts manifested as the idea for AMA in 2018.
“Since my childhood, I’ve wondered why Malaysian fighters, despite their potential, lacked recognition,” he explained.
Now, Edison is taking that desire to put Malaysians on the global stage through his new venture.
“The duel and dine concept aims to increase exposure for local fighters and elevate the status of martial arts in Malaysia.”
Although the duel and dine concept appears to be new in Malaysia, Edison shared that the idea for The CAGE actually originated from similar models in Thailand.
Looking up boxing arenas that incorporate the dining element, we found a spot named Reggae Bar Phi Phi, which is a Muay Thai kickboxing bar.
However, nothing we found seemed to integrate duelling and dining the way that The CAGE does.
Culinary arts meets martial arts
To begin, The CAGE presents itself as quite the lux location with an industrial vibe. But it’s the food served there that’s particularly impressive.
Instead of just bar food or snacks like what sports venues typically offer, The CAGE has a fully decked out kitchen serving proper hot meals.
“During events, we noticed that people preferred quick and hearty meals over traditional snacks,” Edison pointed out. “The focus on substantial meals complements the intensity of the matches and keeps the audience engaged.”
There’s a variety of burgers and pizzas available, as well as local delights such as satay, nasi lemak, and Beef Kut Teh (beef version of Bak Kut Teh).
According to Edison, the menu is all developed in-house, though he’s open to collaborating with external chefs and restaurants down the road.
So far, the restaurant has a 5.0 rating on Google with over 100 reviews, most praising the ambience and the concept, while also complimenting the food.
Rather than coming up with the dishes, one of the bigger challenges was securing a licence for a multi-functional venue.
“Fortunately, we have obtained official recognition from the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS),” Edison shared.
A new way to enjoy MMA
According to Edison’s observations via AMA, the popularity of combat sports, including MMA and Muay Thai, has been steadily increasing in Malaysia.
“The country has produced world champions, and participation in these sports has grown over the years,” he pointed out.
While that may be true, MMA in Malaysia isn’t as big as it is in countries such as the United States where there are popular programmes like the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and more recently, the Creator Clash that features famous Internet personalities.
Just like how the Creator Clash is a refreshing take that welcomes younger audiences into the sport, The CAGE is also offering a new way to enjoy MMA, catering to the foodies of Malaysia who often enjoy experiential locations.
So far, Edison said that the primary audience at The CAGE includes martial arts enthusiasts but also a number of tourists given the LaLaport location.
“However, the restaurant aspect is gaining popularity among general diners as well,” he shared.
Even on days where there are no events at The CAGE, there will likely still be combat training and sparring sessions at the venue, so diners can also enjoy the “duel” aspect.
Becoming an entity of its own
The reception for The CAGE has been positive. However, efforts are ongoing to differentiate The CAGE from AMA and establish it as a unique combat sports platform.
One significant challenge is dispelling the notion that The CAGE is synonymous with AMA. The team wants to convey The CAGE’s identity as a standalone martial arts platform.
And to grow beyond just a location for AMA’s activities, Edison shared that the restaurant welcomes other promotions to host their events. It operates as a versatile space for all martial arts activities, akin to a restaurant hosting various events.
On top of that, Edison shared that he aims to offer referee and coach courses at The CAGE, along with fighter training programmes.
In the bigger picture though, Edison hopes to continue expanding The CAGE brand and potentially even open more outlets, providing a more engaging and unique stage for Malaysian athletes to showcase their prowess.
Featured Image Credit: The CAGE
