In their first show since a far-reaching agreement with ProElite, co-promoters Andy Geer and Dave O'Donnell return Sept. 22 with Cage Rage 23: "Unbelievable."

The lineup illustrates that the Cage Rage team has continued its commitment to showcasing well-matched domestic encounters while also making the promotion's customary move of adding puzzling, yet undeniably entertaining oddities to the card.

Conscious of the need to host a successful show following the recent sell-out of UFC 75 in London, the promoters no doubt had action in mind as they arranged the 11-bout lineup.

In the main event, former heavyweight boxer Julius Francis takes his first step into the world of MMA against K-1 kickboxer and experienced judo practitioner Gary "Smiler" Turner.

Francis is a famous name on the U.K. boxing circuit. In 2000 he sold advertising space on the soles of his boots before an extremely angry "Iron" Mike Tyson bludgeoned him to the floor.

While Francis' presence on the card has garnered some interest in boxing circles, the fact that he's 42 years old and dropped his last 14 boxing bouts makes one question how much danger the Woolwich man will present to Turner.

Since this is his first fight under MMA rules, I predict that Francis will look extremely vulnerable under the kickboxing barrage of Turner and equally as defenseless in the clinch. If Francis fails to land a bomb early in the first round, he will find his MMA debut quite unpleasant and will fall accordingly -- possibly to a high kick from the talented Turner.

Perhaps as a reward for his near-inhuman performance against Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos at Cage Rage 21, James Zikic (Pictures) steps up another level to face Vitor Belfort (Pictures) in a clash that will crown the new Cage Rage light heavyweight world champion.

Zikic absorbed literally dozens of low kicks from Cyborg in April. However, continuing with a badly damaged and discolored left leg, the British fighter fought on to win both a narrow decision and the respect of the London crowd. Zikic is a challenge for any fighter, but he will have to deliver another incredible performance to earn a victory against Belfort.

Training with the newly formed Black House team in Rio de Janeiro, Belfort has the high-quality training partners he needs to ensure he'll be in peak physical condition. Yet, at his most recent Cage Rage outing against Ivan Serati (Pictures), the Brazilian looked decidedly less ripped than he had in previous contests, suggesting perhaps that he was taking his opposition less than seriously.

Zikic, though, is a completely different kettle of fish than the Italian fighter Belfort hammered in less than four minutes in April. If Belfort is not adequately prepared, Zikic will give him serious problems. Then again it appears that Belfort is extremely comfortable fighting on British soil. Look for Belfort's star quality to shine through, as he finds a way to finish the Brit within the three scheduled rounds.

In a classic battle between a respected pillar of the U.K. MMA community and a hungry up-and-comer, Mark Weir (Pictures) puts it all on the line against the man who recently stopped Duane Ludwig (Pictures), Paul "Semtex" Daley.

With a clear reach advantage, Weir can be expected to follow the cautious and rangy outside striking game that he demonstrated to great effect in previous Cage Rage bouts against Akira Shoji (Pictures) and Kyosuke Sasaki (Pictures). However, there seems little chance that Daley, an explosive fighter from Nottingham, will let the older man stay in his comfort zone. Expect Daley to surge forward to negate Weir's reach and possibly plant him on his back.

Weir may have a weight advantage in this fight, too, due to his drop to 170. Given the recent form of his Roughhouse-trained opponent, this match will be a tall order for the man from Gloucester. Daley will likely impress the judges and earn the decision.

In lightweight action late-replacement Chris Brennan makes his Cage Rage debut against the unpredictable and dangerous Chute Boxe fighter Jean Silva (Pictures).

Known as one of the finest American jiu-jitsu fighters in the game, Brennan will probably try to take this fight to the floor. Silva, however, is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with a polished set of skills, which he gruesomely demonstrated at Cage Rage 19 when he isolated and broke Danilo Cherman (Pictures)'s arm.

Evenly matched on the ground, this one could be settled on the feet, where Silva will have a distinct advantage. I see Silva nullifying Brennan's attacks on the ground early, before catching him and knocking him out in the later rounds.

Possibly the most underrated bout on the card, Mustapha al Turk (Pictures)'s clash with Tengiz Tedoradze (Pictures) will decide which fighter truly is the best heavyweight in the U.K.

Tedoradze has smashed his last three opponents, including rotund boxer Eric "Butterbean" Esch. The Georgian fighter has fearsome Greco-Roman wrestling skills and an equally dangerous, if slightly ragged boxing style.

Al Turk, on the other hand, is a natural submission fighter who has succeeded in Abu Dhabi submission wrestling and also boasts a vastly improved stand-up game. Having bashed fallen legend Mark Kerr (Pictures) into the canvas in February, he is a star on the rise and a genuine contender on the European scene.

This is the most difficult fight on the card to predict, but I'm going to side with Tedoradze. He'll sting the London Shootfighter standing and overwhelm him with strikes on the mat to claim the British heavyweight title.

French Thai boxer Xavier Foupa-Pokam (Pictures) returns after three straight victories in the London promotion, including his controversial decision over Alex Reid (Pictures). He'll face the fearless American serviceman, Pierre Guillet (Pictures), who has fought some top competition over the years, such as Trevor Prangley (Pictures) and Renato Sobral (Pictures).

Guillet promises so much but sometimes falls short when the pressure is on. I see him falling victim to the strong Thai clinch game of Foupa-Pokam, who will win this middleweight match on a stoppage.

In a grudge match that has old origins, Matt Ewin (Pictures) will finally be granted a rematch against his nemesis, Alex Reid (Pictures). Ewin bitterly contested his loss in the first fight, alleging that Reid had illegally greased himself up before the bout in an attempt to avoid takedowns. After years of asking for a rematch, Ewin seemed genuinely incandescent with rage while preparing for the fight.

Reid has been equally vocal in calling for a rematch with Ewin's trainer and mentor, Mark Weir (Pictures). Perhaps he sees this fight as a way of forcing Weir to accept his challenge.

However it pans out, Reid certainly has a difficult task ahead of him. He's facing a fighter whose offensive strengths fall perfectly in line with his own biggest weakness: his notoriously lacking takedown defense. I pick Ewin to repeatedly take the fight to the floor, where he'll chip away with strikes to earn a unanimous decision.

Cage Rage is famous for giving local fighters a chance to shine, and this show is no different. Two such fighters, Ed Smith (Pictures) and Roman Webber (Pictures), tangle for the right to remain on the main show, with the loser no doubt returning to Cage Rage Contenders. Both fighters in this contest can bang, and I don't see it going the distance. In a real pick ‘em fight, go with Smith to finish with punches in the second.

Massive but struggling welterweight Ross Mason (Pictures) returns to salvage his potentially impressive career as a replacement for an injured Paul Kelly. He'll take on Che Mills (Pictures) in a bout he needs to keep on the feet. While Mason has improved his ground skills, his real strength is his stand-up. However, barring some unforeseen striking calamity, I pick Mills to stick to a tight game plan and take Mason down before pressuring his way to a submission victory.

In other action heavyweight Domonic Ostich looks set for a tough Cage Rage debut against windmilling super-replacement Neil Grove (Pictures). By conquering fan favorite James Thompson (Pictures) in 10 seconds of furious action in his last bout, Grove certainly showed he has power. I pick him to give the Trojan fighter a torrid time and eventually land one of his wild punches for the knockout win.

To open the show, punching preacher and man of many nicknames Jason Barrett (Pictures) returns from a broken arm he suffered at the hands of Nigel Whitear. Barrett will battle Lee Doski (Pictures), also known as "The Guitar Man."

Doski is a solid competitor, but Barrett will give one of the night's more upbeat pre-fight interviews and then punch his way to victory in the second round.