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VICE STUDIOS & VICE TV RETURN TO MMA’S DARKEST STORIES WITH SEASON TWO OF DARK SIDE OF THE CAGE
The Seven-Episode Season Will Premiere Tuesday, September 1 at 9pm ET on VICE TV, Featuring the Untold Stories Behind MMA Icons Including Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Chael Sonnen, Mark Coleman, Tito Ortiz, Don Frye and More
NEW YORK (July 23, 2026) – As mixed martial arts continues its rise as a global phenomenon, VICE Studios and VICE TV are returning to the stories that helped define, and sometimes nearly destroy the sport. The acclaimed docuseries Dark Side of the Cage returns for a seven-episode season on Tuesday, September 1 at 9pm ET on VICE TV.
From house-fire heroism to SWAT stand-offs to full-blown arena riots, season two of Dark Side of the Cage pulls back the curtain on MMA's most extreme highs and devastating lows.
"The greatest fights in MMA didn't always happen inside the cage," said Pete Gaffney, President of VICE TV. "This season tells the stories behind the rivalries, controversies and unforgettable moments that helped shape modern mixed martial arts - and changed the lives of everyone involved. It's a look at the human stories behind one of the fastest-growing sports in the world."
Season two of Dark Side of the Cage will premiere with an episode focused on and starring Don "The Predator" Frye, one of MMA’s all-time legends, whose willingness to absorb brutality in the cage led to the fight of his life against pain and addiction. The season will also tell the stories of UFC icons Tito Ortiz, Jason "Mayhem" Miller, Chael Sonnen and Mark Coleman, with the fighters themselves leading the storytelling. It will also share one of the darkest stories of them all: the tragic decline of Phil Baroni, who currently faces a murder charge in Mexico. Additionally, Dark Side of the Cage will shed new light on one of the most heated feuds in UFC history: Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov, which famously spilled well outside of the cage. Most notably, the episode will profile the notorious bus attack where McGregor and his entourage stormed Nurmagomedov’s bus, which led to criminal charges for McGregor and became one of the sport’s most infamous moments. The epic season two conclusion will focus on the rise and fall of Affliction, the popular apparel company who launched a failed attempt to compete with the UFC.
Dark Side of the Cage is a VICE Studios production. Paul Taylor, Dave Hodgson, Matt Ginsburg and Tim Healy are executive producers for the series. Executive Producer for VICE Studios is Guillermo Garcia. Executive Producer for VICE TV is Lee Hoffman. The series is distributed worldwide by VICE Distribution.
Watch the trailer for Dark Side of the Cage season two on VICE TV’s YouTube channel.
About VICE TV:
VICE TV delivers a powerful mix of culture-defining originals, bold entertainment and live alternative sports across television and digital. The Emmy®-winning international television network from VICE Media, in partnership with A+E, is available in 40 million U.S. cable, telco, and satellite homes and to multiple licensees worldwide. To cater to the growing global demand for sports content, in 2025 the network launched a slate of live event programming (Arena Football One, BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing, LFA, Major League Volleyball, Professional Fighters League) and sports-focused docuseries and specials. Current and previous programming includes VICE Studios’ Dark Side of the Ring, Dark Side of the Cage, Hells Angels, Out of Bounds and United Gangs of America; Chasing Speed from the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA); Don’t Call it a Comeback with host Noah Eagle, from Front Office Sports Studios, Skydance Sports, and NFL Films; NFL Classics: After Further Review, with host Kyle Brandt, from Omaha Productions in association with NFL Films; The Verdict, with host Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo; Pitino: Red Storm Rising and Calipari: Razor’s Edge. For more information, visit VICETV.com; follow VICE TV on social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X); find viewing and streaming options here.
About VICE Studios:
VICE Studios, a division of VICE Media, develops, finances and produces premium, award-winning and culture-defining content for the global marketplace. Operating with a full-service production facility, VICE Studios powers scripted, unscripted and branded content that anticipates culture with a distinct bold, authentic, raw and unfiltered VICE lens. The studio is behind the critically-acclaimed Gangs of London, in production for a fourth season on Sky in the UK with the third season currently airing on AMC+. Recent scripted titles include the adrenaline-charged thriller Atomic, for Sky, and the satirical feature Bad Apples, starring Oscar-nominated Saoirse Ronan. The studio is behind a string of hits for VICE TV including Dark Side of the Ring, Dark Side of the Cage, United Gangs of America, Hells Angels, and Out of Bounds. Other recent unscripted titles include Into the Void (Hulu), Hollywood Hustler: Glitz, Glam, Scam (Prime Video), Pavements (Mubi), Bama Rush (HBO), and Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now (Netflix). VICE Studios owns and operates the Cuba Pictures label, behind hit series The Rumour and The Walsh Sisters. At VICE, we take creative risks, challenge convention, and we live to tell the story.
