No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman : Recent Episodes
Eddie Goldman
No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman, who is widely known as the "conscience of combat sports", discusses the combat sports and martial arts, including boxing and various types of wrestling. It is called No Holds Barred because the show is dedicated only to telling the truth.
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of the WAAR Room (https://waarsports.com) and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing (https://girlboxing.org) on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the WAAR Sports YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMW16qQlnyWR-xyd2jZF1IA).
Our guest was Kieran Cunningham, the Chief Sports Writer and Current Affairs Columnist at the Irish Daily Star.
We spoke with him by Zoom Sunday, January 30, the 50th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday -- a bloody massacre when British soldiers opened fire killing 13 unarmed peaceful protesters in Derry, Northern Ireland.
Cunningham explained the significance of Bloody Sunday and its impact on the Irish boxing community, including retired boxer John Duddy, whose uncle, Jackie Duddy, a promising young amateur fighter, was the first person murdered.
As a sports writer, Cunningham is perhaps best known for his in-depth reporting on the impact of criminal gangs on boxing in the Republic of Ireland, including alleged drug kingpin Daniel Kinahan. Cunningham provided an in-depth analysis on the tentacles from MTK Global that have encroached on the integrity of the sport. He also discussed the impact of "sports-washing" in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia and Dubai, and how the absence of an international professional boxing governance organization continues to undermine the sport.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content, at https://www.patreon.com/join/eddiegoldman/checkout.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/94442285.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow (http://liveone.tv).
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
http://eddiegoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of the WAAR Room (https://waarsports.com) and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing (https://girlboxing.org) on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the WAAR Sports YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMW16qQlnyWR-xyd2jZF1IA).
Our guest was Heather "The Heat" Hardy.
We spoke with her by Zoom Sunday, January 23.
Heather "The Heat" Hardy, 22-2, returns to the ring on March 12th as the opponent against British fighter, Terri Harper, 11-1-1. Both are coming into the ring at lightweight after tough losses. Hardy concedes her last outing was less than stellar, but she feels a renewed sense of love for the sport of boxing and an excitement at the prospect of her first overseas adventure. She’s also looking forward to fight week and all the attendant media attention, something she has missed in the era of the pandemic. As she turns 40, Hardy reflects on the arc of her career, one that she started at the age of 28, but is neither ready to hang up her gloves, nor her place as an advocate for equity in the sport she loves. She may well be taking things one fight at a time, but it also mean she can be in love with boxing again.
The place of women's boxing also remains problematic, especially in the United States, where companies such as Al Haymon's Premier Boxing Champions seemingly refuse to put women's bouts on fight cards. This weekend was a case in point -- it came and went without women's boxing battle on a major outlet.
The PBC/Showtime Boxing broadcast did, otherwise, provide an excellent card headlined by Gary Russell, Jr., who lost his long time WBC featherweight title to Philippine fighter, Mark Magsayo. Russell, who had a torn ligament in his shoulder, fought one-handed for much of the fight, but still tried every pro trick in the book to keep his opponent at bay.
WAAR Room's Eddie Goldman also talked about latest No Holds Barred Patreon Page story, "Don King, Trevor Bryan, and A Return to Yesterday," and what that might mean for the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions going forward.
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The WAAR Room is committed to amplifying voices speaking out against racism, corruption, misogyny, and misogynoir in boxing, and the failures of sports' governing bodies to their protect athletes from corrupt practices.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content, at https://www.patreon.com/join/eddiegoldman/checkout.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/94442285.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow (http://liveone.tv).
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
http://eddiegoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of the WAAR Room (https://waarsports.com) and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing (https://girlboxing.org) on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the WAAR Sports YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMW16qQlnyWR-xyd2jZF1IA).
Our guest was one of the top boxers in the world, multi-divisional champion Claressa Shields (11-0, 2 KOs). She is the first boxer in the four-belt era to be an undisputed world champion in two weight classes.
We spoke with her by Zoom Thursday, January 13.
On February 5, Claressa Shields is scheduled to defend her three middleweight belts against challenger Ema Kozin (21-0-1, 11 KOs). This fight will take place in Cardiff, Wales, in the U.K., and is the co-main event to the long-awaited middleweight fight between Chris Eubank Jr. and Liam Williams. In the U.K., it will be shown on Sky Sports. In the U.S. and Canada, it will be on pay-per-view on FITE.TV and PPV.com, and also on cable, satellite, and telco providers.
We discussed with her what she knows about Kozin and how she will approach this fight; how she hopes to fight in a few months against her nemesis, WBO champ Savannah Marshall; how she feels about this being her first pro fight outside the U.S. and in the U.K.; her reaction to several major American TV and streaming networks not featuring her championship fights; and more.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content, at https://www.patreon.com/join/eddiegoldman/checkout.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/94442285.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow (http://liveone.tv).
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
http://eddiegoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of the WAAR Room (https://waarsports.com) and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing (https://girlboxing.org) on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the WAAR Sports YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMW16qQlnyWR-xyd2jZF1IA).
We spoke with them Monday, December 27.
It's been a long, hard, interesting year for boxing. We wrap some of it up with our First Annual You Don't Know Shit About Boxing Awards 2021, to find out the winner of the Worst Promoter, Worst Boxing Commission, Worst Corner Advice, Worst Promotion of an Elite Fighter, Epic Ali Genealogy Fail, and more!
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content, at https://www.patreon.com/join/eddiegoldman/checkout.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/94442285.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow (http://liveone.tv).
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
http://eddiegoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of the WAAR Room (https://waarsports.com) and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing (https://girlboxing.org) on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the WAAR Sports YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMW16qQlnyWR-xyd2jZF1IA).
We spoke with them Monday, December 20.
It was a busy boxing weekend, from Artur Beterbiev's knockout win over Marcus Browne in Montreal, Quebec, on December 17, to the clown show on Showtime's pay-per-view on December 18. It did not go unnoticed that in the U.S., the only boxing non-streaming or pay-per-view broadcast of the many fights on December 18 was the PBC card on Fox in Minneapolis, Minnesota, featuring the David Morrell Jr. vs. Alantez Fox super middleweight, curious towel-throwing finish, fight, for Morrell's TKO win.
Governance was also called into question during Marie-Eve Dicaire's IBF super welterweight title fight, also in Montreal, against a clearly unskilled opponent who had no business in a championship fight. On the positive side, the Golden Boy-DAZN collaboration in San Antonio, Texas, brought an outstanding card to include two female title defenses. WBC flyweight champion Marlen Esparza has truly elevated her game and set herself up for possible unification battles, after her excellent display against veteran and former champion Anabel Ortiz.
The fight of the weekend, however, belonged to Seniesa Estrada, who showed flash and aggressiveness as she scored a knockout win over Maria Santizo on that San Antonio card that will certainly be on everyone's 2021 highlight reel, to retain her WBA minimumweight title. She, too, has set herself up for possible unification battles, with a long-term possibility of meeting her Golden Boy teammate, Marlen Esparza.
Amanda Serrano also popped up to lightweight to fight Miriam Gutierrez in Tampa, Florida, taking the bout by unanimous decision and setting herself up for her a potential showdown with the undisputed lightweight champion, Katie Taylor, in the spring of 2022 at Madison Square Garden.
Other fights of note were the rematch between Joseph Parker and Derek Chisora, a heavyweight slugfest of epic proportions from DAZN's Manchester, U.K., card, which Parker won by unanimous decision, and the Gilberto (Zurdo) Ramirez-Yunieski Gonzalez light heavyweight fight, which was the main event on the Golden Boy-DAZN card from San Antonio, and another heart-in-your-mouth epic battle.
Plus, we discussed the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and how boxing and the sports world in general are dealing, and not dealing, with it.
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content, at https://www.patreon.com/join/eddiegoldman/checkout.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/94442285.
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of the WAAR Room (https://waarsports.com) and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing (https://girlboxing.org) on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the WAAR Sports YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMW16qQlnyWR-xyd2jZF1IA).
We spoke with them Sunday, December 12.
This past week saw major developments in the attempt by the Olympic boxing federation -- formerly AIBA and now renamed as the International Boxing Association (IBA) -- to regain its place on the Olympic program.
On December 9, IOC president Thomas Bach said in a press conference that AIBA, along with the International Weightlifting Federation, were the IOC's "problem children". AIBA would remain suspended from the IOC until at least 2023, and needs to correct ongoing problems in governance, financial transparency and sustainability, and the integrity of their refereeing and judging processes. Boxing also was not included on the list of sports set for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, although it was not ruled out that it could be added back if AIBA demonstrated that it had corrected these problems to the IOC's satisfaction.
On December 10, another report was released about corruption in AIBA by the team led by Professor Richard McLaren. This report, issued at AIBA's behest, concluded that the corruption in the officiating at AIBA events did not end with the 2016 Rio Olympics, but has continued through this year. The report noted that "the people are the problem, even when the rules and regulations are of the highest quality. The sport will need to ensure that it cultivates individuals with integrity to run the organisation." It did also praise the efforts of current AIBA president Umar Kremlev and his associates to end this corruption, stating, "a genuine attempt at reform and progress has been made under Kremlev's leadership." McLaren then discussed this report on an international online press conference.
On December 12, before we were able to discuss it, AIBA held its "Extraordinary Congress" and adopted all the extensive reforms which had been proposed by the Governance Reform Group, which was led by Professor Ulrich Haas. These reforms included the establishment of an independent Boxing Integrity Unit. AIBA also officially changed its name to IBA at this congress. And on December 13, IBA president Umar Kremlev also held an international online press conference. We will discuss these developments on our upcoming shows.
Besides the crisis in Olympic boxing, we discussed the debut show of the new Probellum promotion, which took place December 11 in Dubai in the UAE. This show was plagued by numerous major governance problems, and we discussed the significance of these and the lack of proper regulation.
Also on December 11, there were several major boxing cards around the world. We mainly focused on the Matchroom/DAZN card in Liverpool in the U.K., and in particular on the successful defense of her lightweight belts by Katie Taylor against Firuza Sharipova. Taylor clearly won a decision, but this fight was closer than many had anticipated. We discussed what this means, what is next for Taylor, and the latest news in women's boxing.
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
(Photo of Prof. McLaren from screenshot of press conference. Probellum logo. Photo of Katie Taylor vs. Firuza Sharipova from WBC.)
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content, at https://www.patreon.com/join/eddiegoldman/checkout.
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of the WAAR Room (https://waarsports.com) and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing (https://girlboxing.org) on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the WAAR Sports YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMW16qQlnyWR-xyd2jZF1IA).
We spoke with them Sunday, November 28.
Our main focus was on two major title unification fights this past weekend, and the accompanying controversies in each of them.
In a major upset, George Kambosos Jr. captured the WBA, IBF, and WBO lightweight belts from previously unbeaten Teofimo Lopez by split decision. Almost all observers had Kambosos clearly winning this fight.
In a fight to unify the WBC and WBO 122-pound belts, Stephen Fulton Jr. defeated Brandon Figueroa by majority decision. Even though this was a close fight, many people thought that Figueroa had done enough to win, or at least it should have been scored a draw.
Besides discussing the rest of these cards, we raised the issue of judging and officiating in boxing, as there are highly controversial and even bizarre scores just about every week. Unlike most other professional sports, boxing's purposely fragmented governance means that there is nothing remotely like an independent Boxing Integrity Unit. We see the results of the absence of even a semblance of proper governance on almost every boxing card.
Malissa Smith also once more kept us up-to-date with the latest news in women's boxing.
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
(Photo of Figueroa vs Fulton from Esther Lin/Showtime. Photo of Kambosos vs. Lopez from Ed Mulholland/Matchroom.)
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content, at https://www.patreon.com/join/eddiegoldman/checkout.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/94442285.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow (http://liveone.tv).
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to http://LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
http://eddiegoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of the WAAR Room (https://waarsports.com) and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing (https://girlboxing.org) on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the WAAR Sports YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMW16qQlnyWR-xyd2jZF1IA).
We spoke with them Sunday, November 21.
We discussed Terence Crawford's tenth round stoppage of Shawn Porter to establish himself as the top welterweight in the world, and what may be next for him now that he is a free agent and no longer under contract to Top Rank. We discussed Kali Reis's split decision win over Jessica Camara to set up a fight with Chantelle Cameron to unify the major belts at 140 pounds. We discussed unified lightweight champ Teofimo Lopez's upcoming fight with George Kambosos Jr. and heard comments from Lopez on this fight. And we discussed how and why the ongoing failure of boxing to have the best fight the best, plus the pay-per-view model, only continue to marginalize the sport.
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
(Photo of Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter by Mikey Williams/Top Rank via Getty Images. Photo of Kali Reis vs. Jessica Camara by Ed Mulholland/ Matchroom Boxing.)
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content, at https://www.patreon.com/join/eddiegoldman/checkout.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/94442285.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow (http://liveone.tv).
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to http://LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
http://eddiegoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of the WAAR Room (https://waarsports.com) and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing (https://girlboxing.org) on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the WAAR Sports YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMW16qQlnyWR-xyd2jZF1IA).
We spoke with them Monday, November 15.
Our discussion focused on two major, exciting fights which took place Saturday, November 13. In Sheffield in the U.K., Alycia Baumgardner dominated Terri Harper and stopped her in the fourth round to unify the WBC and IBF super featherweight belts. In Phoenix, Arizona, unbeaten super middleweight David Benavidez scored a seventh-round stoppage over Kyrone Davis to advance his claim to have a shot at undisputed super middleweight champ Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.
We discussed these fights, what's next for Baumgardner and Benavidez, this coming weekend's Terence Crawford-Shawn Porter fight, and much more.
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
(Photo of Alycia Baumgardner by Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing. Photo of David Benavidez vs. Kyrone by Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions.)
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content, at https://www.patreon.com/join/eddiegoldman/checkout.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/94442285.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow (http://liveone.tv).
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to http://LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
http://eddiegoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of the WAAR Room (https://waarsports.com) and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing (https://girlboxing.org) on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the WAAR Sports YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMW16qQlnyWR-xyd2jZF1IA).
We spoke with them Sunday, November 7.
This past Saturday, November 6, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez cemented his status as the best boxer in the world with an 11th-round KO of previously unbeaten Caleb Plant in Las Vegas. In doing so, he not only unified all the four major belts in the super middleweight division, but finished this year with three straight stoppage victories. He has now won belts in four weight classes, has a record of 57-1-2 with 39 KOs, and has not lost since 2013 when, as a 23-year-old, he was decisioned by then-top pound-for-pound fighter Floyd Mayweather.
We discussed Canelo's fight with Plant, why in boxing this is the Canelo Era, what may be next for him, how boxing's absurd and corrupt governance affects all of this, how most in the media have missed the true significance of this fight, and more.
In addition, on Friday, November 5, Mikaela Mayer and Maiva Hamadouche had a fantastic battle, also in Las Vegas. Mayer won by decision, in the process unifying two of the junior lightweight belts. We also discussed what is happening in women's boxing.
We discussed these fights and more on this edition of the show.
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content, at https://www.patreon.com/join/eddiegoldman/checkout.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/79485015.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow (http://liveone.tv).
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of the WAAR Room (https://waarsports.com) and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing (https://girlboxing.org) on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the WAAR Sports YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMW16qQlnyWR-xyd2jZF1IA).
We spoke with them Sunday, October 31.
We had a busy weekend of boxing with two fantastic championship women's bouts including the first of two Super Lightweight unification bouts. This weekend the WBC/IBF unification battle was fought between between the WBC British fighter Chantelle Cameron (15-0, 8 KOs) and the IBF American champion Mary McGee (27-4, 15 KOs). The pair battled wall-to-wall for ten rounds with Cameron showing the superior boxing skills, getting the undisputed win and the first Ring Magazine Championship belt to boot.
The second amazing women's boxing battle was between two veteran Mexican fighters: Jackie Nava (39-4-4, 16 KOs) and Mariana Juarez (55-11-4, 19 KOs) in a Super Bantamweight WBC Diamond Belt match. Much as other rivalries in boxing, the Nava/Jaurez fight took many, many years to get on the books—but was truly worth the wait. Both fighters are 41 years of age, but one could easily have assumed they were at least ten years younger. Both brought top-notch skills and ring savvy into the bout, but it was Nava who showed levels of boxing prowess that proved her to be the better fighter.
Multi-divisional boxing champion Claressa Shields also had her second MMA fight this past week, and it did not go her way, as she lost a split decision to Abigail Montes. Shields is scheduled to return to the boxing ring December 11, and we shall see how her foray into the MMA cage has affected her boxing skills, if at all.
Also this past week, there were a pair of first-round knockouts, as Jaron "Boots" Ennis stopped veteran Thomas Dulorme in Las Vegas, as did Jose Zepeda to Josue Vargas in New York. There was also a main event upset, as favorite Jamal James was stopped by Radzhab Butaev in the ninth round, also in Las Vegas.
We discussed these fights and more on this edition of the show.
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content, at https://www.patreon.com/join/eddiegoldman/checkout.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/79485015.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow (http://liveone.tv).
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to http://LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of the WAAR Room and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the WAAR Sports YouTube page.
We spoke with them Monday, October 25.
Women's boxing is well past the time when it should be thought of as an afterthought, a side show, or a joke. With this generation's crop of brilliant fighters of the likes of Claressa Shields, Katie Taylor, and Amanda Serrano -- not to mention the women who will be competing over the next few weeks to include two unification title bouts at super lightweight and the super fight at super bantamweight for the WBC Diamond belt between two of Mexico's greatest fighters, Mariana Juarez, known as "La Barbie", and Jackie "La Princesa Azteca" Nava, this Saturday -- we'd say women's boxing is alive and very well indeed, thank you.
But what will it take to push the sport into the 21st century where it belongs? Sure, Showtime's Stephen Espinoza assured our own LA Fight Goddess, Chris Baldwin, that we could look forward to seeing female bouts on upcoming cards in 2022, but the truth is we've heard it all before. On this show, we talked about women's boxing's brilliant Fall, options and opportunities for the future, and the recent move of MTK Global -- yes, that MTK Global -- into the realm of women's boxing.
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of the WAAR Room and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the WAAR Sports YouTube page.
While many are still discussing Tyson Fury's defense of his WBC heavyweight belt, less attention is being paid, especially in the boxing media, to the man whom he said is his advisor, Daniel Kinahan. According to promoter Bob Arum, Kinahan is also an advisor to the unbeaten WBO welterweight champ Terence Crawford, the unbeaten and undisputed 140-pound champ Josh Taylor, and WBO super featherweight champ Jamel Herring. Kinahan was co-founder of what is now the management company MTK Global, although officially it is claimed that he is no longer formally a part of it. Among MTK Global's many dozens of fighters is the unbeaten WBO middleweight champ Savannah Marshall, who appears headed to a showdown next year with two-division unbeaten champion Claressa Shields.
So who is this boxing powerbroker, Daniel Kinahan? According to the High Court of Ireland, he is a senior figure in organized crime on a global scale and head of the Kinahan organized crime group. Kinahan is now based in Dubai.
To find out more about Kinahan, including his role in boxing, we spoke with one of the world's leading authorities on the crime world and especially Irish organized crime, Nicola Tallant. She is the Investigations Editor for the Sunday World of Ireland, hosts and produces the Crime World podcast, and is author of the wonderful new book, "Clash of the Clans: The Rise of the Irish Narcos and Boxing's Dirty Secret".
We spoke with her Sunday, October 17.
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of Angry Afro Radio and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
Our discussion took place Sunday, October 10.
We discussed Saturday's third fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, held in Las Vegas. Fury retained his WBC heavyweight belt with an 11th-round KO.
While the fight was certainly entertaining with many dramatic twists and turns, we explained why this was not the "instant classic" some have labeled it, and was instead plagued by numerous technical and tactical blunders by both fighters. Our reactions to it are similar to that of discussing a one-night stand the day right after it happened, when sober thinking has finally returned. We also began a discussion of the ties between Fury and alleged organized crime kingpin Daniel Kinahan.
Malissa Smith also discussed Saturday's victory by Jamie Mitchell over Shannon Courtenay to capture the WBA women's bantamweight belt, and more of the latest women's boxing news.
(Photo by Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions.)
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of Angry Afro Radio and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
Our discussion took place Sunday, October 3.
We finally have proof of what many already knew or suspected: Much of Olympic boxing has been fixed.
On September 30, an independent report, mainly focusing on boxing at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was released by an investigative team led by Professor Richard McLaren. His team also had helped document the Russian state-sponsored doping program in the Olympics.
This report documented how officials in AIBA, the Olympic boxing federation, fixed the selection of referees and judges at the fights in the 2016 Olympics, how they manipulated results, the culture of corruption and bribery in Olympic boxing, and how these corrupt practices were carried out and enabled by the top leadership in AIBA at the time.
As the report stated, in AIBA,"The people are the problem." It should also be added that what corrupt governments have done in the Olympic movement has been a key reason why Olympic boxing has been so corrupt.
The full report can be read here.
While this investigation was undertaken at the behest of the current, new leadership of AIBA, many questions remain as to whether or not corruption has been sufficiently rooted out in this organization. The International Olympic Committee suspended AIBA as boxing's Olympic governing body in June 2019, and thus far has not indicated if or when it will be reinstated. The IOC organized the boxing competition at the recently completed Tokyo Olympics without AIBA.
We discussed what we know about how the Olympic boxing bouts were manipulated, some of the fights that may have been fixed, the obvious and not-so-obvious motives for this rampant corruption, the implications of this crisis in amateur and Olympic boxing for professional boxing, how this type of corruption in the overall Olympic movement is far from unique, and much more.
Malissa Smith also brought us the latest news from women's boxing, including multi-divisional champ Amanda Serrano signing with Jake Paul's newly-formed promotional company. We discussed what this might mean for a potential showdown between Serrano and undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor, what is next for unbeaten middleweight and super welterweight champion Claressa Shields who has been fighting in MMA as of late, and much more.
Plus, we discussed the postponement of the 2022 Gay Games in Hong Kong to 2023, the latest Triller Trash news and why they are the frontrunner for the 2021 Roger Mayweather "You Don't Know Shit About Boxing" Award, and more.
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of Angry Afro Radio and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
Our discussion took place Sunday, September 26.
This past Saturday, former cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk upset unified heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua by a clearcut unanimous decision to capture all of his heavyweight belts. We discussed why and how this upset happened, if the gun-shy Joshua needs a new trainer, if Joshua was just burnt out, how Usyk has been underappreciated, how Joshua has regressed as a fighter, what's next for both fighters and the heavyweight division, and much more. And we also discussed some of the latest news in women's boxing.
(Photo by Ian Walton/Matchroom Boxing.)
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of Angry Afro Radio and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
Our special guest was Dr. Lisa Kihl, Institute Director of the University of Minnesota's Global Institute for Responsible Sport Organizations.
This discussion took place Friday, September 17.
Corruption, doping, and rape in sports are widespread. The growth of sports gambling, both legal and illegal, also has posed another danger to the integrity of sports.
To start to address this, Dr. Kihl is advocating the formation of a "national sport integrity system". Her work at the Global Institute for Responsible Sport Organizations has a focus on "Introducing a framework conceptualizing a national sport integrity system that aims to promote and safeguard integrity within national sport organizations."
We spoke with her about the steps needed to be taken to accomplish this, how to fight the scourge of sports corruption, the role of the media, and much more.
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of Angry Afro Radio and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
Our discussion took place Sunday, September 12.
Our main topic was the Triller trash boxing show of September 11, and particularly the utter disgrace of putting 58-year-old Evander Holyfield in the main event fight. Holyfield was quickly TKO'd in the first round. We discussed boxing's devolution from the sweet science into being a sadistic spectacle like this, how these circus fights have become the dominant trend in boxing, how this is related to boxing's purposely corrupt and fragmented governance, why there must be new legislation to regulate boxing, and much more.
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleagues Chris Baldwin of Angry Afro Radio and Malissa Smith of Girlboxing on the WAAR Room. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
Our discussion took place Sunday, September 5.
We discussed the death of 18-year-old Jeanette Zacarias Zapata, who passed this week from injuries sustained in a bout in Montreal. We also discussed how WBC super featherweight champ Oscar Valdez, who failed a doping test for the WBC's Clean Boxing Program conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, will still be allowed to fight and defend his WBC belt on September 10. And we addressed the startling controversy involving Amanda and Cindy Serrano and their trainer/manager Jordan Maldonado.
All this is part of our in-depth coverage of the corrupt world of boxing and sports governance in general.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
The Podomatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the writer, author, professor, and wrestler, Antonio Graceffo.
We spoke with him by phone Saturday, August 21.
Antonio Graceffo was born in Brooklyn, raised in Tennessee, and has been living for many years in Asia -- hence his moniker, the "Brooklyn Monk". He is currently located in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, where he teaches, writes, and wrestles.
In Mongolia, wrestling is a major sport in which many boys train and compete from a young age. The main style of Mongolian wrestling is known as Bokh. It is one of the main sports at the annual Nadaam festival. Since the 13th century and the days of Genghis Khan, the Nadaam festival has featured wrestling, archery, and horse racing. Although the coronavirus pandemic forced the festival to be cancelled this year, it is normally held each year in mid-July.
"The first official Nadaam was inaugurated by Genghis Khan himself," said Antonio Graceffo. "Each year when they celebrate Nadaam, it is not only the first anniversary of the first Nadaam, but it's also the anniversary of the foundation of the Mongolian empire."
While the main festivities are held in Ulaanbaatar, there are many local Nadaam festivals.
"Simultaneously, there are Nadaams happening in every province and every district of the country," he said.
"So arguably, Nadaam is the largest wrestling competition in the world, if we were to take all the Nadaams together across the whole country of Mongolia."
We discussed the long history of Mongolian wrestling, the rules of Bokh, why many Mongolians like Asashoryu and Hakuho have dominated Japanese sumo for many years, how urbanization and globalization are affecting Bokh with its rural roots, the growing challenges faced by Mongolian and many other indigenous styles of wrestling in today's sports and media environment, and much, much more. (Photo courtesy of Antonio Graceffo.)
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
The Podomatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleague Chris Baldwin on the WAAR Room on Angry Afro Radio. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
We spoke with her Tuesday, August 10.
The Tokyo Superspreader Olympics ended Sunday, August 8, but the surge in cases of Covid-19 in Japan is continuing. We discussed how the Olympics were a key factor is worsening this pandemic, where now only patients with severe symptoms can be hospitalized to prevent a hospital bed shortage.
The competition in Tokyo also saw the disgraceful action of a coach punching a horse who refused to perform in a modern pentathlon event when ordered by the rider. In wrestling, while accolades poured in for American heavyweight wrestler Gable Steveson's last second takedown to win his men's freestyle wrestling gold medal match, it appears that real wrestling will benefit little from the notoriety. Media reports indicate that he is likely soon headed to the fake wrestling world of the WWE. The much-touted 97 kg men's freestyle wrestling gold medal showdown between Russian Abdulrashid Sadulaev and American Kyle Snyder was won by Sadulaev, who scored no takedowns, 6-3, and showcased the absurd rules of the Olympic wrestling federation, UWW. In boxing, Cuba dominated the men's division with four gold medals. But we will only see these talented Cuban fighters as pros if they take the dangerous step of defecting from Cuba, since their government prohibits it.
Karate made its debut at the Tokyo Olympics, and instead of the sport building its worldwide reputation, the ludicrous rules of the Olympic karate federation, WKF, drew the most attention. The men's 75 kg gold medal kumite match was won by Sajad Ganjzadeh of Iran. But in that final, he was knocked out by a head kick from Tareg Hamedi of Saudi Arabia. Hamedi was disqualified and had to settle for a silver medal because he followed through on his kick, rather than stopping or pulling it back before it landed at full force.
This issue in karate had been examined on No Holds Barred back in 2018 with karateka and coach Elhadji Gaye Ndour, who also had been disqualified in amateur karate events because, he said, he hit or kicked his opponents "too hard" or even scored knockouts. He had gone on to fight in the professional Karate Combat organization. You can play or download that show here.
We thus discussed a recent episode of the Karate Combat TV show, this group's rules, how it is being presented and positioned on TV, and more.
In pro boxing, of course, controversy and corruption are unending. We discussed the dreadful August 7 PBC on Fox show, which saw a robbery even more egregious that is usual for boxing. In a fight for one of the WBA's billions and billions of belts, Mychal Fox completely dominated Gabriel Maestre, but it was Maestre who got a unanimous decision win.
We also previewed this coming Saturday's trilogy fight between WBA super flyweight champ Joshua Franco of Texas and former champ Andrew Moloney of Australia. In a thrilling upset, Franco won their first fight in June 2020 by unanimous decision. Their November 2020 rematch, however, ended in chaos and controversy. Moloney had appeared to get a second-round TKO win because of major swelling under Franco's right eye, but controversial referee Russell Mora ruled that the damage was caused by an accidental headbutt. A befuddled Nevada commission then had a video review lasting almost a half hour, and also seemed to botch the verdict by upholding Mora's ruling. It was thus declared a no decision since the fight was halted by an accidental foul and had lasted fewer than four rounds.
Now their third fight takes place Saturday, August 14, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Catoosa, Oklahoma, near Tulsa. It will be shown live in the U.S. on both ESPN and ESPN+.
We got comments from Andrew Moloney from a recent Zoom call where he explained how he has improved since his previous fights with Franco.
And we discussed more about the corrupt Olympic movement, Errol Spence Jr. pulling out of his fight with Manny Pacquiao because of a torn retina, and much more.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
The Podomatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleague Chris Baldwin on the WAAR Room on Angry Afro Radio. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
We spoke with her Monday, July 26.
On July 24, unbeaten heavyweight contender Joe Joyce fought journeyman gatekeeper Carlos Takam at London's Wembley Arena in a quest to get a shot at one of boxing's many sanctioning body belts. Joyce was awarded a sixth-round TKO stoppage, but many questions were raised by his lackluster performance, including if the referee stoppage was premature. Takam landed hard overhand rights in the early rounds, although by the fifth round the momentum had shifted to Joyce.
We discussed what Joyce's performance signifies, what we perceive to be his strengths and weaknesses, where he stands compared to other heavyweights, what may be next for him, and much more, including what is happening in the heavyweight title picture.
With the Olympics proceeding as Tokyo's coronavirus pandemic worsens, we also discussed the article on the No Holds Barred Patreon page entitled I'm Sick and Tired of the Fucking Olympics.
We discussed why the use of the word "fucking" was appropriate to describe this disgraceful and dangerous event, what alternatives can be developed to the increasingly unpopular and corrupt Olympic movement, and much more. (Note that our discussion was recorded Monday, July 26, before the news came out Tuesday, July 27, that star gymnast Simone Biles had withdrawn from her Olympic gymnastics competition, citing her mental health struggles.)
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
The Podomatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleague Chris Baldwin on the WAAR Room on Angry Afro Radio. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
We spoke with her Sunday, July 18.
There was an attempt on Saturday, July 17, to unify the four major belts in boxing's 154-pound division, as unbeaten fighters and belt holders Jermell Charlo and Brian Castaño fought in the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, headlining a card shown on Showtime in the U.S.
After 12 rounds, the consensus seemed to be among boxing observers online that it was a good, close fight, but that Castaño had done enough to win.
The verdict, however, was a split draw. While many people accepted this decision since there were many close rounds and no fighter blew out the other, the score of one of the judges of 117-111 for Charlo was so ludicrous that Charlo himself even said it was too wide.
Both Charlo and Castaño said after the fight that they would welcome a rematch, but boxing's absurd system of multiple sanctioning bodies which each have their own mandatory challengers might prevent or delay that from happening any time soon, if ever.
The result was that there was an entertaining main event on an entertaining card, where the entertainment was ruined by the judging and overall lack of good governance in boxing.
We thus discussed this fight in this context of examining boxing's governance, how the general issue of governance is rarely discussed in boxing, how bad governance has been a major factor in boxing's decline, and what good governance constitutes. We also discussed new alternative forms of organizations for pro sports that are emerging, why sports organizations must work outside existing structures like the disgraceful International Olympic Committee, and much, much more.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
The Podomatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleague Chris Baldwin on the WAAR Room on Angry Afro Radio. A video of this discussion has also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
We spoke with her Monday, July 12.
It was yet another fiasco for boxing and its heavyweight division last week, as the postponement of a fight few wanted to see, the third meeting between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, was announced. There were, however, few details initially released about just why this fight had to be postponed from its July 24 date, although media reports indicated that it was because Fury and several members of his camp has tested positive for Covid-19. This was later publicly confirmed by Fury's co-promoter, Bob Arum, after we recorded this show.
We discussed the incredible stupidity and short-sightedness of these fighters not getting fully vaccinated and their promoters allowing this, what this means for this fight and the ever-shrinking possibility of a heavyweight title unification fight between Fury and Anthony Joshua, the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic and the vaccine rollouts, the possible need for booster shots, and much more.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
The Podomatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleague Chris Baldwin on the WAAR Room on Angry Afro Radio. Videos of this discussion have also been posted on the Angry Afro Radio YouTube page.
We spoke with her Thursday, July 1.
We discussed defending the rights of all LGBTQ athletes, including Caster Semenya, the South African runner and two-time Olympic gold medalist, who was kept out of the Tokyo Olympics by the discriminatory policies of World Athletics against intersex athletes, and weightlifter Laurel Hubbard from New Zealand, who is set to become the first openly transgender woman to compete in an Olympics. We strongly defended their human rights, and those of all other athletes, to play, fight, train, and compete.
The Tokyo Olympics are still set to start July 23, despite a new surge of Covid-19 cases in Tokyo and the rest of Japan, and even worse surges and lockdowns in many countries. We discussed how all these organizations which are involved in running what could very well be a major international superspreader event have betrayed the athletes and the public at large. We also discussed the weak slap on the wrist Russia received for its state-sponsored doping program, and how numerous Russian athletes are still slated to compete at the Tokyo Olympics. Plus, we slammed the theocratic and authoritarian Iranian regime for its ongoing attacks, threats, murder, and torture of Iranian athletes, and the forcing of Iranian athletes to throw contests to avoid facing Israeli athletes.
Moving over to the lovely world of professional boxing, we discussed the upcoming trilogy fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder on July 24, which few people want to see. We discussed its most likely outcome, and how it seems that Wilder has become unhinged leading up to this fight and what that may mean when they do fight. In addition, we discussed the potential fight between Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk, which has still not been officially announced, and what this means for the heavyweight division and a title unification fight between Fury and Joshua.
And we talked about racism and white supremacy in baseball, social audio apps including Cubhouse and Spotify's Greenroom, and more.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
The Podomatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Ed Suczewski, a U.S. sumo champion and president of the U.S. Sumo Federation.
We spoke with him by phone Monday, June 7.
Our main topic was the 2021 U.S. National Sumo Championships.
This event will be held Saturday, June 19, at Dreamland at 2770 W Hwy 290, Dripping Springs, Texas 78620, which is located about 23 miles west of Austin. This is an outdoor venue. Tickets are sold out online, and there will be a live stream.
The 2021 U.S. National Sumo Championships will be held at a time when sumo in the U.S. is in the midst of a revival.
"Anytime people are going through something, they look for something else they can turn to. And I think for a lot of people, sumo is that thing," he said.
"Life sometimes can just be full of all kinds of b.s. You put on a fake face at work. You put on a fake face in various relationships. But sumo is the realest, realest thing you can possibly be.
"You step in that ring. It's win or lose. It's ancient, primitive kind of battle. It connects us back to something that's ancient and inside all of us. And I think people turn to that.
"So you're dealing with all this stuff with the pandemic. I think it's got people looking for something, looking for an outlet, looking for an escape. And I think more and more people have been turning to sumo for that, to connect with something a little bit deeper.
"And I think especially now, with the Covid situation sort of improving and more people getting vaccinated, a lot of people have been thinking about coming out of the woodwork and maybe planning on it for the last year or two, now they're finally taking those steps.
"So we've seen more and more clubs popping up. More and more girls in the sport. More athletes coming out to try it."
The U.S. Sumo Nationals will determine seeding for the 2021 North American Sumo Championships, which will be held December 11 in Las Vegas, Nevada. In turn, the North American Sumo Championships will be a qualifier for the World Games, which will be held in July 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama. The top three finishers in their weight classes at the North American Sumo Championships will qualify for the World Games. So the 2021 U.S. National Sumo Championships begins a process which will likely see many U.S. sumo wrestlers competing on the world stage. This is especially important, since the 2021 World Championships had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
We also discussed some of the top athletes who will be competing at the 2021 U.S. Sumo Nationals, the format including weight classes and men's and women's divisions, how sumo is attracting athletes from many martial arts and combat sports and also American football, why we should remember and honor the late sumo world champion Manny Yarbrough, and much more.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content.
Now you can also support our independent, No Holds Barred journalism by purchasing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts at the new No Holds Barred with Eddie Goldman shop on Redbubble. (It has also been recommended to me that people choose sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.
The Podomatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Mariah Holmes, a sumo wrestler, a member of the 2020 U.S. National Team, and a vice president and trustee of the U.S. Sumo Federation.
We spoke with her by phone Saturday, May 29.
Before starting to train in sumo in 2018, Mariah Holmes was a rugby player. While she no longer competes in that sport, she found that sumo was unlike rugby or any other sport in which she had been involved before.
"To me, sumo is not like every other sport. There's something really special about sumo," she said.
"With rugby, I've done sports before, and so I've always been an athlete. But I think even for people who aren't athletes, they come into sumo and you realize right away, so it's not just physical. Yes, there is a huge physical aspect. So if you're hardcore, you want to have sweating, and you really work your body. Yes, there's a physical aspect, and you hit hard those tachiais [note: the initial charge of the wrestlers which starts a sumo match].
"They're no joke. But there's also this mental aspect that I think a lot of sports are missing. And it's almost like I've heard it described as playing a physical game of chess.
"So you have to be always thinking about your opponent's move and what's going to happen next, and if I do this, what kind of position does it put me in. And so it's a very mental game."
Unlike professional sumo in Japan, women are both permitted and encouraged to participate in amateur sumo at all levels. But, she noted, there are still not enough women training and competing in sumo. Some sumo clubs and training sessions will just have one woman, meaning they must wrestle with men.
"We want to have hundreds of women," she said, and is involved with a women's commission for the U.S. Sumo Federation.
We also discussed the next major event for sumo in the U.S., the 2021 U.S. National Sumo Championships. This will be held Saturday, June 19, at Dreamland at 2770 W Hwy 290, Dripping Springs, Texas 78620, which is located about 23 miles west of Austin.
The next major events scheduled are the North American Championships in December, and the World Games in July 2022, in Birmingham, Alabama.
In addition, we discussed why sumo is such an artful sport, how it can grow its fan base in the U.S., how the sumo culture of respect and calmness sets it apart from most other sports, and much more.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more exclusive premium No Holds Barred content.
The Podomatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleague Chris Baldwin. This discussion will also be posted on the WAAR Room.
We spoke with her by phone Sunday, May 9.
On Saturday, May 8, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez stopped Billy Joe Saunders with an eighth-round TKO in front of a reported 73,000+ fans at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Canelo displayed devastating power to defeat the previously unbeaten Saunders and cause multiple fractures to his orbital bone, necessitating surgery. With this win, the immensely popular Canelo, who already held two of the four major super middleweight belts, captured his third and cemented his status as the consensus top pound-for-pound fighter.
We discussed controversies emerging from this fight, including how the fight was progressing at the time of the stoppage, why it was correct for Saunders's corner to stop the fight when they did, why Saunders did not quit, how the view of some in boxing that fighters must "go out on their shields" is barbaric and antiquated, what might be next for Canelo in his quest to capture all four major super middleweight belts, and much more.
This past week also saw major developments in the fight to cancel the Tokyo Olympics, scheduled to begin July 23. A highlight was the posting of a petition in both Japanese and English, started by Japanese lawyer Kenji Utsunomiya, entitled "Cancel the Tokyo Olympics to protect our lives".
With much of Japan, including Tokyo, under its third state of emergency since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, as of Sunday, May 9, this petition has gotten well over 300,000 signatures, a record pace.
The petition notes that "as numbers show, the widespread outbreak of COVID19 has not at all been under control. While vaccination started at the end of last year, its distribution is limited to economically developed countries and thus the pandemic is far from over."
Japan is currently in its fourth wave of the pandemic. Coronavirus infections have been rising of late, including a record number of severely ill patients with severe symptoms due to the spread of more contagious variants. There has also been a very slow rollout of the vaccine in Japan. Dr. Kentaro Iwata, a physician, professor, and infectious diseases expert at Kobe University, was quoted as saying that "even thinking about the Olympics is just ridiculous" while health workers in Japan's over-burdened medical system "are really fighting a life-and-death situation."
We discussed the growing international opposition to the Tokyo Olympics, how this is a defining moment for sports activism, how the IOC oligarchs' plans endanger the health of both the people of Japan and the Olympic athletes, how the athletes will be screwed by the IOC's machinations whether the Tokyo Olympics go on or not, how plans to vaccinate Olympic athletes ahead of the elderly and ill in countries with limited or no access to vaccines is unjust and unfair, why athletes should plan their careers outside the failing and corrupt Olympic movement, and much more.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more No Holds Barred content.
(Photo of Canelo Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders by Matchroom Boxing.)
The Podomatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with sumotori, judoka, writer, and intellectual Kevin Carter. This is the second part of a two-part interview.
We spoke with him by phone Wednesday, April 14.
In the 1990s, sumo in Japan began to reach a wider international audience, including in the U.S., with the emergence of several stars who were not Japanese.
"You had Akebono, Musashimaru, Konishiki," Kevin Carter recalled.
Konishiki, an American born in Hawaii, was the first non-Japanese-born wrestler to reach ozeki, the second-highest rank in sumo. Many believed that he would have been promoted to yokozuna, the highest rank, had he been Japanese.
In 1993, Akebono, also an American born in Hawaii, became the first non-Japanese-born wrestler and the first American to be promoted to yokozuna.
Musashimaru, born in American Samoa and who grew up in Hawaii, became in 1999 the second foreign-born wrestler to be promoted to yokozuna.
"And then you had a few other Hawaiians who were in juryo, which is the second top professional division. So these guys were also in the top 50. You had those three top guys, and you had maybe three, four, or five guys who were one step below. And they were all thriving. The Hawaiians were really thriving. The Americans were really thriving," he said.
But that success, though increasing sumo's worldwide appeal, did not sit well with many who ran the Japan Sumo Association, which governs the sport in Japan. The result was a blanket decision which reverberates today.
"And then they banned all foreigners from coming in."
With that, sumo's popularity, and where it was practiced outside Japan, radically changed.
"When that happened, that basically put the kibosh on Hawaii. There was nothing for the Hawaiians to aspire to anymore. They really, they were basically told, 'We're not taking any of you for any reason.'
"There was like a ten-year period where very few foreigners were coming in. They let a few guys in from Mongolia. They let a few guys in from China. But they had cut off other parts of Europe for a little while."
And for some, this discrimination persists.
"They still have an unspoken ban on Hawaiians, just like they have an unspoken ban on Africans and other Black people," he noted.
At the same time, his own active participation in sumo competition was coming to an end. His last match was in 2002, but he still kept up with the sport.
In 2005, it appeared that sumo would take a major step forward as an international sport with the emergence of the World Sumo Challenge. Their inaugural event was held October 22, 2005, at Madison Square Garden, and was shown on tape delay on ESPN2 that December. This was a professional event featuring top sumo wrestlers from around the world, planned to lead to a worldwide tour the following year.
Some of the same people who organized the 1998 "Night of the Giants" sumo event in Atlantic City, New Jersey, were also involved in the World Sumo Challenge. One of them was Kevin Carter's old sumo coach, Yoshisada Yonezuka, who ran the Cranford Judo Karate Center in Cranford, New Jersey, and who also had trained Manny Yarbrough, who also was retired from sumo by this time.
It would have seemed logical for the organizers of the World Sumo Challenge to have brought in Kevin Carter, with his experience and record in many areas of sumo. He also lived reasonably close to New York City. But, surprisingly to him, the call never came.
With that snub, it was the end of the line for him in sumo. He said his attitude then was, "Fuck sumo."
While the World Sumo Challenge drew some 8000 mainly enthusiastic fans to Madison Square Garden, their 2006 tour was a bust. Now called the World Sumo League, they had no TV deal, fan attendance in the arenas was quite low, and the tour was abandoned midway, never to be resumed.
All these blunders drove one of its most serious devotees, Kevin Carter, from the sport. He no longer even followed it closely or watched sumo events.
The appeal of the sport, though, and his love of sumo, were still lingering. In more recent years he has done some refereeing and judging, and was asked to be a referee at the 2020 U.S. National Sumo Championships, organized by the U.S. Sumo Federation. He wanted to do this, but was only unable to do so because of job commitments. In the meantime, he also became a black belt in judo.
As we have noted many times, there has been a marked and recent revival of sumo in the U.S. New clubs have been formed and new tournaments have been held, a growth impeded mainly by the coronavirus pandemic. With mass vaccinations going on in the U.S, expect sumo to thrive even more, and, unlike in Japan, among a very diverse cross-section of people.
And while just what Kevin Carter will do in sumo today is not clear, he wants to, and certainly should, return to playing an important role in the sport.
"I really would enjoy seeing that revival and being part of that revival," he stressed.
So this story of Kevin Carter and his love of sumo is not yet over. There hopefully will be some more fond chapters to come, because, as the late Teddy Pendergrass sang:
"So good, so good, so good,
"When somebody loves you back."
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more No Holds Barred content.
The Podomatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with sumotori, judoka, writer, and intellectual Kevin Carter. This is the first of a two-part interview.
We spoke with him by phone Wednesday, April 14.
For Kevin Carter, sumo has been a lifelong passion.
While growing up, "I would come home after school, and the only thing I really watched on TV was sports," he said. "I watched a lot of baseball, football, basketball. I also played hockey, too. But I was watching every Saturday that I could, and very occasionally they'd put on sumo.
"I immediately fell in love with sumo. It was like, 'this is great, man!' These are guys who are obviously athletes."
This was in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and many of the greats of Japanese sumo at that time were sometimes featured on the sports highlight shows of that era.
"I just totally fell in love with sumo."
He still had not competed in sumo, though. When he was at Harvard, he played football. He had developed an affinity for Japanese culture by the time he began a career in journalism, covering sports for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Later he began writing about culture, music, and arts for that newspaper.
One day while watching Philadelphia's channel 10 (WCAU-TV, which was a CBS station at that time), he saw a feature on a huge African-American wrestler named Manny Yarbrough. He immediately resolved to do a story on him. That led him to interviewing both Manny Yarbrough and his judo and sumo coach, Yoshisada Yonezuka, who ran the Cranford Judo Karate Center in Cranford, New Jersey.
It proved to be a life-changing moment. "I want to do this, too," he said, and so he did, in both sumo and judo.
Among the sumo events in which he competed, he recalled, was a special U.S. vs. Canada tournament in 1993 in Hamilton, Ontario. He finished with a record of 9-6 and won a technique prize.
He continued training with Manny Yarbrough, who was having greater success than him. In 1992, the first amateur sumo world championships were held. Manny Yarbrough won a silver medal that year in the open weight division, the first of five world medals he would win. In 1995, Manny Yarbrough won a gold medal at the amateur sumo world championships, still the only American to win a world championship at this event.
Many members of the U.S. team at that time were Hawaiian. Kevin Carter described that period as a "dynasty of Hawaiians in amateur sumo." Sumo had become popular in Hawaii at least as early as the 1960s, and was a school sport there as well. In 1995 and 1996, he did his graduate work in Asian history at the University of Hawaii, and had a chance to train and compete in sumo while there.
After a brief foray into MMA, Manny Yarbrough went from amateur sumo into a venture trying to establish professional sumo in the U.S. In 1998, an event called "Night of the Giants" was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, at what was then the Trump Taj Mahal. It was taped for delayed showing on ESPN, and Kevin Carter worked with the show's promoters as a TV commentator and in helping run the tournament.
But many things went wrong with the show. First off, the promoters wanted to build it around Manny Yarbrough, who by that time had built a following, especially in that region. But Manny lost in the first round of the tournament, which was eventually won by Mark Robinson, who had already defeated him in the 1996 amateur sumo world championships. In addition, there was no agreement on how this show and event would be positioned. Many of the people running it wanted it to be a spectacle, a la the WWF of that time, while others, like Kevin Carter, wanted it run like a sport. With all these problems, he said, the show was "one and done."
That failed event and what was happening in general with American sumo would also prove to be the beginning of the end of Kevin Carter's involvement in the sport, at least for some time. We will discuss that more in the upcoming second part of our interview.
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Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
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On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleague Chris Baldwin on the WAAR Room.
We spoke with her by phone Sunday, April 11.
It was just confirmed a few days ago by both fighters' camps that Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have been made several concrete offers for where and when their heavyweight title unification fight might be staged this summer. The reported favorite location is Saudi Arabia. One reason for this is the difficulty of holding this fight in a large venue in the U.K. or U.S., which usually holds such events, because of pandemic restrictions. Another is that the monarchs in Saudi Arabia are willing to overpay to host this fight in order to claim to the world that they are building a modern, tolerant country, despite their horrific record on human rights.
When Joshua first fought in Saudi Arabia in December 2019, and Fury performed on a WWE show there in October of that year, there was limited and muted criticism of them for bringing their business to this despotic monarchy. But much has changed in the world since then.
In February of this year, the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence, now under the Biden-Harris Administration, released a report on the 2018 assassination of the dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The report concluded:
"We assess that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey, to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi," who was a long-term resident of the U.S. and wrote for the Washington Post. Muhammad bin Salman is the de facto ruler of this monarchy.
In 2020, a documentary on the assassination of Khashoggi entitled "The Dissident" was released. It was directed and produced by Bryan Fogel, who also directed the award-winning documentary "Icarus" on the Russian state-sponsored doping scandal. "The Dissident" has already won several film awards and been nominated for others, but is now only available on video-on-demand because of the refusal of many large streaming sites to buy it so as not to upset their business dealings with the Saudi monarchy.
Besides focusing on the story of the Saudi activist and video blogger Omar Abdulaziz, the film includes an interview with Hatice Cengiz, who was Khashoggi's fiancee. She is an academic, researcher, and writer.
With the news that Saudi Arabia is the frontrunner to host the Fury-Joshua fight, which will be boxing's biggest fight in years and a major world sporting event, Hatice Cengiz has issued a statement to The Telegraph of the U.K. urging both fighters and their camps not to have this fight in Saudi Arabia:
"Sports should not be used for politics, nor to whitewash atrocities. Jamal was brutally murdered and it would be shameful if the man who stands accused of ordering it were allowed to benefit from this famous and profitable boxing match. I urge the organisers not to give him this reward for his crimes. We should instead stand together for justice and humanity."
Note also that The Telegraph regularly covers boxing.
At the same time, there is a "Justice For Jamal" global campaign being organized that calls for a boycott of events hosted or supported by the Saudi dictatorship: "Until there is #JusticeForJamal, no government or company in the world should do business with Saudi Arabia's criminal regime."
All of this, plus the silence of the boxing media on these issues, is the focus of this edition of No Holds Barred.
(Photo of Tyson Fury from Mikey Williams/Top Rank. Photo of Anthony Joshua from Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing.)
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No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
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Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
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On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleague Chris Baldwin. This discussion will also be on the WAAR Room, which is hosted by Chris Baldwin..
We spoke with her by phone Sunday, March 28.
Our topics included:
*** Dillian Whyte scored a fourth-round stoppage over Alexander Povetkin in their heavyweight fight Saturday, March 27, in Gibraltar, to avenge a knockout loss to Povetkin last year. We examined what this means for the careers of both Whyte and Povetkin, Whyte's notable act of sportsmanship right after the fight was stopped, what may be holding up the signing of the Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua fight to crown an undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, and what it all means for the heavyweight division in general.
*** At the 2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, held March 18-20 in St. Louis, history was made as five of the ten national champions were African-Americans, the most ever. But there are some in the American wrestling community who reacted negatively to pointing this out and celebrating this achievement. We discussed the ongoing saga of the battle against racism and white supremacy in wrestling.
*** The 2021 Major League Baseball All-Star Game is scheduled to take place July 13 in Atlanta, Georgia. But the State of Georgia just passed new voting regulations which many are calling racist and a thinly-disguised revival of Jim Crow-era voter suppression of the Black vote. Now a discussion has started in baseball circles about moving the All-Star Game out of Atlanta. Among those raising this possibility are Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts, who will manage the National League team since the Dodgers won the 2020 World Series, along with former player Tony Clark, who is now the Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, and Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees' slugger and designated hitter/outfielder, who was the National League's Most Valuable Player in 2017.
*** While most attention in the sport of sumo has been on the top division wrestlers who competed at the March Grand Sumo Tournament, which concluded Sunday, March 28, in Tokyo, one of the wrestlers in a lower division suffered a frightening injury. Known as Hibikiryū, when he lost his match by being thrown to the ground, he landed on his head and then lay there motionless. It took several minutes before anyone attended to him, even though many people were around the ring at the time. Eventually he was carried out on a stretcher. Reports on his condition have been sketchy, with some saying that he is paralyzed below the neck. We discussed health and safety in Japanese professional sumo, and what those involved in amateur sumo in the U.S. and elsewhere can learn from this situation.
(Photo of Dillian Whyte and Alexander Povetkin by Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing.)
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more No Holds Barred content.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
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On this special edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with our colleague Chris Baldwin. This discussion will also be on the WAAR Room, which is hosted by Chris Baldwin.
We spoke with her by phone Monday, March 22.
We discussed the 2021 NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championships which were held March 18-20, and some of the lessons from it, including problems holding back the sport of wrestling, and the potential of sumo. We spoke about the growth of LGBTQ sports, including the World Gay Boxing Championships, founded by Martin Stark, which will begin in 2023, and which will be featured on a virtual live event hosted this week by Unleashed LGBTQ. We also discussed the 2022 Gay Games in Hong Kong, some of the most memorable interviews conducted for No Holds Barred, this past weekend's knockout victories by Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Artur Beterbiev, how No Holds Barred has and always will combine analysis of combat sports competitions with critical views of the social issues and questions in these sports, and more.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more No Holds Barred content.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
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On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman marks the 15th anniversary of this podcast, No Holds Barred, with a monologue on the show's history, principles, and evolution. Where boxing and various styles of wrestling presently stand, the corruption embedded in the sports world, the banality of the combat sports, bright spots like the revival of amateur sumo in the U.S., and much more are assessed.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more No Holds Barred content.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
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On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with investigative journalist, academic, consultant, and expert on match-fixing and corruption in international sports, Declan Hill.
We spoke with him by phone Friday.
It is well-known that there is widespread cheating and corruption in world sport, including state-sponsored doping. But corruption in world sport is so deep-rooted that state-sponsored organizations and media sites are popping up that claim to be anti-corruption, but which actually promote the corrupt activities of their sponsors.
"Follow the money," advised Declan Hill.
"This has been going on for almost a decade now. And it's linked, listeners, to two of the greatest geopolitical scandals in sports. And when I say geopolitical, I'm not exaggerating. This is like John le Carré, those international spy thrillers, meets 'Chariots of Fire'. This is big-time, major politics, and it's about the survival of states," he said.
"We're moving beyond sports corruption. We're moving beyond match-fixing. We're moving beyond doping," he noted.
"The two classic actors, the ones that are head and shoulders above everyone else, are of course the Russians, and the Qatar people. And they are into sports for two diametrically different reasons, but it is both conditional on the existential strength of their current governing regimes."
We discussed the reasons Russia and Qatar are among the world champions of sports corruption today, with the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups as prime examples, and how they each are spreading propaganda to obscure this.
For real exposures and reporting on sports corruption, he said that the "gold standard" is Play the Game, with its biennial international conferences and web site packed with informative analysis.
We discussed some of the dirty details of how sports corruption and spying on journalists are carried out; how a giveaway that something is not genuine anti-corruption analysis is if it puts the main blame on individual athletes rather than countries' sports systems for doping; how Qatar has used a system of "modern-day slavery"; how the spread of legal sports gambling is making many sports like horse racing, where people watch not for entertainment or to see who wins but mainly for betting purposes; the continued "sports-washing" of tyrannical regimes which overspend to attract major sporting events; the challenges facing honest journalists as much of the media and in particular sports media are in decline; the importance of organizations like Human Rights Watch in fighting sports corruption; and much, much more.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more No Holds Barred content.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
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On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Eros Armstrong, the women's heavyweight sumo wrestler on the 2020 U.S. National Team.
We spoke with her by Skype Wednesday.
Based in Austin, Texas, Eros Armstrong has already found much success after competing in sumo for just a little over a year. Previously she had wrestled in high school and college, and trained in boxing and the hand-to-hand combat techniques of the military. But for her, sumo wrestling is special and "different from the brutality of boxing and American wrestling."
Sumo wrestling, she said, "when you step into that ring, it's like soul combat. It's the only way I can describe it.
"You go in there. You're getting in the zone. As soon as the clap happens, it echoes throughout your whole being. And whatever was a problem in the outside world just melts away. The only thing that's there is that center, your center. You're in the center of the center. And the person that is in there with you is going to move. That is all that matters, is that they will be moved, out of the center."
She added, "You can't really understand it until you do it. And that's the only way I guess I can explain soul combat."
Besides training for national and international competitions, and hoping that one day sumo becomes an Olympic sport, she is devoting particular energy to getting more women to compete in it.
Towards that goal, she is working with her club, Dark Circle Sumo, in hosting the first Women's Invitational National Sumo Tournament, or W.I.N. Sumo Tournament, scheduled for March 6, 2021, in Austin. A women's sumo training camp is also being planned for before the tournament, all of which takes place right before International Women's Day 2021 on March 8.
"Women are built for sumo, especially with that lower body strength," she said.
"I hope you're going to tell your friends about sumo wrestling," she noted.
"If you've got sisters or aunties that you want to push around, get them to Austin, Texas, March 6, or before that so that they can get a little bit of a foundation in the sumo wrestling."
We also discussed more on how she first got involved with sumo, how her military and wrestling training were not nearly enough for sumo, how she was "extremely lucky" to find sumo, how she has learned so much from training with Justin Kizzart of Dark Circle Sumo, training and competing during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, how sumo involves people from many different sports and backgrounds, the culture of respect in sumo, how she is dedicating herself to sumo, and much, much more.
Please also subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon for much more No Holds Barred content on the combat sports and martial arts, for only US$10 a month.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Fight Shop, home of the Skullz Double-End Bag, the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Fight Shop - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://skullzfightshop.com.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
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On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Justin Kizzart of Dark Circle Sumo.
Besides founding this sumo club in Austin, Texas, he still regularly competes in the sport and is a trustee of the U.S. Sumo Federation.
We spoke with him by phone Thursday.
Even with the coronavirus pandemic still raging, this was a busy year for Dark Circle Sumo. Along with Dark Clan Fight Lab, they hosted the inaugural Consulate's Cup open invitation sumo tournament in Austin on October 10, 2020. Justin Kizzart himself participated in the Second Annual Queen City Sumo Open hosted by the Ohayo Sumo Association, held December 13, 2020, in Franklin, Ohio, near Cincinnati. There he finished third in the men's lightweight division.
With coronavirus vaccines now starting to be available, 2021 looks to be an even bigger year as sumo in the U.S. revives.
So far, Dark Circle Sumo is scheduled to host two important events.
The first Women's Invitational National Sumo Tournament, hosted by heavyweight sumo wrestler Eros Armstrong, is scheduled for March 6, 2021, in Austin.
For 2021, the U.S. Sumo Federation has also scheduled the 2021 U.S. National and North American Championships to be held in Austin, on June 19, 2021. This will serve as the qualifying event for the 2021 Sumo World Championships in Krotoszyn, Poland in September 2021.
These will set the stage for a major multi-sport event in which sumo is included on the program: The World Games.
The 11th edition of The World Games, usually held staged every four years, was originally scheduled for 2021, but was postponed to 2022 due to the Tokyo Summer Olympics being postponed from 2020 to 2021. Now The World Games is scheduled to take place July 7-17, 2022, and be held in the U.S., in Birmingham, Alabama. 3,600 athletes from over 30 sports and 100 countries are expected to take part in The World Games in 2022.
Besides being able to compete on a world stage in the U.S. in The World Games, qualifying events are slated to be held in December 2021, offering another opportunity for American sumo wrestlers to compete at home and build their sport.
"The year's going to be pretty big, leading up to Birmingham. It is going to be a pivotal moment for sumo," said Justin Kizzart.
"And I think that we have time to really step up what we do here, so that Americans can root. It's here on home soil. So I think it will be exciting for Americans to begin to know the sport, and to start rooting for the different teams that are growing going into the World Games."
And he emphasized, "This is going to be so good for us, so good for us. So I'm excited to see what's coming in the next year and a half."
We also discussed what appealed to him about sumo so that he got so involved in the sport, the need for sumo wrestlers in the U.S. to learn from the training and conditioning methods used by international teams, how sumo bridges the gap between different martial arts, how he started the Consulate's Cup and taught himself about live streaming, training in the 82 winning techniques in sumo, and much, much more.
If you are able to, please make a donation to support No Holds Barred so that the truth can still be told. You can do so at PayPal.me/nhbnews.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
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On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Ed Suczewski, a U.S. sumo champion and president of the U.S. Sumo Federation.
We spoke with him by phone Wednesday.
Sumo is a sport to which Ed Suczewski, who competed in American folkstyle wrestling while in school, said he was "instantly drawn". He eventually began competing in sumo, and from there his involvement in and commitment to the sport rapidly grew. But it was not his original intention to become a leader in it.
"In terms of getting involved in the leadership, it's not something I ever really set out to do, but it was just a need that I saw needed to be filled," he said.
"I felt the federation had been around for a long time, and a lot of the people who came before me did a lot of great things to move the sport forward. But I felt like I had some ideas and maybe a new direction I could bring to the table. So for that reason, I wanted to get involved and just kind of see what I could offer."
Encouraging and supporting the local and regional sumo clubs to host their own events, like the recent Consulate's Cup in Austin, Texas, has helped expand the sport, he explained.
"In terms of a new direction, I've been really inspired by what these different clubs are doing. And I think for the federation to do what it's doing now, which is taking on more of a bottom-up leadership style rather than a top-down leadership style, and giving the clubs the freedom to really push the boundaries of the sport and move things forward, I think is what we're trying to do," he said.
"And so, opening the door more and more for these clubs and these individual athletes and promoters to move the sport forward, is where we're at."
An icon and star of the past of American sumo is the late Manny Yarbrough. He is still the only American ever to have won a gold medal at the world championships organized by the International Sumo Federation, when in 1995 he was the champion in the open weight division. He also won silver medals in 1992, 1994, and 1996, and a bronze medal in 1993.
We discussed finding a way for the U.S. Sumo Federation to honor Manny Yarbrough and his legacy. "It can be done," said Ed Suczewski.
We also discussed the notable enthusiasm for the sport from those involved with the U.S. Sumo Federation today, how sumo is very easy for fans to understand while still involving much technique, how unlike some other combat sports "sumo is actually fun" and builds respect, how it is a family-friendly sport, its still untapped potential outside Japan, the need for a sumo club in New York, how it is the sport best suited for the TikTok short-form video-sharing service, and much, much more.
If you are able to, please make a donation to support No Holds Barred so that the truth can still be told. You can do so at PayPal.me/nhbnews.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Leslie Collins and Laurie Collins of Sumo Kaboom.
We spoke with them by Skype Sunday.
The Sumo Kaboom podcast offers a unique and entertaining take on the ancient and still thriving sport of sumo. Mixing discussion about the latest bashos (tournaments) in Japan with sumo history, new developments in amateur sumo in the U.S. and elsewhere, and, of course, comedy, this weekly podcast is both an introduction to the sport and an education in it. And it keeps your interest from start to finish, regardless of how much you know or don't know about sumo.
Laurie Collins, joined by her sister Leslie who both often talk over each other and laugh as they each speak, explained about the reasons they started a podcast on sumo.
"Initially it was just an interest. And we started this podcast earlier this year," in March, said Laurie Collins. "I sort of pitched it out there to Leslie because I was like, 'I need a creative project.'"
Their choice of a topic for the podcast was obvious: "Sumo is just incredibly fascinating to me."
At this point, Leslie Collins chimed in.
"I would never have gotten it done. She's more of the person who has an idea and follows through. And she actually gets things done. I was like, 'Sure I'll do it.' But then things fall apart. It was mostly her," Leslie Collins said, as they both laughed.
Laurie Collins described more on their decision to do a sumo podcast.
"Let's do this. Let's do it weekly. It might be absolutely ridiculous. But you know what? The more I look into the sumo coverage out there in America, there's not as much as I would like. I have a lot more questions about sumo that are not being answered. So, let's answer them," she said.
"And I think I only found one other female voice in the sumo media, which was Sumo Mainichi [from Australia]."
Thus, ergo, and therefore, they reasoned, "Why not? Let's try this thing. And if it fails, if it doesn't go anywhere, that's fine. But at least we're going to have fun trying, and we're going to learn something in the process."
We discussed more on their fascination with sumo and the wrestlers, discussing the sport while in the U.S. and during the coronavirus pandemic, how their travel and jobs as performers and comedians helped prepare them to embrace and cover sumo, the Japan Sumo Association and the International Sumo Federation, the need to expand the role of women in sumo at all levels, their emphasis on the culture and history of sumo and not simply analyzing the matches, how they are not experts on sumo but fans, thoughts on how to grow sumo in the U.S., and much, much more.
If you are able to, please make a donation to support No Holds Barred so that the truth can still be told. You can do so at PayPal.me/nhbnews.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Martin Stark, the founder and CEO of the World Gay Boxing Championships.
The plan is for the inaugural World Gay Boxing Championships to take place in Sydney, Australia, in February 2023, coinciding with Mardi Gras and World Pride in that city. The World Gay Boxing Championships are open to all LGBTQ people but are also straight-friendly, and thus open to anyone.
We spoke with him by Skype Monday (Sunday in the U.S.).
The origins of the World Gay Boxing Championships are directly related to Martin Stark's own story.
"It literally started last year when I was in the hospital. I have the rare autoimmune condition Addison's disease, which basically means my adrenal glands do not produce cortisol, which is the same condition that President JFK had," he said.
"Now, last year I had hospitalization because of my disease. And to motivate myself, I contacted the Gay Games in Hong Kong to inquire about the boxing program. And they came back saying unfortunately boxing didn't make the list of sports for the next Gay Games" in 2022.
"So I came up with the idea with, well, I've been boxing for a period of time now and I wanted to compete. But I wanted to compete in an LGBTQ sporting environment. So I decided to create the first world, the world's first-ever LGBTQ boxing tournament, and called it the World Gay Boxing Championships."
Next he had to see if there was significant interest in this idea.
"It was just an idea. I started sharing my idea on LinkedIn, and friends started supporting me," he said.
"So that's how it all started."
Since then, the World Gay Boxing Championships was set up as an Australian not-for-profit organization.
In October of this year, Boxing Australia, the national federation for amateur boxing in Australia, announced that they are supporting the World Gay Boxing Championships and will assist with the organization of their events. The amateur boxing rules of AIBA, the Olympic boxing federation, will be used in these fights.
But the goals of the World Gay Boxing Championships go much farther than just organizing another boxing competition.
Part of what they are doing, said Martin Stark, "is to disrupt homophobia, biphobia, interphobia, and transphobia, so that people feel safe to compete in the beautiful sport of boxing, an amazing sport of boxing.
"And I have said repeatedly that by the end of this decade," he added, "I set up the organization to no longer exist. There is less hatred in sports."
Of course, he realizes that this goal remains to be achieved.
"We're not there yet. And we've made some great progress this century, but there's more work to do."
We also discussed plans to increase funding for the World Gay Boxing Championships, plans to develop more grassroots boxing clubs and participation, plans for smaller fight nights leading up to the event itself, and much more.
If you are able to, please make a donation to support No Holds Barred so that the truth can still be told. You can do so at PayPal.me/nhbnews.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleague, correspondent, and the award-winning boxing writer, Charles Farrell.
We spoke with him by phone Sunday.
While the coronavirus pandemic is still raging in many parts of the world, there nevertheless have been many notable fights involving top boxers in recent weeks.
Among those fights we discussed were: Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Carlos Cuadras 2 and Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez vs. Israel Gonzalez on October 23, and Naoya Inoue vs. Jason Moloney, Gervonta Davis vs. Leo Santa Cruz, and Oleksandr Usyk vs. Derek Chisora, which were all on October 31.
Estrada, he said, "may be the best technical fighter fighting today. He does everything beautifully." His opponent in their rematch, Cuadras, "is brilliantly talented." This exciting, even matchup, where the outcome was in doubt until the very end, made this "the best fight I've seen in the last couple of years," he said.
The impressive knockouts on the same night by Naoya Inoue and Gervonta Davis have invited comparisons between the performances of these two boxers.
"I thought Inoue was the fighter of the night," said Charles Farrell. "I'm impressed with Davis's performance, but I was impressed with Santa Cruz's performance, too."
He added, "We already know that Davis can punch." But he cautioned, "I would say that, anybody that size who is hit with a punch like that, it would have the same effect. He'd knock them out cold. But I do think that some questions opened up that maybe we didn't have before."
After discussing more on all these fights and the current state of boxing, we moved on to Charles Farrell's memoir, which is due out in June 2021. It is entitled (Low)life: A Memoir of Jazz, Fight-Fixing, and The Mob. That led us into examining the connections between boxing, jazz, and the mob, and how boxing can only be understood as part of culture and not just a sport.
All this discussion of these fight of the year and knockout of the year candidates, as well as what might happen in 2021 in boxing especially with the heavyweights, makes this lengthy show the boxing podcast of the year.
If you are able to, please make a donation to support No Holds Barred so that the truth can still be told. You can do so at PayPal.me/nhbnews.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Jackie Silva, a 1996 Olympic gold medalist for Brazil in women's beach volleyball, of the #LetHerRun Movement.
We spoke with her by Skype Tuesday, Sept. 29.
Because of regulations devised by the Olympic federation World Athletics in 2018, all three medalists in the women's 800 meter finals at the 2016 Rio Olympics are presently barred from competing in this event at the Tokyo Olympics: gold medalist Caster Semenya of South Africa, silver medalist Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi, and bronze medalist Margaret Wambui of Kenya.
The excuse for banning these three Black African women is that they were all born with naturally higher than average testosterone levels than most women, and have sometimes been described as being intersex although they all identify as women. World Athletics wants them either not to compete, to compete in other events than those in which they specialize, or else to take unproven and likely dangerous drugs to lower their natural testosterone levels.
This racist, sexist, outrageous, and discriminatory regulation was upheld in 2019 both by the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the Swiss Federal Supreme Court. Numerous groups and individuals in world sport, as well as advocates for human rights, have denounced and protested against these decisions.
"The Let Her Run movement, the objective, is to allow Caster and the other two runners to run in the Tokyo Olympic Games, in their natural, physical condition, just like any women can run. That's why we started with this movement," said Jackie Silva.
"And the plan is to take the movement to all over the place, all of the people, to know and understand better their situation."
We discussed how all these three women runners "identify as women"; how male athletes' natural testosterone levels are never considered to be too high; the sordid and abusive history of sex testing of women in the Olympics; why sport should be about "inclusion" and "bigger than everyone"; trans athletes and those with "no gender" and how sport should "respect their human rights"; the need for athletes and their supporters to speak up and unite on all these issues; and much, much more.
If you are able to, please make a donation to support No Holds Barred so that the truth can still be told. You can do so at PayPal.me/nhbnews.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Brendan Schwab, executive director of the World Players Association.
The World Players Association, part of UNI Global Union, is the exclusive global voice of organized players and athletes across professional sport. It brings together 85,000 players through more than 100 player associations in over 60 countries.
We first spoke with Brendan Schwab by Skype Thursday, Sept. 10. But on Sat., Sept. 12, we all got the horrifying news that, despite a worldwide campaign on his behalf, Iran had secretly executed Navid Afkari on the trumped up charges for which Iran's courts had convicted him. We thus spoke again with Brendan Schwab Sat., in a much shorter discussion, about this execution and its implications for world sport and the place of Iran in it.
So, to keep us all up to date, the first segment you will hear is the shorter discussion of Sept. 12 with Brendan Schwab. After that is the longer discussion of Sept. 10, when again we all had hoped that Navid's life would be spared.
"There needs to be the highest level of accountability in sport for this type of behavior. We need to make sure that Navid has not lost his life in vain," he said.
"There's no doubt that we regard this as a repudiation on the part of Iran of its desire to be a member of the international sporting community. And of course our position is only made stronger by the devastating events of today."
He added, "We now need to see a very strong statement that global sport condemns the use of the death penalty, the use of torture, the use of inhumane and degrading treatment on any member of the Olympic movement, on any athlete, on any person who's affected by the Olympic movement."
In the first part of our discussion, Brendan Schwab emphasized that, while the rising tide of athlete activism is gaining popular support, there are still many sports organizations, especially in the Olympic movement, which are trying to block athletes from expressing their views. That itself has become an issue in this fight for human rights for athletes.
"If you're going to really understand any civil rights or human rights movement, and what does that mean, it really basically comes down to two fundamental aspects," he said.
"The first one is the right of freedom of expression, the right to freely state your genuinely held political beliefs. And the second, of course, is the right to freedom of association.
"And these are two rights that the Olympic movement really struggles to come to terms with. Because what it is trying to be is an organization that is inclusive, and therefore it believes it needs to be autonomous, that is it's self-governing, and it needs to be politically neutral. It tries to avoid the tough questions. It tries to avoid the uncomfortable conversation.
"And that can actually put it at odds with these two essentially inalienable rights, freedom of association and freedom of expression."
These issues have particularly come to the forefront with the worldwide upsurge in the struggle against racism and white supremacy, as athletes around the world are more and more joining in this struggle.
"We are living in very, very important and historic times," he said.
"We have seen with the Black Lives Matter movement and with other causes of social justice in sports in recent times, including gender equality, that athletes will not stick to sports, that athletes are insisting that sport is truly a force for good, and that there will not only be human rights and athlete rights respected within sport, but sport will be a vehicle for social justice beyond sport."
We also discussed:
-- The hypocrisy of the International Olympic Committee, which claims it is for human rights but enforces its Rule 50 which prohibits athlete protests at its events.
-- How the human rights of Olympic and world champion runner Caster Semenya of South Africa, who has naturally high testosterone levels for a woman, are being violated by those entities which are trying to deny her the right to compete as a woman, and force her to take dangerous drugs.
-- What can be done to further the cause of human rights for athletes.
-- And much, much more.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Rob Koehler, director general of Global Athlete.
We spoke with him by phone Thursday.
With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic upending sports, the massive Black Lives Matter anti-racist protests since the murder of George Floyd, the uncertainty surrounding the postponed Tokyo Olympics, and a host of other relevant issues and factors, the result in recent months has been a marked increase in activism by athletes around the world. And that, said Rob Koehler, is a good thing.
"I think we're seeing some really good stuff coming from athletes," he said. "More than ever I've seen athletes speaking up on issues. They are not taking the status quo anymore. They are standing up on issues."
More and more, athletes are forming their own independent organizations.
"We're going to see it more. And the more athletes speak up, I think the more athletes will come forward, because power in numbers makes a huge difference," he said.
"Everyone wants to see sports succeed," he noted, while pointing out what else needs to be done.
"It's time to change. We're at a real crossroads here, in terms of do we make sports look different? Do we make sports stronger? And how do we do that?" Key to that is "engaging athletes, empowering athletes to have independent collective voices."
For the future, Global Athlete has some ambitious plans.
"We're going to continue advocating and continue to work with the various athlete groups across the world that are standing up on issues," he said. "We really want to see more organizations and want to help support and assist development of more organizations like the Athletics Association, where they are operating independently. We are working with three other sports right now, athletes in three other sports, to move forward and establish a similar structure.
"So I think for us, that's the way we'd like to see things move forward, where athletes get together, they develop their own structure, and they make it a global representation on an international level. That's the way I see the future going to the mid- to short-term."
We also discussed the growing athlete opposition to the International Olympic Committee's Rule 50 which bars podium protests; why athletes are humans first and athletes second; ensuring that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is implemented and enforced in world sport; why countries with a bad human rights record should not be permitted to host international sporting events; the upcoming case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport about Russia's state-sponsored doping program and its being banned from the Olympics; how in light of the ongoing pandemic there must be a realistic roadmap for the return to training and competition in preparation for the Summer Olympics; how a cancellation of the Summer Olympics will have an adverse effect on athletes; and much, much more.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Nate Jackson, a two-time All-American wrestler at Indiana, a current assistant coach at Princeton wrestling, and a founder and president of the Black Wrestling Association (BWA).
We spoke with him by phone Thursday.
The founding of the Black Wrestling Association is a direct product of the mass anti-racist uprisings in America and the world following the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and other Black people. This led to several Black wrestlers including Nate Jackson having discussions about how to respond.
"We were kind of called together, brought together through tragedy. So after the Ahmaud Arbery murder, we sought different ways on trying to bring awareness to Black men and Black people in general being brutalized in our country through overt racists," he said.
Then on May 25 George Floyd was murdered, with the excruciating scene captured on video which was seen by millions around the world. That led to a series of protests, which are still ongoing, against racism, white supremacy, and police violence and murders, which have had the widest support and participation than any such protests since at least the 1960s and perhaps even more than occurred then.
For Nate Jackson and the Black wrestlers with whom he was already speaking, more decisive discussions took place.
"George Floyd's murder was a paradigm shifter, especially in public discussions, just because everyone that I talked to and that I saw around the Internet, everybody reacted the same way. Everybody was in shock," he said.
Now the circle of people participating in these discussions widened.
"We devised a call. And on that call there was about 60 other wrestlers of influence, wrestlers that we thought should be on that call. And this call was facilitated by myself, and we had moderators, most of the founding members. And we had just open discussion," he said.
"And at the end of the call, guess what? We all felt exactly the same about these issues. And in feeling the same, we had a responsibility to do something.
"So after that call came and went, the founding members -- myself, Kerry McCoy, Kevin Jackson, J'den Cox, Kenny Monday, James Green, Gabriel Townsell, B.J. Futrell, Kyven Gadson, and Mark Hall -- we decided to create the BWA.
"And our mission is to inspire, to connect, empower Black wrestlers and allies to grow wrestling through representation, equality, and opportunity," he said.
That was in June. In the brief time since, the Black Wrestling Association has been developing plans to build and strengthen its organization.
We discussed more of what those plans are; how they plan to use their platform as wrestlers to change wrestling and the world; how Black wrestlers need more representation in what is "a pretty insulated sport"; how they are involving some of the Black wrestlers of the past as well as college and high school wrestlers while creating role models for the youth; working to grow the sport of wrestling while striving to do all this; the priority of involving women wrestlers in the BWA; the sad recent passing of wrestling legend Carlton Haselrig; and much, much more.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Steve Nelson, who fought in and ran the Unified Shoot Wrestling Federation (USWF). In the 1990s, the USWF ran a series of successful events, mainly in Amarillo, Texas, using shoot wrestling rules which allowed open-handed strikes, submissions, kicks, and knees.
Steve Nelson wrestled at Oklahoma State, won two world silver medals in sambo, had a judo background, came from a family of pro wrestlers, and fought in MMA. He was also the longtime head wrestling coach for both the boys' and girls' wrestling teams at Palo Duro High School in Amarillo.
We spoke with him by phone Wednesday.
Some two decades after USWF stopped running shows, there has been a recent revival of interest in it.
"All of a sudden we've got this revival of the USWF. People are wanting to write books on the USWF, write books on Evan Tanner," he said, referring to the USWF heavyweight champion, Pancrase Neo-Blood tournament winner, and later UFC middleweight champion.
"Gong Magazine just did a six-page layout on myself and the USWF in Japan," he added.
While he finds it "hard to believe" that so many people are interested in a fight company that ceased to exist so long ago, he did offer some insight into why USWF remains intriguing to people.
"I think a lot of people miss it," he said, "and it might have to do with some of the stuff that's going on now and how the USWF was handled. We tried to be a company with class, and you don't always see that in today's companies. That's how we tried to handle the USWF because I knew all those guys were role models."
While there are no plans to revive the USWF or its style, he is interested in recent developments in the sport of sambo.
"I'm surprised that sambo hasn't grown more than it has," he said, especially in the U.S. That, however, may start to change. He noted that there are three sambo schools in the Arlington-Dallas, Texas, area, with plans to establish a professional sambo league. If problems such as lack of funding and the need for more sambo schools are resolved, "I think the United States would be in a very high level of everybody else if all this was funded," he noted.
We also discussed more on the history and legacy of USWF, the many obstacles to sambo being included on the Olympic program, and much more.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Chris Baldwin AKA the Fight Goddess.
We spoke with her by phone Thursday.
With the coronavirus pandemic still raging and cases of Covid-19 continuing to surge in many places in the U.S., including in Southern California, she has had to change how she conducts personal training.
"I had a mobile training business for the last 12 years here in Los Angeles, and that business came to a screeching halt once the lockdown order came from my Governer Newsom," she said, a lockdown, by the way, which she supports. She thus has had to shift gears and focus more on her Skullz punching bag product.
"Now I've had to do more virtual training," mainly outside, she said.
"It's taken a toll. It's definitely mentally, physically, emotionally, it's definitely taken a toll."
While the pandemic has yet to subside, and there are still a record number of new cases in the U.S. almost every day now, the fight against racism, white supremacy, and police murders and brutality has mushroomed to all parts of the U.S. and around the world. One of the largest and most important of these marches and rallies took place on June 14 under the slogan "All Black Lives Matter," which she attended. The march focused on both the Black Lives Matter movement as well as the fight for LGBTQ rights.
The "All Black Lives Matter" slogan was chosen for an "emphasis even not on LGB, but on the T. So our transgender family members are being murdered, our brothers and sisters are being murdered every single day at an astronomical rate."
While some in this growing Black Lives Matter movement exclude transgender people or even are offensive to them, she opposes such a stance.
"We can't have that," she said. "Your values, our values need to be aligned with unity."
We also discussed the call by unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua for athletes to form a union to fight racism; the recent formation of the Players Alliance by over 100 Black current and former pro baseball players to fight racism and white supremacy inside and outside of baseball; how viable are sports without fans present; the controversy around a proposed Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua fight being arranged by accused gangster Daniel Kinahan; and much, much more.
(Photo by Marna Deitch.)
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with investigative journalist, academic, consultant, and expert on match-fixing and corruption in international sports, Declan Hill.
He is also an associate professor in the Investigations Department at the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences at the University of New Haven in New Haven, Connecticut.
We spoke with him by phone Tuesday.
The news broke in June that Daniel Kinahan would be playing a key role in arranging a potential heavyweight title unification fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, the two top fighters in the division and holders between them of all the major belts. But not many outside Kinahan's native Ireland knew who he was or his history.
Soon stories appeared in the Irish media explaining that Kinahan, now based in Dubai, headed a notorious international gang which engaged in drug and arms smuggling. Officials from the then-Irish prime minister to members of rival Irish political parties all condemned his attempt to rebrand himself as simply a boxing promoter or advisor. Many in the U.K. media as well as a few in the boxing media then reported on this story. Even so, Kinahan continued to receive praise from Tyson Fury, Bob Arum, and other prominent boxing people. While Kinahan has since been said to be withdrawing from publicly engaging in boxing negotiations, his ties to many fighters remain, at best, unclear.
"This story is like something out of Hollywood, and I have absolutely no doubt that there will be a movie made of this at some point," said Declan Hill.
"This is the Kinahan Gang and it's their long-standing blood feud with the Hutch Gang."
We discussed in depth the Irish government's long battle against these feuding drug gangs, the role of the media in this story, how this fits in with boxing's long history of association with organized crime, and much, much more.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Rob Koehler, director general of Global Athlete.
We spoke with him by phone Thursday.
For weeks the International Olympic Committee and its president, Thomas Bach, insisted that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics would go on as scheduled starting in July, and even after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on March 11. That only changed on March 24, when the IOC and the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee did an abrupt about-face and announced that the Olympics would be postponed. Later on March 30, they announced that the new dates would be July 23 to August 8, 2021, for the Olympics and August 24 to September 5, 2021, for the Paralympics. But these changes were only made after many athletes and sports organizations were vociferously protesting, demanding a postponement, and saying they would not participate on the originally planned dates to protect their health.
"The International Olympic Committee and Thomas Bach, I think, really didn't manage this in a way that had the athletes' rights respected in the manner that they should have been," said Rob Koehler.
A pandemic was declared, Olympic qualifying events were being cancelled, many professional sports organizations postponed or cancelled events, training facilities and gyms were being closed, borders were being closed, people were self-isolating, positive tests and deaths from the coronavirus were mounting, and some countries instituted lockdowns. But the IOC was "telling athletes to continue to train, continue to go forward with their preparations for the Olympic Games, which for us and the athlete groups we spoke to was an out-of-touch message" that ignored the "number one thing," public health, he said.
"We rallied the troops. We worked with different sports, athletics, the different countries to look at the message we wanted to send to the International Olympic Committee. And we called very openly and very vocally for the IOC to make an announcement that they're postponing the Games. They owed the duty of care to athletes. They were acting very irresponsibly. And I think the athletes' voice, the way they spoke up, forced the IOC to make a decision that they should have made a week before, and that was to postpone the Games," he said.
"We understand it's a very difficult situation, there's a lot of moving parts, it's not an easy decision, but all athletes needed to hear was, 'it's being postponed and we'll figure things out and we'll let you know once we figure things out.'
"And the athletes forced that card on them, and I was proud of every athlete that stood up."
We also discussed how many athletes competing in professional leagues have representation while many Olympic athletes do not; various models for independent athletes' associations; the need to support athletes' mental health with the postponement of the Olympics; how it is not yet known if athletes will be able to train in time to prepare for an Olympics starting in July 2021; the fiasco of the IOC-run Olympic boxing qualifier in London which was only cancelled midway after it had started and saw several boxers and coaches test positive for coronavirus afterwards; alternatives to the Olympic movement; and much, much more.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with former kickboxer and current member of the Irish karate team Caradh O'Donovan.
We spoke with her by Skype Sunday.
With karate being included on the program of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she had hoped to represent Ireland there. Now, in light of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, she and athletes in all sports and all countries may not be able to realize their dreams of competing in the Olympics. Most Olympic qualifying events have either been cancelled or postponed, and when or even if they will take place are at best uncertain.
Speaking about the Olympic qualifying events, she said, "My personal view is that everything should be stopped." Even if the European karate championships, which were cancelled, were still going on, she said she would have pulled out of them.
"I think that people who are making the decisions should be taking the health and safety of people first, not just the fans, but every single person that's involved in the sport. And sometimes that means making calls that means, yes, will probably cost a lot of money and upset people, but it might be for the greater good," she said.
While most Olympic qualifying and other sporting events are now off, still, as of Monday, March 16, the International Olympic Committee and Tokyo 2020 have been insisting that the 2020 Olympics will start on time as planned on July 24.
"It just seems to be a really out of touch position to take on it," she said, "because this is a serious virus that's going around, and it's killing people in so many different corners of the world. I just think the attitude is very flippant and maybe it trivializes what's going on."
She added, "Obviously you can't say for sure, but it does appear to be that the bottom line is money, and those decisions will kind of be based around protecting that and protecting the organization."
Perhaps it will take athletes and fans speaking up to get the IOC and Tokyo 2020 to change their position, but "I just don't see it going as smoothly as they want it to be."
She said all this as someone who is 35 years old and is competing in a sport, karate, that is on the Olympic program for 2020 but not for 2024.
"This is coming from me, who wants to go. This has been my dream forever to get to these Games," she said.
"The entire world is shutting down. Businesses are being impacted. Yet the Olympic Games is just going to come through this unscathed? It just doesn't seem realistic."
We also discussed what she has been doing while training facilities are closed down due to the coronavirus pandemic, the great likelihood of transmission of the virus in combat and contact sports, her new role on a weekly sports radio show at a time when there are no sporting events, and much, much more.
(Photo of Caradh O'Donovan at 2018 Irish Kenpo Karate Union Open by Noel Bergin.)
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the next round of fights for the top tier of heavyweights. Fresh from being stopped in the seventh round by Tyson Fury in their Feb. 22 rematch, Deontay Wilder has reportedly exercised the clause in the contract for that fight for a third fight between these two to take place. The reported working date is July 18. That pushes back any potential fight between the consensus top two heavyweights, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. And it means that Joshua's next fight will thus be against his mandatory challenger, Kubrat Pulev. That one is scheduled for June 20 in London.
Why my reaction, and the reaction of most who follow boxing, is meh, bleh, and feh, is discussed and analyzed.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
LenneHardt.com, the home of Lenne Hardt, the legendary MMA and sports announcer, voice actor, singer, actress, and comedienne. Lenne is also known for her jazz vocals with her Lenne Hardt Jazz Cabaret Band. For more information, to book her, or to order a custom message from her, go to LenneHardt.com.
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses Tyson Fury's seventh-round stoppage of Deontay Wilder on February 22 in the biggest fight so far of 2020 and for the heavyweight division. Fury is now clearly the consensus top heavyweight in the world. What this fight meant for both fighters and for boxing, as well as what might be and should be next in the unresolved quest to crown an undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, are all examined.
(Photo of Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury 2 by Ryan Hafey, Premier Boxing Champions.)
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Changhee Han. who is the Programme Specialist in charge of the 2nd African Regional Martial Arts Congress and the 3rd Martial Arts Open School Project in 2019, which were organized by UNESCO's International Centre of Martial Arts..
We spoke with him by Skype Friday.
The 2nd African Regional Martial Arts Congress was held September 25-26, 2019, in Accra, Ghana. The first of these congresses was held in 2018 in Nairobi, Kenya, and mainly aimed at the East African countries. The third congress will be held later this year in Zimbabwe and will be aimed at the Southern African region.
Besides bringing together many experts, practitioners, and academics specializing in the martial arts, these regional congresses and the martial arts open schools are designed to spread more than the many techniques used in the martial arts.
"Our Centre is under UNESCO and also Korean government," he said. "So it's not just about distribution of martial arts in Africa or in the world. We are here for helping youth, and women, or disabled, handicapped people, using by martial arts, its philosophy, or its value. Value matters. Value matters for our Centre."
And he stressed, "That's the reason of our existence."
We discussed more on the goals of the International Centre of Martial Arts, how each of the African regional congresses have developed, the importance focusing on the African martial arts, the growth of the open schools project, the importance of the traditional Korean martial art Taekkyeon, how wrestling is a martial art, and much, much more.
(Photo of 2nd African Regional Martial Arts Congress by Changhee Han.)
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our correspondent Chris Baldwin.
She was at this past Monday's press conference in Los Angeles for the rematch between WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (42-0-1, 41 KOs) and Tyson Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs). Their first fight, in Dec. 2018, ended in a controversial split draw, with most observers saying that Fury deserved the win. The rematch is scheduled to take place Feb. 22, 2020, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. In the U.S., it will be shown on a pay-per-view being jointly put on by FOX Sports and ESPN.
We spoke with Chris Baldwin by phone Friday.
"This was a really interesting presser. It was way smaller than the last presser, where they actually had a little fight on stage," she said, referring to the press conferences on the media tour for their first fight.
"Fury walked out on the stage as his name was called. No one clapped. That was one of the first things I noticed, and he seemed a bit taken aback by that, because he got no love. But then again, like I said, it was a small, media-only event. There were no fans present like the last time," she continued.
"And then when Wilder walked out, he had the WBC strap across his shoulders, and he did get a little bit of a round of applause. And then they faced off, and that's when the smack-talking began."
We discussed what we learned from this press conference, why this is an important fight for all boxing as well as the heavyweight division, how each fighter might win or lose this fight, the WWE-style bombast from Fury who recently performed in WWE, the poor media analysis of this press conference and the fight itself, the dismal prospects for the pay-per-view, what might be next for other top heavyweights including Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr., and much, much more.
(Photo of Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury by Chris Baldwin.)
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with former kickboxer and current member of the Irish karate team Caradh O'Donovan.
She is also a member of the start-up group of the new international athlete-led movement Global Athlete.
We spoke with her by Skype Thursday.
Previously an amateur kickboxing world and European champion, Caradh O'Donovan recently made the transition to karate, and has become an Irish national karate champion. With karate being included on the program of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she hopes to represent Ireland there.
But her road to qualifying for the Olympics was almost derailed when a split and dispute between two rival governing groups prevented her and other athletes from competing in major karate events. It was then that she and these athletes contacted Global Athlete, who, along with the World Karate Federation, assisted them in finally being allowed to compete in these events.
"I didn't know anything about them until I got it touch," she said about Global Athlete. "When they asked me to come onboard the start-up group, I was delighted."
What she soon learned was that the kind of governance issues which were plaguing karate in Ireland were far from rare.
"I wouldn't even say it's so much an eye-opener, but I've had a lot of issues," she said. "I struggled with sport over the years. I've always kind of been labeled as a troublemaker, because I would say things that I didn't agree, speak up with things I didn't agree with."
In the past, "I always thought it was just me, I always thought it was just my sport. And I thought, 'Well, maybe it's because we're not really a professional sport and other sports seem to have it all together, because nobody has been saying anything.' So I genuinely thought I was a troublemaker and I'm the only one with issues, because that's what I've been told."
Now as part of the Global Athlete start-up group, it is clear that there are "other issues and it's the same across every sport. So it's kind of nice to know you're not on your own."
But the scope of these problems is daunting.
"Obviously it's not a good thing that there's so many people with issues in sport and there's that kind of dark side." Now working with Global Athlete has given her more power to deal with these kinds of issues, and "I'm happy to be part of that."
We discussed the adjustments in technique and training she has had to make in transitioning from kickboxing to karate; the rules under which she has been competing; her best techniques in karate; dealing with injuries and illness; why this will likely be her only shot at qualifying for and competing in the Olympics; the Olympic qualifying events in karate in which she will be competing; her background in sports management and sports psychology; how ethics in sport are important to her; life as a full-time athlete; and much, much more.
(Photo of Caradh O'Donovan at the 2018 Irish Kenpo Karate Union Open by Noel Bergin.)
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
Skullz Combat Sports Equipment, creator of the patented Skullz Double-End Bag, is the perfect punching bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve speed, distance, and timing skills. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. Skullz Combat Sports Equipment - Advancing combat sports equipment for the next generation of fighters. For more information, go to https://instagram.com/skullzcombatsports and https://facebook.com/skullzcombatsports.
Adolphina Studios. Original art prints and handcrafted fine jewelry. For more information, go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/AdolphinaStudios.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Balogun Ojetade, the founder, director, and master instructor of the Afrikan Martial Arts Institute.
Our main topic was an event scheduled for next year, on October 9-11, 2020, in Atlanta, Georgia, called WarriorCon.
We spoke with Balogun Ojetade by phone Wednesday.
"WarriorCon is a convention that is comprised of panel discussions and workshops, and features the indigenous martial arts of Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas," he said.
"We're going to have 52 Blocks, Laamb, some of the northwestern and possibly northeastern African martial arts," and training and demonstrations of many other styles and systems as well.
We discussed the Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for WarriorCon, how the recent rise of interest in African and African-American martial arts and self-defense is related to the rise of white supremacy, the importance of the African Warriors Fighting Championship, the use of these techniques shown at WarriorCon in various combat sports, and much, much more.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with martial artist Mahaliel Bethea AKA Professor Mo AKA Sensei Mo.
Our main topic was the urban self-defense system known as 52 Blocks.
We spoke with him by phone Wednesday.
52 Blocks, he said, is an "urban self-defense system, because it's not a traditional martial art. Some people connect it with prison, and the researchers really connect it all the way from Africa. And because of mass incarceration obviously, prison becomes a breeding ground, a kind of gladiator, where people are able to try out their skills in the 52 Blocks.
"And the 52 Blocks evolved. It evolved from the Virginia Shuffle," he continued. "The slaves came into Virginia, so obviously Virginia was the first port. And it's called the Virginia Shuffle. And then later on it became wall fighting. And then it became stato. And then some people called it Jailhouse Rock. And now it's called the 52. And the 52, because there's a little more playing with the cards, and the 52 cards in the deck.
"So that's why the 52 Blocks became popular."
Because of its history as a grassroots and underground self-defense fighting system, mainly centered in the African-American community and under incredibly brutal and oppressive conditions, 52 Blocks has lacked any common curriculum or organization.
That also is starting to change, as Professor Mo will be hosting a 52 Blocks certification seminar in Harlem, New York, on Saturday, October 19. While details of how to register will be posted shortly, plans are also in the works for a 52 Blocks Federation.
But, as he stressed, 52 Blocks is a self-defense system and not the same as a sport. Even with a more developed curriculum, however, it still will largely be an "improvisational art".
The 52 Blocks curriculum will include defense against weapons, including sticks, knives, and guns, and also against dogs.
We also discussed more on the plans for the October 19 seminar, how his Fight Back MMA school in Harlem is the only one in New York instructing people in 52 Blocks, more on the self-defense techniques of 52 Blocks, how 52 Blocks is related to boxing, how instruction in the 52 Blocks is expanding to more places in the U.S., recent coverage of 52 Blocks and an interview with Professor Mo in Black Belt magazine, and much, much more.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the major heavyweight fights which may or may not take place by the end of this year, and the dimming prospects for there being a heavyweight title unification any time soon.
The self-proclaimed lineal champion, Tyson Fury, is slated to fight Sept. 14 against little-known Otto Wallin. Unified WBA-IBF-WBO champion Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua are scheduled to have their rematch Dec. 7 in Saudi Arabia. And WBC champion Deontay Wilder may or may not be rematching Luis "King Kong" Ortiz before the year ends. Where this all leads and these fights' accompanying controversies are analyzed, with enhancements by a few select audio clips.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman reposts what was the first preview show of No Holds Barred, and featured interviews about and from the World Sumo Challenge.
This event originally took place October 22, 2005, at Madison Square Garden, and was shown on tape delay on ESPN2 that December. The original No Holds Barred show on this event was posted on December 27, 2005.
This new edition of No Holds Barred adds at the beginning of the show commentary on why this venture failed and the still-unmet need for the formation of a real professional wrestling circuit of some kind.
The original World Sumo Challenge event will be replayed in August by ESPN as part of their "The Ocho" series, on the ESPN app and also via your service provider's On Demand feature, we are told by an ESPN representative.
A highlight video of the World Sumo Challenge can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmv4xm8d72w.
Here is the original and quite optimistic description from the December 2005 No Holds Barred show on the World Sumo Challenge:
Here are the people with whom we spoke:
Former yokozuna Musashimaru, who served as a color commentator and analyst on the ESPN2 telecast.
Veteran boxing trainer Tommy Gallagher, who was also working with this event.
Ken Podziba, head of the New York City Sports Commission, which assisted this event.
Noah Goldman, president and CEO of Big Boy Productions, which produced and promoted the event.
Yoshisada Yonezuka, a vice president of the International Sumo Federation and longtime judo coach, who acted as a sumo technical advisor for the event. [Note: Sadly he passed away in 2014.]
We also spoke with two of the participants, sumo wrestlers Ronny Allman of Norway and Sydney Carty of the Netherlands.
In addition, at the Mayhem On Mulberry 5 muay Thai event held the night before the live sumo show, we caught up with two judo legends, Teimoc Jonston-Ono and Mike Swain. We discussed the sumo event, with which they both were attending, as well as judo, mixed martial arts, muay Thai, and the combat sports in general.
Also at the muay Thai event, we caught up with two of the fighters that night, Brian Robertson, who won a decision over Marcus Antebi, and Willow Chanthavong, who lost a decision to Liz Linstrom.
As we mentioned during this special preview show, the World Sumo Challenge was highly organized, got tremendous mainstream media attention, and was very well received by the fans at Madison Square Garden. The telecast had excellent production values and the tournament format was well explained both at the live event and on TV. Plus, sumo is fairly easy for casual fans to understand, and the action on the mat was usually non-stop and had the mainly American crowd cheering throughout the tournament.
The major and perhaps only shortcoming was its inconsistency in educating the fans as to who the athletes were. For example, Torsten Scheibler, the 438.5-pound wrestler from Germany, had recently won the gold medal at the world championships in Japan. Yet he was upset in the first round by Sydney Carty, a mere 328.5 pounds. Yet this was only noted briefly after the match by Musashimaru, with Scheibler's credentials going almost unnoticed, and the huge sports story of this first-round upset not being emphasized.
Also, the event's first champion was Mitshuhiko Fukao, a 5'10", 411.5-pound wrestler from Japan. Little was known about Fukao before the event and less reported about him afterwards. There was no post-match interview with Fukao, who had become a crowd favorite, or a post-event press conference. Even though an interview with Fukao would have had to have been conducted in Japanese, there were numerous people who could have done the translating right there. Thus, Fukao is their first champion and will defend his title without much more information even to this date being provided about him.
Nonetheless, the World Sumo Challenge has to be considered overall a major success. A new professional combat sport is being born, and that is good news. Others in the combat sports world can learn a lot from how this event was organized and conducted.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the upset TKO victory by Andy Ruiz Jr. over Anthony Joshua Saturday, June 1, at Madison Square Garden, to capture three of the four major heavyweight belts. Many mysteries remain as to why this upset occurred, and these as well as what may happen next and what this means for the future of the heavyweight division are explored, plus much more.
(Photo by Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing USA.)
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman busts up the many myths being peddled in the media about how Deontay Wilder's knockout performance against the hapless Dominic Breazeale this past Saturday, May 18, made him into some type of major star. Also discussed is the future of the heavyweight division, the upcoming fight on June 1 of unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua against Andy Ruiz Jr., and much more.
(Photo of Deontay Wilder vs. Dominic Breazeale from Ryan Hafey, Premier Boxing Champions.)
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discussed the prospects in 2019 for a heavyweight title unification fight between WBA-IBF-WBO champ Anthony Joshua (22-0, 21 KOs) and WBC champ Deontay Wilder (40-0-1, 39 KOs), as well as a rematch between Wilder and Fury (27-0-1, 19 KOs), who fought December 1 to a highly criticized split draw decision. That fight is analyzed, options and obstacles facing all three fighters' next fights are discussed, and much more.
(Photo of Wilder vs. Fury by Esther Lin/Showtime.)
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents a two-part, multimedia show and analysis.
The written part of the show has an analysis of the Canelo-Golovkin rematch, the emergence of DAZN in the U.S., the PBC deals with Showtime and Fox, the international stardom of Anthony Joshua, and more. It can be read on the No Holds Barred site here.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Anthony Joshua, Alexander Povetkin, Katie Taylor, and our media colleague Kristal Hart of the "Kristal Hart Show" at last Tuesday's New York media event announcing the U.S. debut of the streaming service DAZN.
The 28-year-old unified heavyweight champion Joshua from the U.K., with a record of 21-0 with 20 KOs, fights Povetkin September 22 in London on a card shown in the U.K. on Sky Sports Box Office and in the U.S. as the headline fight for the first live show in the U.S. on DAZN. Povetkin, who turns 39 on September 2, and from Russia, is a former WBA champion and has a record of 34-1 with 24 KOs.
We got comments from Povetkin on what to expect in this fight, and some very brief comments from Joshua.
Unified women's lightweight champion Katie Taylor, with a record of 9-0 and 4 KOs, has a very busy schedule coming up. She fights July 28 in London on the Dillian Whyte-Joseph Parker card, and returns on October 6 in Chicago against Cindy Serrano, on a card which will be shown in the U.S. on DAZN and presumably also Sky Sports in the U.K. She discussed her career plans, the growth of women's boxing, and more.
Last but not least, we spoke with our colleague Kristal Hart summing up what we had just learned about DAZN and the combat sports.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Dr. Margaret Goodman, a neurologist, the former chair of the Medical Advisory Board of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and the president and board chairman of VADA, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.
We spoke with her Saturday in New York.
"The best aspect of what VADA has accomplished is education," she said.
"The fans are much more educated. I think the fighters are getting much more educated, and asking more and more questions."
She noted that while the WBC's Clean Boxing Program which works with VADA only mandates that boxers ranked in the top 15 in each weight class by the WBC be drug-tested, more fighters are actually applying to be tested.
"What people don't know is there's probably at least well over 100 fighters that have volunteered that are not rated by the WBC, have volunteered to that program, and many of them have been tested by VADA, and this is throughout the year."
In order to clarify just what VADA does and does not do, she explained that VADA carries out the drug testing, but has no role in adjudicating the test results, such as determining if there are or what suspensions fighters receive, etc.
We also discussed the need for standardization of drug testing, how anti-doping programs have become more and more accepted over the years, the issue of weight-cutting, the problems with supplements, and much, much more.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents Monday's telephone press conference held by the lawyers for Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, the former director of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory, who became a key whistleblower exposing Russia's state-sponsored doping program for Olympic and other elite athletes. The main speakers, both representing Dr. Rodchenkov, were attorneys Jim Walden of Walden Macht & Haran, and Derek Borchardt of Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler.
This press conference was held to announce that Dr. Rodchenkov, through his lawyers, had filed a motion to dismiss a libel case brought in the names of three Russian biathletes: Olga Zaytseva, Yana Romanova and Olga Vilukhina. Dr. Rodchenkov also filed his own lawsuit against Russian oligarch and Brooklyn Nets' controlling owner Mikhail Prokhorov, who Dr. Rodchenkov's lawyers said is "the self-confessed financier of the biathletes' claims", for violation of New York's anti-SLAPP statute (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation), which could entitle Dr. Rodchenkov to punitive damages and legal fees.
On this call, Jim Walden denounced the International Olympic Committee for not supporting such an important whistleblower as Dr. Rodchenkov.
"It's very clear that they are not going to support Dr. Rodchenkov," he said. "We have called them, emailed them, publicly admonished them, and they refuse to stand up for him, and they refused to stand strong against Russia. So we hope that clean athletes and the media will hold their complicity, hold them to account for it."
More information on these legal actions can be found here.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleague, correspondent, and the award-winning boxing writer, Charles Farrell.
We spoke with him by phone Tuesday.
Our main topic was the biggest fight of the year so far, the heavyweight title unification fight taking place this Saturday, March 31, between the two undefeated belt holders Anthony Joshua of the U.K. and Joseph Parker of New Zealand.
The 28-year-old Joshua is the IBF and WBA champ and has a record of 20-0 with 20 KOs. The 26-year-old Parker is the WBO champ and has a record of 24-0 with 18 KOs.
This fight takes place at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. It will be televised live on Sky Sports Box Office in the U.K., Showtime in the U.S., and many other networks around the world.
We discussed how we see this fight going, why Joshua is deservedly a big favorite, what is likely to happen in the series of events which may lead to the crowning of an undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, the many options in the heavyweight division and business-wise for Joshua should he defeat Parker, the music of Marvin Gaye, and much more.
(Photo of Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker by Esther Lin/Showtime.)
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with human right activist Malaak Shabazz, who is the youngest daughter of Malcolm X.
With February being designated Black History Month, she has been traveling to many events which have provided information and analysis on the life and times of her father.
She has just returned home to New York from Washington, D.C., from the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, where there was a screening of the new documentary "The Lost Tapes: Malcolm X".
This documentary will begin airing on TV February 26 on the Smithsonian Channel.
Next up is Los Angeles for the Pan African Film Festival, where on February 9 there will be the first of three screenings of the documentary film "Malcolm X: An Overwhelming Influence on the Black Power Movement".
This highly acclaimed film, directed by Thomas Muhammad, had its public debut in December at the the African Diaspora International Film Festival in New York. It features original interviews with veterans of the civil rights and Black liberation movements of the 1960s who discuss Malcolm X's influence and participation in these struggles in the South at that time.
Then it is back to D.C. for two performances on February 22 of A. Peter Bailey's play "Malcolm, Martin, Medgar".
She is the narrator of this imaginary and contemporary encounter between Malcolm X and civil rights leaders Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Medgar Evers. A. Peter Bailey was one of the closest associates of Malcolm X at the time of Malcolm's passing in 1965.
We spoke with her by phone Friday.
"Most people," she said of her father, "just think he was just here in New York or Brooklyn, when he was all over the United States, as well as London, France, Africa.
"So, I was raised as a global child. He was an advocate for the African diaspora on a global level.
"And I think these two films, and many others that are going to be coming out, will show that he was an advocate for the African diaspora."
Documenting and disseminating accurate information on this history is especially essential in today's era of Trumpism with its open promotion of racism and white supremacy.
One area of that history, however, that has not yet been particularly thoroughly well-documented is Malcolm X's role and influence in the martial arts. His autobiography goes into detail about the importance he attached to training in the martial arts. After his passing, his widow, Dr. Betty Shabazz, made sure that all of their six daughters had some training in different forms of martial arts. We thus discussed the need for some type of media project documenting Malcolm X's influence in the martial arts in depth.
We also discussed Malcolm X's emphasis on reading and education, the key contributions of Dr. Betty Shabazz, the setting up of the Shabazz Center in New York on the site of the old Audubon Ballroom, how there will also be more events for Black History Month in which Malaak Shabazz will participate which will be announced shortly, and much, much more.
(Photo of Malaak Shabazz, Thomas Muhammad, Qubilah Shabazz, and A. Peter Bailey at African Diaspora International Film Festival in New York, by Eddie Goldman.)
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
Trans Boxing, organizing boxing training for transgender and gender non-conforming people, for fitness and self-defense. For more information, go to TransBoxing.org.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the "Black Fist Self-Defense Project", a Russian troll operation which paid for self-defense classes to be held in the Black community in America in 2017. Explained are the background to their engaging legitimate and unknowing people in this scam, the objectives of the Russian trolls, and how this was part of a broader campaign that was Russia's failed version of COINTELPRO, the notorious program of the American FBI to disrupt, discredit, infiltrate, and destroy numerous anti-war, Black Liberation, civil rights, women's, progressive, leftist, and revolutionary organizations in the 1950s, '60s, and '70s. Also explained are how the media in Russia and the U.S. exposed "Black Fist" including the Russian site RBC and the U.S. TV show "The Rundown with Robin Thede", why this scam failed, and much more.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Dr. Bennet Omalu.
He was in New York Monday, August 7, to give a presentation at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism in New York, and hosted by the New York Press Club, about his new book, Truth Doesn't Have a Side.
Dr. Omalu is the pioneering forensic pathologist who was the first to prove a connection between the head trauma and brain injuries which inherently result from playing American football, and the disease CTE, chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
We spoke with him right after this presentation, and mainly about why he included wrestling in his list of high-contact sports which children under the age of 18 should avoid, which are football, boxing, MMA, ice hockey, and rugby.
A study published September 2015 in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found that college wrestling has the highest rate of concussions of any college sport, including football. But as to rules changes in wrestling to make it safer, Dr. Omalu said, "I tend to defer to the sports experts, because I'm not an expert in many of these sports."
Dr. Omalu, however, sees wrestling's problems as being far deeper than just the levels of head trauma and brain injuries.
"The problem with wrestling is," he said, "there's no professional wrestling outside WWE.
"So if you, say, allow wrestling in children, that means you're encouraging children eventually to go into MMA or WWE. Does that make sense? So that is why I lump all of them together, because I see it as a spectrum."
In addition to his comments on the combat and contact sports, we add commentaries on some of the issues related to CTE, concussions, and combat sports. Those include the prevalence of concussions in judo, breaking the links between real wrestling and grappling and both WWE and MMA, the need for combat sports training for self-defense, and much, much more.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
USA Combat Wrestling, the official U.S. governing body for combat wrestling and U.S. delegate of the International Combat Wrestling Federation (FICW), which was founded by the legendary wrestler Noriaki Kiguchi of Japan. For more information, go to CombatWrestling.us.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents the complete audio from the August 7 presentation by Dr. Bennet Omalu at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism in New York, and hosted by the New York Press Club, as well as the informative and lively question-and-answer session which followed the presentation.
Dr. Omalu is the pioneering forensic pathologist who was the first to prove a connection between the head trauma and brain injuries which inherently result from playing American football, and the disease CTE, chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
He was in New York conducting interviews as part of a tour to promote his new book, Truth Doesn't Have a Side.
In the discussion, Dr. Omalu passionately voiced his opposition to children under the age of 18 playing American football or engaging in other contact sports.
"Do you love your child less than you love football? Which do you love more, football, or the life of your child? This is a question society should answer," he said.
As to the continuing popularity of NFL football, he said, "It's all about money. We are placing money above the value of the life of our children. But I believe strongly, in the fullness of time, it will change, because the truth will prevail. Does that make sense?"
And he specified, "I have always said, and it has been my position forever, that no child under the age of 18, in America today, should play the high-impact, high-contact collision sports. The Big Six are American football, ice hockey, mixed martial arts, wrestling, boxing, rugby."
A one-on-one interview with Dr. Omalu will be posted on a subsequent edition of No Holds Barred.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
USA Combat Wrestling, the official U.S. governing body for combat wrestling and U.S. delegate of the International Combat Wrestling Federation (FICW), which was founded by the legendary wrestler Noriaki Kiguchi of Japan. For more information, go to CombatWrestling.us.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the heavyweight maze which so many fighters want to get through to get a title shot at the division's best and most popular fighter, IBF and WBA champion Anthony Joshua.
This past week, the 41-year-old former champion Wladimir Klitschko announced his retirement from boxing. We discuss the positives and negatives from his lengthy career.
The scramble to get big money title fights is often inhibited or even prevented by the various rival sanctioning bodies naming undeserving and little known fighters as mandatory challengers for their champions. We discuss the mess with the various heavyweight mandatories put forth by the WBA, WBC, and IBF, a mess which has gotten worse since Klitschko's retirement.
We also discuss what may be ahead for WBC champ Deontay Wilder, who wants to fight Joshua next; for Luis "King Kong" Ortiz, now Joshua's WBA mandatory, while no one seems to want to fight him; for Joshua, who seems to be set to face his IBF mandatory, Kubrat Pulev; what this all means for the heavyweight division and for boxing; and much more.
(Photo of Deontay Wilder by Ryan Hafey, Premier Boxing Champions. Photo of Luis Ortiz by Rosie Cohe, Showtime. Photo of Tyson Fury from Frank Warren.)
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
USA Combat Wrestling, the official U.S. governing body for combat wrestling and U.S. delegate of the International Combat Wrestling Federation (FICW), which was founded by the legendary wrestler Noriaki Kiguchi of Japan. For more information, go to CombatWrestling.us.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
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On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleague, correspondent, and award-winning boxing writer, Charles Farrell.
We spoke with him in New York Wednesday at a book party for a new book in which he is one of the featured writers, The Bittersweet Science.
His contribution is an essay called "Why I Fixed Fights", and that is the topic we discussed.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The 2017 Frank Gotch World Catch Wrestling Tournament. On Saturday, July 15, 2017, catch wrestlers from all around the world will compete in Humboldt, Iowa, the hometown of the legendary world champion wrestler Frank Gotch. Organized by the Catch Wrestling Alliance (CWA) and co-sponsored by City of Humboldt Chamber of Commerce, Sprout Living (official protein powder of the CWA), and Ultima Replenisher (official electrolyte drink of the CWA), the event will take place at Humboldt High School. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
USA Combat Wrestling, the official U.S. governing body for combat wrestling and U.S. delegate of the International Combat Wrestling Federation (FICW), which was founded by the legendary wrestler Noriaki Kiguchi of Japan. For more information, go to CombatWrestling.us.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with our colleague, correspondent, and award-winning boxing writer, Charles Farrell.
He is also one of the writers featured in the new book The Bittersweet Science.
Our main topic was the April 29 heavyweight title unification fight between the 27-year-old IBF champion Anthony Joshua (18-0, 18 KOs) and the 41-year-old former champion Wladimir Klitschko (64-4, 53 KOs).
This fight, which is also for a vacant WBA title, takes place at the sold-out 90,000-seat Wembley Stadium in London. It will be shown live in the U.K. on Sky Sports Box Office and in Germany on RTL, with record viewership likely on each. In the U.S., Showtime will telecast it live, with HBO later showing a replay.
We spoke with Charles Farrell by phone Thursday.
While both of us expect Joshua to defeat Klitschko by knockout, we see this fight as having far more significance than just a heavyweight title bout.
"For one thing, it establishes the next dominant heavyweight champion of the world, at a time when there really hasn't been one for a period of time," Charles Farrell said.
"But maybe more importantly than that, it will serve I think as the kind of coming out party for a fighter who has all of the attributes necessary to become one of the, certainly one of the most famous fighters in history, very conceivably the highest paid fighter in history.
"And a guy who if he's promoted -- he barely has to be promoted in the U.K. They're waiting for him. This is a coronation of sorts.
"But this is a kind of celebrity that can easily translate worldwide.
"So I think that this fight, if it goes the way most people expect that it will go, heralds not only a new heavyweight champion, a significant new heavyweight champion, but a new era in terms of money-making possibility."
We discussed how the U.K. has once again become a major place for boxing; why we expect this fight to be a decisive and likely quick knockout victory for Joshua; Klitschko's awful performance in his last fight in November 2015 against Tyson Fury; how Joshua is well-schooled as a fighter and has been prepared for his role as an international superstar; potential future opponents for Joshua including WBC heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder of the U.S. and a possible huge fight between them in New York or Las Vegas; what should happen if Tyson Fury returns to fighting; why Anthony Joshua is reminiscent of Joe Louis; the parochialism of much of the American boxing media and fan base in not recognizing Joshua's full potential; and much, much more.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
USA Combat Wrestling, the official U.S. governing body for combat wrestling and U.S. delegate of the International Combat Wrestling Federation (FICW), which was founded by the legendary wrestler Noriaki Kiguchi of Japan. For more information, go to CombatWrestling.us.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Anthony Joshua, Wladimir Klitschko, Eddie Hearn, Kristal Hart, and Bob Carson at the January 31 press conference at Madison Square Garden for the April 29 fight between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko.
The 27-year-old Joshua (18-0, 18 KOs), who holds the IBF heavyweight belt, will face the veteran former champion Klitschko (64-4, 53 KOs), who will be 41 at the time of the fight, at the 90,000-seat Wembley Stadium in London. This fight, which is also for a WBA title, will be shown live in the U.K. on Sky Sports Box Office and in Germany on RTL, with record viewership likely on each. As of now, both Showtime and HBO are vying for the U.S. TV rights.
As part of a world tour to promote this fight, both Joshua and Klitschko held this New York press conference January 31, along with Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, and Bernd Boente of KMG Management Group. The press conference was hosted by announcer Adam Smith of Sky Sports.
Some photos from the press conference can be seen here.
In addition to speaking with Joshua, Klitschko, and Hearn, we spoke with two media members who were covering this press conference. First was Kristal Hart of "The Kristal Hart Show" on Manhattan Neighborhood Network. Next was Bob Carson of "Carson's Corner" on BlogTalkRadio. Besides the fight itself and its boxing context, we discussed why this is the biggest fight in the world this year, and if Anthony Joshua can become the next Muhammad Ali.
(Photo of Eddie Hearn, Anthony Joshua, Wladimir Klitschko, and Bernd Boente by Ed Mulholland, Matchroom Boxing, K2 Promotions, KMG Management Group.)
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
USA Combat Wrestling, the official U.S. governing body for combat wrestling and U.S. delegate of the International Combat Wrestling Federation (FICW), which was founded by the legendary wrestler Noriaki Kiguchi of Japan. For more information, go to CombatWrestling.us.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses whether 2017 will be the year that IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua (18-0, 18 KOs) becomes the most popular boxer in the world and the best known since Muhammad Ali. Joshua's next fight is April 29 against former champion Wladimir Klitschko, at London's historic Wembley Stadium. We also discuss some parallels between Joshua's rise to prominence and Muhammad Ali's, the anti-Muslim bigotry Joshua has faced, Joshua's international appeal, whether he can restore boxing's heavyweight championship to being the most prestigious title in all of sports, how 2016 was a breakthrough year for Joshua, what we can expect from the Joshua-Klitschko fight, and much more.
(Photo of Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium by Lawrence Lustig.)
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Boxing Tribune, boxing's independent media. Unlike every other major boxing website, The Boxing Tribune is not funded or owned by promoters, managers, or networks, and is fully independent and free to write the truth. For independent boxing news and views, go to TheBoxingTribune.com.
Skullz Double-End Bags, the perfect bag for your combat sports training. Skullz Double-End Bags provide a realistic striking target, and help improve timing, distance, and hand and eye coordination. Hang it and hit it right out of the box! No pump required. For more information, go to SkullzDeBags.com.
USA Combat Wrestling, the official U.S. governing body for combat wrestling and U.S. delegate of the International Combat Wrestling Federation (FICW), which was founded by the legendary wrestler Noriaki Kiguchi of Japan. For more information, go to CombatWrestling.us.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents the audio from the teleconference of the December 9 London press conference with Professor Richard H. McLaren, law professor at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) enlisted Prof. McLaren to lead the investigation and to issue a report about media reports of state-sponsored doping in Russia in sport. This is the second and final part of that report, and was made public Friday. The first part was issued on July 18, 2016.
Key Highlights of 2nd Report
Institutionalised Doping Conspiracy and Cover Up
- An institutional conspiracy existed across summer and winter sports athletes who participated with Russian officials within the Ministry of Sport and its infrastructure, such as the RUSADA, CSP and the Moscow Laboratory, along with the FSB for the purposes of manipulating doping controls. The summer and winter sports athletes were not acting individually but within an organised infrastructure as reported on in the 1st Report.
- This systematic and centralised cover up and manipulation of the doping control process evolved and was refined over the course of its use at London 2012 Summer Games, Universiade Games 2013, Moscow IAAF World Championships 2013, and the Winter Games in Sochi in 2014. The evolution of the infrastructure was also spawned in response to WADA regulatory changes and surprise interventions.
- The swapping of Russian athletes’ urine samples further confirmed in this 2nd Report as occurring at Sochi, did not stop at the close of the Winter Olympics. The sample swapping technique used at Sochi became a regular monthly practice of the Moscow Laboratory in dealing with elite summer and winter athletes. Further DNA and salt testing confirms the technique, while others relied on DPM.
- The key findings of the 1st Report remain unchanged. The forensic testing, which is based on immutable facts, is conclusive. The evidence does not depend on verbal testimony to draw a conclusion. Rather, it tests the physical evidence and a conclusion is drawn from those results. The results of the forensic and laboratory analysis initiated by the IP establish that the conspiracy was perpetrated between 2011 and 2015.
The Athlete Part of Conspiracy and Cover Up
- Over 1000 Russian athletes competing in summer, winter and Paralympic sport, can be identified as being involved in or benefiting from manipulations to conceal positive doping tests. Based on the information reported to International Federations through the IP to WADA there are 600 (84%) summer athletes and 95 (16%) winter athletes.
London Summer Olympic Games
- Fifteen Russian athlete medal winners were identified out of the 78 on the London Washout Lists. Ten of these athletes have now had their medals stripped.
IAAF Moscow World Championships
- Following the 2013 IAAF Moscow World Championships, 4 athletics athletes’ samples were swapped. Additional target testing is in progress.
Sochi Winter Olympic Games
- Sample swapping is established by 2 female ice hockey players’ samples with male DNA.
- Tampering with original sample established by 2 [sport] athletes, winners of four Sochi Olympic Gold medals, and a female Silver medal winner in [sport] with physiologically impossible salt readings.
- Twelve medal winning athletes (including the above 3) from 44 examined samples had scratches and marks on the inside of the caps of their B sample bottles, indicating tampering.
- Six winners of 21 Paralympic medals are found to have had their urine samples tampered with at Sochi.
The complete McLaren Independent Investigations Report into Sochi Allegations - Part II can be read and downloaded here.
Plus, we open with a commentary on how once again this is evidence of the corrupt nature of the Olympics and the Olympic movement, and how those interested in developing sport for its positive values should have nothing to do with this movement and its organizations and stay out of it.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is sponsored by:
The Boxing Tribune, boxing's independent media. Unlike every other major boxing website, The Boxing Tribune is not funded or owned by promoters, managers, or networks, and is fully independent and free to write the truth. For independent boxing news and views, go to http://boxingtribune-news.com.
The North American Catch Wrestling Association, a grassroots organization designed to help rebuild the sport of catch-as-catch-can-wrestling. For more information, go to their Facebook page at facebook.com/NorthAmericanCatchWrestlingAssociation.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow Russian athletes to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympics, which start August 5, despite unimpeachable evidence of Russia having a massive state-sponsored doping program. In light of this historic scandal, and the failure of the IOC to take appropriate measures, we officially crown both the IOC and Russia as the world champions of sport corruption. Also discussed are some of the lessons from this scandal, including that silence is consent; that no athletes, especially among the youth, or organizations should pursue the path of becoming part of these discredited and dirty Olympics; and that the emphasis instead should be on building grassroots sports.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
The Boxing Tribune, boxing's independent media. Unlike every other major boxing website, The Boxing Tribune is not funded or owned by promoters, managers, or networks, and is fully independent and free to write the truth. For independent boxing news and views, go to http://boxingtribune-news.com.
The North American Catch Wrestling Association, a grassroots organization designed to help rebuild the sport of catch-as-catch-can-wrestling. For more information, go to their Facebook page at facebook.com/NorthAmericanCatchWrestlingAssociation.
The National Registry for Wrestling, whose mission is to increase wrestling's fanbase, to build a registry of all wrestling fans, to serve as a connecting point for all wrestling fans, and to provide TV and Internet listings for wrestling. For more information, go to NR4W.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents the audio from Monday's teleconference of the Toronto press conference with Professor Richard H. McLaren, law professor at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) enlisted Prof. McLaren to lead the investigation and to issue a report about media reports of state-sponsored doping in Russia in sport. The 103-page Independent McLaren Investigation Report was also made public Monday.
The three key findings of this report are:
-
The Moscow Laboratory operated, for the protection of doped Russian athletes, within a State-dictated failsafe system, described in the report as the Disappearing Positive Methodology.
-
The Sochi Laboratory operated a unique sample swapping methodology to enable doped Russian athletes to compete at the Games.
-
The Ministry of Sport directed, controlled and oversaw the manipulation of athlete’s analytical results or sample swapping, with the active participation and assistance of the FSB, CSP, and both Moscow and Sochi Laboratories.
Unlike the many well-known situations where athletes decide to dope on their own, this was a state-sponsored doping program where failure to participate could harm an athlete's career.
While Prof. McLaren indicated that it was not part of the mandate for this report to investigate whether or not Russian athletes had been forced into the doping programs, he did say that they found evidence that "athletes who didn't participate in the program didn't get access to the best coaches, did not have the opportunity to compete at the highest levels of the national competition structure, etc. And in that sense they might feel forced into the system because if they didn't participate in the doping programs then they wouldn't have access to those different things I just described."
The complete McLaren Independent Investigations Report into Sochi Allegations can be read here.
Following the issuance of this report, the WADA Executive Committee made the following recommendations to the International Olympic Committee regarding Russian participation in the Rio Olympics, which start August 5:
"Given that the Russian Ministry of Sport orchestrated systematic cheating of Russian athletes to subvert the doping control process; and that, the evidence shows such subversion in 30 sports, including 20 Olympic summer sports and Paralympic sports, the presumption of innocence of athletes in these sports, and in all Russian sports, is seriously called into question.
"Accordingly, WADA recommends to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to consider, under their respective Charters, to decline entries, for Rio 2016, of all athletes submitted by the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and the Russian Paralympic Committee. Furthermore, any exceptional entry of a Russian athlete should be considered by the IOC and IPC for participation under a neutral flag and in accordance with very strict criteria."
The crisis in the Olympic movement continues to worsen, and there will surely be many more developments to come.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
The Boxing Tribune, boxing's independent media. Unlike every other major boxing website, The Boxing Tribune is not funded or owned by promoters, managers, or networks, and is fully independent and free to write the truth. For independent boxing news and views, go to http://boxingtribune-news.com.
The North American Catch Wrestling Association, a grassroots organization designed to help rebuild the sport of catch-as-catch-can-wrestling. For more information, go to their Facebook page at facebook.com/NorthAmericanCatchWrestlingAssociation.
The National Registry for Wrestling, whose mission is to increase wrestling's fanbase, to build a registry of all wrestling fans, to serve as a connecting point for all wrestling fans, and to provide TV and Internet listings for wrestling. For more information, go to NR4W.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the life and times of "The Greatest", Muhammad Ali, who passed away Friday, June 3, at the age of 74. Discussed are how Ali was in essence a man of his times, how he transcended boxing and all sports in a way that has not been seen before or since, the historical context in which he developed as a person and as a boxer, his ties with Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam, his relationship to the Black Liberation Movement, how his opposition to the U.S. war in Vietnam was vindicated, and much more.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
The Frank Gotch World Catch Wrestling Tournament. On Sunday, July 3, 2016, catch wrestlers from all around the world will compete in Humboldt, Iowa, the hometown of the legendary world champion wrestler Frank Gotch. Organized by the Catch Wrestling Alliance and co-sponsored by IAWrestle, the Frank Gotch Statue Committee, and the Frank Gotch Kids Wrestling Club, the event will take place at Humboldt High School. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
The North American Catch Wrestling Association, a grassroots organization designed to help rebuild the sport of catch-as-catch-can-wrestling. For more information, go to their Facebook page at facebook.com/NorthAmericanCatchWrestlingAssociation.
BJJ Eastern Europe, for the latest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu news, articles, interviews, competition calendar, European belt rankings, academy directory, and more. For more information, go to BJJEE.com.
The National Registry for Wrestling, whose mission is to increase wrestling's fanbase, to build a registry of all wrestling fans, to serve as a connecting point for all wrestling fans, and to provide TV and Internet listings for wrestling. For more information, go to NR4W.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with boxers Anthony Joshua and Dominic Breazeale, and Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Showtime Sports, and Eddie Hearn, President of Matchroom Sports, about the June 25 Joshua-Breazeale fight and the future of boxing and the heavyweight division.
The fight between the IBF champ Joshua (16-0, 16 KOs) and the challenger Breazeale (17-0, 15 KOs) headlines a card at The O2 in London, which will be shown live on Sky Sports Box Office in the U.K. and on Showtime in the U.S.
While both fighters are thus far unbeaten as pros, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist Joshua is a big favorite in this fight. Joshua is viewed by many as the heir apparent to the title of world heavyweight champion, and as the next major international superstar in boxing.
We spoke with them on a media conference call Wednesday.
With all the hype and prognostications about his future, Anthony Joshua is trying to stay focused on one thing: boxing.
"I only see great things if I stay locked away in the gym," he said.
For his part, Dominic Breazeale is not intimidated by the hoopla surrounding his opponent.
"It's great," he said. "All the distractions are on Anthony. It's something he's got to deal with."
And we discussed when Anthony Joshua might fight in America, his new deal with Showtime, and more.
(Photos by Lawrence Lustig.)
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
The Frank Gotch World Catch Wrestling Tournament. On Sunday, July 3, 2016, catch wrestlers from all around the world will compete in Humboldt, Iowa, the hometown of the legendary world champion wrestler Frank Gotch. Organized by the Catch Wrestling Alliance and co-sponsored by IAWrestle, the Frank Gotch Statue Committee, and the Frank Gotch Kids Wrestling Club, the event will take place at Humboldt High School. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
The North American Catch Wrestling Association, a grassroots organization designed to help rebuild the sport of catch-as-catch-can-wrestling. For more information, go to their Facebook page at facebook.com/NorthAmericanCatchWrestlingAssociation.
BJJ Eastern Europe, for the latest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu news, articles, interviews, competition calendar, European belt rankings, academy directory, and more. For more information, go to BJJEE.com.
The National Registry for Wrestling, whose mission is to increase wrestling's fanbase, to build a registry of all wrestling fans, to serve as a connecting point for all wrestling fans, and to provide TV and Internet listings for wrestling. For more information, go to NR4W.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Dr. Margaret Goodman, a neurologist, the former chair of the Medical Advisory Board of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and the president and board chairman of VADA, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.
This is another in a series of discussions celebrating the tenth anniversary of this No Holds Barred podcast, which began in March 2006. These interviews will focus both on the legacy and issues raised over the years on this show, as well as contemporary issues and the future of the combat sports and martial arts.
We spoke with Dr. Margaret Goodman by phone Monday.
There is hardly a day without a report, discussion, or analysis of doping in sports. Even a decade ago, this was not the case, particularly in the combat and contact sports. Yet today, issues like doping, as well as athlete safety, brain trauma, and CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), regularly appear in the headlines and are the main topics in the news and on discussion shows. It has taken time for public awareness of these issues and the crises for sport they entail to grow to a critical mass, but that is where we are today.
"I think that public awareness, and the public, the fans that watch these sports, asking questions, demanding answers to those questions, keeping on top of the sports, and even with the athletic commissions and the media asking questions, I think changes do come," said Dr. Goodman.
"The public is more and more aware of this," she said, and urged, "I think that it's really important for the average boxing fan and MMA fan to ask questions, to find out as much information as they can."
More and more transparency on these issues and more and more people asking questions, she said, "this is what really will evoke changes."
We discussed many specific issues, including that of the many suspensions of athletes for using the banned substance meldonium; why many of these suspensions have now been lifted; drug-testing in MMA including the UFC-USADA program; the World Boxing Council (WBC) working directly with VADA on testing fighters and the WBC Clean Boxing Program; the growing list of top-rated boxers who are part of VADA's anti-doping program; the lack of uniformity in drug and medical testing of fighters, both around the U.S. and the world; Bellator MMA's booking of Kimbo Slice for a fight in the U.K. right after he tested positive for using a steroid from his February fight and was suspended for three months and had his fighter's license revoked by the Texas commission; the dangers of brain injuries in. and the relative safety of, boxing and MMA; whether or not bare knuckle boxing can be safer than boxing with gloves; the ethics of watching and covering such dangerous sports as boxing and MMA; the need for a national commission for boxing and MMA, for MMA to be included in the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, and for international regulation of these sports; the importance of the recent film "Concussion" about Dr. Bennet Omalu; how repeated sub-concussive blows to the head must be examined and not just full concussions; an upcoming WBC webinar; and much, much more.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
The Frank Gotch World Catch Wrestling Tournament. On Sunday, July 3, 2016, catch wrestlers from all around the world will compete in Humboldt, Iowa, the hometown of the legendary world champion wrestler Frank Gotch. Organized by the Catch Wrestling Alliance and co-sponsored by IAWrestle, the Frank Gotch Statue Committee, and the Frank Gotch Kids Wrestling Club, the event will take place at Humboldt High School. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
The North American Catch Wrestling Association, a grassroots organization designed to help rebuild the sport of catch-as-catch-can-wrestling. For more information, go to their Facebook page at facebook.com/NorthAmericanCatchWrestlingAssociation.
BJJ Eastern Europe, for the latest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu news, articles, interviews, competition calendar, European belt rankings, academy directory, and more. For more information, go to BJJEE.com.
The National Registry for Wrestling, whose mission is to increase wrestling's fanbase, to build a registry of all wrestling fans, to serve as a connecting point for all wrestling fans, and to provide TV and Internet listings for wrestling. For more information, go to NR4W.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman offers a number of key proposals to unstrangle the stagnant sport of college wrestling and make it culturally relevant in America.
Among the topics discussed are: the drop in TV ratings for the NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championships from 2015 to 2016; how there are few fans of college wrestling as a sport apart from the fans of each individual school; why college wrestling must be positioned as the anti-football sport, which is much less likely than football to lead to dementia, brain injuries, concussions, and CTE; why college wrestling should be the anti-MMA sport, which emphasizes honor, respect, and inclusion, as opposed to MMA's ubiquitous trash talk, vulgarity, disrespect, brain injuries, and doping; how college wrestling must reposition itself to be seen as part of the martial arts, and especially a form of grappling, and link up with these martial arts communities both on and off the campuses; the need for a major push for diversity in college wrestling, including establishing ties with predominantly Black and Latino public schools, communities, and organizations, as well as the LGBT communities both on and off their campuses; how college wrestling must develop a major presence in the urban centers and especially on both coasts of the U.S.; the need to popularize the incredible history of wrestling, the world's oldest sport, and which originated in Africa; why all this will not be carried out by the various bureaucracies overseeing college wrestling but can only be realized by the teams, coaches, wrestlers, and their communities themselves; and much more.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
The Frank Gotch World Catch Wrestling Tournament. On Sunday, July 3, 2016, catch wrestlers from all around the world will compete in Humboldt, Iowa, the hometown of the legendary world champion wrestler Frank Gotch. Organized by the Catch Wrestling Alliance and co-sponsored by IAWrestle, the Frank Gotch Statue Committee, and the Frank Gotch Kids Wrestling Club, the event will take place at Humboldt High School. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.
The North American Catch Wrestling Association, a grassroots organization designed to help rebuild the sport of catch-as-catch-can-wrestling. For more information, go to their Facebook page at facebook.com/NorthAmericanCatchWrestlingAssociation.
BJJ Eastern Europe, for the latest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu news, articles, interviews, competition calendar, European belt rankings, academy directory, and more. For more information, go to BJJEE.com.
The National Registry for Wrestling, whose mission is to increase wrestling's fanbase, to build a registry of all wrestling fans, to serve as a connecting point for all wrestling fans, and to provide TV and Internet listings for wrestling. For more information, go to NR4W.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Bob Carson, the host of Carson's Corner.
Our topic was the life and legacy of the sumo wrestler and martial artist Manny Yarbrough, who passed away at age 51 a few days ago.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise funds to transport his body from Virginia, where he lived, to New Jersey, where his mother lives, and to assist his family. The page is here.
We spoke with Bob Carson by Skype Wednesday.
Much of what has been written about Manny Yarbrough has come from people who didn't know him or, worse, care about him, and included numerous factual inaccuracies. The people who did know him know that he was not only a giant of a man in stature and size, standing six-foot, eight-inches tall and often weighing over 600 pounds, but he was also a giant of a person, multi-talented, caring, thoughtful.
We discussed how he was a product of the historically Black college Morgan State in Baltimore, where he played football and wrestled, becoming an All-American in both sports, and how his size and talent led him to a career as an athlete. But it also prevented him from being accepted as an athlete and not just a huge guy, and had him kicked out of wrestling because weight limits were put into international and college wrestling during his career.
Manny became an amateur sumo world champion in 1995, but outside of the closely-guarded and often controversial pro sumo in Japan, no one was able to create a successful pro sumo circuit anywhere else, and he was thus unable to capitalize much on his talent in that sport. He fought a few times in MMA, including his famous or infamous loss in 1994 in UFC 3 to Keith Hackney. He got some small parts as an actor, where he showed his talents, but was there mainly because of his size and appearance, and was again stereotyped as just a huge Black guy.
Yet when news of his passing spread online, there was an outpouring of love, grief, and sympathy from many different types of people whom he had touched, including many who had known him at different stages of his life and didn't know each other.
"Manny Yarbrough's legacy and what he's done for wrestling, sumo wrestling, and for anyone out there that potentially is unusual, should be something that is commended and should be something that is appreciated for a long time to come," said Bob Carson.
"We can all become better people, I think, by really looking at Manny and how he acted and how he really conducted himself."
We also discussed much more about Manny's athletic career, how he seemed never to get his due from the sports organizations with which he worked, the issues related to what has been cited as his "food addiction", why it is another disgrace on our social system that funds have to be raised for such a talented athlete and individual as he was, how the lessons of his life must include the necessity for athletes to organize for the mutual aid and benefit of themselves and other athletes, and much more.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player for iOS is available for free on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Gracie Tournaments, featuring regional, national, and world competitions in submission-only Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. For more information, go to GracieWorlds.com.
The National Registry for Wrestling, whose mission is to increase wrestling's fanbase, to build a registry of all wrestling fans, to serve as a connecting point for all wrestling fans, and to provide TV and Internet listings for wrestling. For more information, go to NR4W.com.
Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the increasing number of grave crises and scandals facing the International Olympic Committee (IOC), its sports federations, and the Olympic movement in general.
This week many of these were highlighted in a 192-page report issued by the World Cup and Olympics Popular Committee of Rio de Janeiro, also known as the Comité Popular. This was the fourth such report issued by this group since 2012 in their series known as the Mega-Events and Human Rights Dossier.
This year's report is called Rio 2016 Olympics: The Exclusion Games.
The report details the many ways in which the preparations for the Rio 2016 Olympics have led to mass evictions, virtual slave labor, "social cleansing", privatization of public resources, militarization of Rio, and even the deaths of many, and principally poor Black youth.
We also hear some brief comments by IOC president Thomas Bach at the conclusion of this week's IOC Executive Board meeting belittling the struggle against corruption and human rights abuses.
Also discussed is the corruption in numerous Olympic federations including FIFA and IAAF among many others; the rejection by the people of a growing number of cities of hosting the Olympic Games, including Hamburg and Boston; the continuing failure of the International Olympic Committee leadership to take any effective measures against corruption and human rights abuses; why aspiring sports groups should NOT plan to join this corrupt Olympic movement but must organize themselves independently and with the athletes at the fore; and much more.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player for iOS is available for free on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City December 12, 2015, for the sixth annual MMA World Expo, featuring submission-only grappling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, catch wrestling competition, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, December 12, 2015, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.
Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.
Gracie Tournaments, featuring regional, national, and world competitions in submission-only Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. For more information, go to GracieWorlds.com.
The National Registry for Wrestling, whose mission is to increase wrestling's fanbase, to build a registry of all wrestling fans, to serve as a connecting point for all wrestling fans, and to provide TV and Internet listings for wrestling. For more information, go to NR4W.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
(Photo credit: Tom Hogan - Hoganphotos/Roc Nation Sports/Golden Boy Promotions)
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses some of the issues around Saturday's unanimous decision victory by Canelo Alvarez over Miguel Cotto, the formation of the Pro Wrestling League in India which will air real wrestling matches on national TV there, how American wrestling needs more competent people to run it, why wrestling does not automatically teach positive values, how we can understand the role of the combat sports in society, and more.
The PodOmatic Podcast Player for iOS is available for free on the App Store.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City December 12 and 13, 2015, for the sixth annual MMA World Expo, featuring submission-only grappling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, catch wrestling competition, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, December 12, and Sunday, December 13, 2015, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.
Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.
Gracie Tournaments, featuring regional, national, and world competitions in submission-only Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. For more information, go to GracieWorlds.com.
The National Registry for Wrestling, whose mission is to increase wrestling's fanbase, to build a registry of all wrestling fans, to serve as a connecting point for all wrestling fans, and to provide TV and Internet listings for wrestling. For more information, go to NR4W.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman reposts an interview with Steve Nelson, who fought in and ran the Unified Shoot Wrestling Federation (USWF) in the 1990s in Amarillo, Texas.
This organization, which was one of the most successful local promotions of its time, held fights under what were called shootfighting rules, with only open hand strikes allowed, but with all submissions as well as kicks and knees permitted. It was thus a mixture of catch wrestling and MMA.
Steve was also a headliner in the company's most famous fight, when he took on Ralph Gracie, who had defeated him in under a minute in 1996 under no holds barred rules in Battlecade/Extreme Fighting 2 in the Mohawk community of Kahnawake near Montreal. The rematch took place August 22, 1998, as the main event of the USWF 11 show in Amarillo.
This fight was my selection as the 1998 Fight of the Year in mixed discipline combat sports.
A video of this fight can be seen here.
This interview was originally recorded in August 2008 to mark the tenth anniversary of his classic USWF fight with Ralph Gracie.
While MMA in the U.S. was facing many difficulties in 1998, the USWF, which just ran shows in Amarillo and West Texas, was drawing large crowds of upwards of 4000 fans.
Explaining this, Steve Nelson pointed out, "We didn't have a TV show. All we had was, we had posters around the town. I went and did a lot of interviews. So the other fighters did their interviews, too, on the radio, and we were pulling these kind of crowds."
They were so successful at the art of local promotion in the late 1990s that, "We were the top-drawing martial arts company in the United States at the time."
Much has changed since then, of course, with the USWF soon peaking and closing down a few years later. Many of its top stars then focused on MMA, including the late USWF and UFC champion Evan Tanner, or coaching wrestling like Steve, Paul Jones, and others.
Steve had been the head coach of the boy's and girl's wrestling teams at Palo Duro High School in Amarillo for many years, but retired from teaching and coaching in December 2013. He now works full-time as the manager of Sakura Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar in Amarillo.
In our original lengthy interview, we spoke with Steve about the USWF and its history; his fights with Ralph Gracie; some of the fighters from the USWF who became notable in MMA; important tips for promoters, especially local promoters who need to avoid quickly losing money (which is today particularly important for those running catch wrestling and grappling shows); the accomplishments of the wrestling teams he coached; and much more.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at AmericanTopTeam.com.
Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Bellator MMA and American Top Team fighter "King" Mo Lawal.
He will be returning to action on the Bellator MMA: Dynamite!!! card Saturday, September 19, in a four-man, one-night light heavyweight tournament to determine Bellator's number one contender in this division. The other fighters in this tournament are former Bellator champion Emanuel Newton, Linton Vassell, and 2008 NCAA Div. I wrestling champion Phil Davis, who will be making his Bellator debut. This card, which is headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between unbeaten champion Liam McGeary and MMA legend Tito Ortiz, takes place at the SAP Center in San Jose, California, and will be telecast live in the U.S. on Spike.
We spoke with "King" Mo Lawal by phone Friday.
Speaking about potentially, and in his case hopefully, having two fights on the same card, he said that he became aware of this format "when everybody else did, so it still hasn't registered yet. I feel like it will register more when camp starts because I have to maneuver my training a little bit more, because I have to train for two fights, not just one five-round fight."
He continued, "It's just going to be a little different. I have to break my training up differently, so I'm still figuring out how to do that. But I'm looking forward to the challenge. I'm excited there's a possibility of this happening. To me, I always say 'possibility' now, because you never know what's going to happen until the weigh-ins end. So I'm really looking forward to this happening and I'm looking forward to training for it."
"King" Mo is also a big boxing aficionado, having trained with Jeff Mayweather as well as many pro and amateur boxers. He follows boxing very closely, so we also discussed the recent revival of boxing, especially in the U.S., and the role of the controversial Al Haymon and the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) series of shows on numerous TV networks.
Saying that in many ways boxing is "the opposite of MMA," he argued that PBC has the "right plan" to build new stars and expose more fans to boxing. Even some of the PBC's fights in which one fighter is heavily favored do not hurt this plan, as he noted that most boxing fans "want knockouts" and that is what will be displayed on PBC's many telecasts on free TV.
He also has taken to social media to comment on the series of racist terror attacks on unarmed Black men and women by police and others which have taken place across the U.S., and the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement. As an African-American and a son of immigrants, he grew up in the American South, he said, and "I've seen it all." We also discussed why many boxers and athletes in other sports have also been outspoken on these issues, while few in MMA have for fear of losing their fan base.
We also discussed how he is helping the legendary Ricardo Liborio prepare for his ADCC superfight with Mario Sperry, how his health is now better than when he had a nasty staph infection and then was taking antibiotics which hindered some of his performances, and much more.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at AmericanTopTeam.com.
Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with MMA fighter Fallon Fox.
The first openly transgender MMA fighter, she is the subject, along with openly gay college basketball player Terrence Lamar Clemens, of a new documentary "Game Face".
Directed by Michiel Thomas, this film documents the inspiring coming out stories of these athletes.
We spoke with Fallon Fox by phone Thursday.
"'Game Face' is a documentary about LGBTQ athletes, what happens to them before they come out and during the process of when they come out as LGBTQ athletes in sports," she said.
"We have been filming for about a year and a half, almost two years with production to get this project complete. So I'm very happy that it's coming to full fruition as of late. So It's making its tour around film festivals, so people can check it out there as it makes its tour around those festivals. And you can also catch it whenever we find a distributor and put it out for the mass public."
We also discussed why acceptance and understanding of transgender people and athletes are growing, why she is currently not signed by any MMA promotion despite her 5-1 pro record, why fight promoters who refuse to sign her will be judged badly by history, the prospects for her getting signed to fight, her many other activities including writing, and much more.
"Game Face" is an important and worthy documentary which is both enlightening and moving, and is heartily recommended to be seen.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at AmericanTopTeam.com.
Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman, who is celebrating his birthday on Sunday, March 22, offers some thoughts and observations on the state of sports in general and the combat sports in particular. Discussed are the growing concern with head trauma and concussions; why retirement is not an option for him; the many problems facing wrestling and grappling events; the need to understand the world as a whole in order to understand the sports world; and much more.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at AmericanTopTeam.com.
Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.
Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman reposts a commentary from May 2013 about the legacy of Malcolm X and its meaning for the martial arts and combat sports.
Plus, added is a new introduction which discusses Malcolm X's emphasis on continuing to learn, adapt, and change, and how this applies to the martial arts and combat sports, especially for the reviving sport of catch wrestling and for those sports which produce repetitive head trauma and brain injuries.
On March 29, 1964, at a speech at the Audubon Ballroom in New York, Malcolm X repeated what he had said many times about the importance of the martial arts: "If you're interested in freedom, you need some judo, you need some karate, you need all the things that will help you fight for freedom."
That building now houses the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center, at 3940 Broadway, New York, NY 10032, where one of the many celebrations of the 89th anniversary of Malcolm's birth will take place this Monday, May 19.
Malcolm X also explained the importance of martial arts training in "The Autobiography of Malcolm X", and how the values they teach are part of the overall training in values which "are vital in a person, a home, a community, a nation, and a civilization," and not only the aspect of training in self-defense. The book also discussed his relations with Muhammad Ali, when he won the heavyweight boxing championship of the world from Sonny Liston in 1964.
But the type of positive values which Malcolm advocated are today often not being promoted, particularly in combat sports like MMA and wrestling, and this is discussed.
So the lessons taught by Malcolm X about the martial arts and combat sports are still valid. It is up to us to learn this legacy, and to apply it to what we do today.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City July 26 and 27, 2014, for the fifth annual MMA World Expo, featuring the Fighters Source U.S. Nationals amateur MMA tournament, two days of ADCC no-gi and gi grappling tournaments, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, catch wrestling competition, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, July 26, and Sunday, July 27, 2014, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.
Catch Wrestling Alliance International Invitational: The Rebirth. This invitational event will be held under catch wrestling rules, where you can only win by pin or submission. It will take place Saturday, June 7, in Collins Court in the John Wooden Center on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles, California. For more information, go to catchwrestlingalliance.com.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to takedownradio.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with lifelong martial artist, former UFC and Battlecade Extreme Fighting matchmaker, TV commentator, and our senior correspondent, John Perretti.
This is the 1000th show for No Holds Barred as a podcast, and we used this occasion to discuss the past, present, and future of the combat sports.
We spoke with John Perretti, who is in Kyoto, Japan, by Skype Wednesday (Tuesday, New York time).
"You've done a magnificent job, and there's nobody more informed than you. And we disagree not very frequently. Congratulations," he said.
We mainly focused on not only what has gone wrong over the past two decades and more in the combat sports, but what must be done right in the present and future. That, of course, led us directly into a discussion of the prospects for various styles of grappling and wrestling to succeed as popular spectator sports.
Referring to his landmark, if financially unsuccessful, grappling show in October 1997 called "The Contenders", he still noted the potential for grappling and wrestling, including catch wrestling, events.
"Being someone who promoted a catch wrestling-style with 'The Contenders', and the precursor of Abu Dhabi [Combat Club World Submission Fighting Championships], I've always thought that it was a viable alternative," he said.
And despite the fact that "it wasn't promoted properly and all the mistakes that I made that we've spoken about a thousand times, it did appear, even though no one watched it. It was real."
We discussed some of the historical lessons of our experiences in the combat sports, how catch wrestling has to grow while not being "absorbed" into the sleazy world that has ruined and corrupted so many of the combat sports, what type of organization catch wrestling will need, the need for rules which provide compelling action while avoiding the "snooze factor", and much, much more.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
ONE Fighting Championship. ONE FC is Asia's largest and most prestigious mixed martial arts event. ONE FC features the best Asian fighters and has initiated the ONE Asia Partnership Network, which includes most of the major MMA promotions and MMA gyms in Asia. For more information, go to their web site, at ONEFC.com.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Dr. Sherry Wulkan, who is the Medical Chair of the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC), the lead MMA and muay Thai physician of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board, and the Medical Director of Long Island Sports Care Group Inc. in Bayport, New York.
In 2012, Dr. Wulkan presented the policy proposal to the Association of Boxing Commissions on transgender fighters, which was based on what had already been adopted by the International Olympic Committee and many other major sports organizations. With the coming to prominence in 2013 of Fallon Fox, the first openly transgender MMA fighter, this policy has been much debated.
We spoke with Dr. Wulkan by phone Tuesday.
Dr. Wulkan worked on this policy towards transgender athletes with Eric Vilain, M.D., Ph.D., who is a Professor of Human Genetics, Pediatrics and Urology at UCLA, the Director of the Institute for Society and Genetics, the Chief of Medical Genetics, and an attending physician in the Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Vilain was also instrumental in developing the IOC's policy on transgender athletes.
"What we found out," said Dr. Wulkan, "was in fact when an athlete undergoes [male-to-female] sexual reassignment, that the hormones, the male advantage in this case, is mitigated, after some say one year, but we were very conservative and made it two years."
She continued, "Testosterone, which can cause what we call male aggression and also increases muscle mass, is mitigated if the hormones are removed. After a two-year interval there is really no advantage that we know about at this point from having a sex change."
Dr. Wulkan also worked with the Florida commission on this issue, where Fallon Fox was licensed and fought three times in 2013.
We discussed the scientific reasons for this policy and why more education is needed on this issue. "There is a learning curve for everybody," she said.
We also moved on to the issues of concussions, head injuries, brain damage, and CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). "We're ahead of the game because of everything the NFL has gone through," she said, including the major media coverage on this issue for American football, and the settlement of a lawsuit brought by over 4000 former NFL players against the league for allegedly covering up information about the risks of playing that sport.
While the relative safety of sports like American football, boxing, MMA, and muay Thai can be debated, they all pose the risk of brain damage for at least some of their athletes. Much more research needs to be done to understand fully those risk factors, she said, but today the regulators like her are "trying to make it as safe as possible" by seeing their role as "fighter advocates".
In addition, we also discussed where fighters can get more information on these health and safety issues, the growing awareness about them by the members of the Association of Boxing Commissions, and much more.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
ONE Fighting Championship. ONE FC is Asia's largest and most prestigious mixed martial arts event. ONE FC features the best Asian fighters and has initiated the ONE Asia Partnership Network, which includes most of the major MMA promotions and MMA gyms in Asia. For more information, go to their web site, at ONEFC.com.
GrappleGnostic, sponsored by Defense Soap. Where the will to win meets the power of knowledge. Features, interviews, analysis, health tips, and information on wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and all the grappling arts, written by some of the best writers and experts in the world. Check out their web site, at http://defensesoap.com/grapplegnostic.
Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at http://defensesoap.com.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Ahati Kilindi Iyi, a martial arts legend and the head instructor and technical advisor of the TaMerrian Institute.
Although as a youth he had a background in both wrestling and amateur boxing - his father was a boxer - Kilindi Iyi soon became attracted to the martial arts. This coincided with the rise of the Black Power movement, and growing up in the oft-rebellious Detroit area, he began to study the origins of the martial arts. He learned that the best evidence we have today shows that the martial arts originated in Africa, so he began to devote himself not only to preserving that history, but also spreading interest in what he calls the African fighting sciences.
"No one actually knows where martial arts started. It could have been St. Louis, Missouri, for all we know. But as far as the recorded evidence that we have today, because somebody may come along tomorrow and find out some other recorded evidence, the oldest fighting systems that we have come from the African continent," he said in this interview, which was recorded by phone Monday.
Since "the oldest records of human beings are located, in bone and in stone," in Africa, he concluded that we can then glean that "the oldest systems that we have record of now are the African fighting sciences."
He also understood that the martial arts require "well-rounded" training, in striking, grappling, and weapons. He has traveled to Africa many times, and studied everything from Senegalese wrestling and the numerous styles of wrestling in Africa, to the warrior societies such as of the Maasai in Tanzania, and just about everything in-between.
As for MMA, he coached Tai Bowden at UFC 9 in May 1996 in Detroit, well before the current rules were in place. He said that many of the elite fighters from the traditional martial arts did not participate in those early UFCs. We discussed the experience of those early UFCs, and also MMA today.
For Kilindi Iyi, however, the main thing about martial arts is not who wins or loses a fight. Key for the practitioners are "the reasons why you fight, and the reasons why you don't fight." Martial arts to him aim to teach people "how you live your life," and not simply fighting techniques.
We also discussed how the martial arts have actually been hurt by getting included in the Olympics or trying to get included; the long decline of Detroit and the roots of its present declaration of financial bankruptcy; how many martial arts today are still racially segregated; what we should and should not conclude about the life of Bruce Lee; sometimes-forgotten Jeet Kune Do fighters such as Carlton James and Larry Hartsell; why young people seeking training in martial arts should choose a school which emphasizes character and etiquette rather than choosing mainly on style; and much more.
In addition, we also discussed the Warrior Retreat, which will be held August 30-September 1 in Williamstown, New Jersey, where he will be one of the many instructors.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
ONE Fighting Championship. ONE FC is Asia's largest and most prestigious mixed martial arts event. ONE FC features the best Asian fighters and has initiated the ONE Asia Partnership Network, which includes most of the major MMA promotions and MMA gyms in Asia. For more information, go to their web site, at ONEFC.com.
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
The First Annual Liberty Bell Classic East Coast King of Catch Tournament, organized by the North American Catch Wrestling Association in conjunction with Scientific Wrestling. This catch wrestling tournament will take place Saturday, August 31, 2013, at the Klein JCC, 10100 Jamison Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19116. No points! No politics! Only submissions and pins win! For more information, go to nacwa.weebly.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the ex-pugilist, lifelong martial artist, former UFC and Battlecade Extreme Fighting matchmaker, TV commentator, and our senior correspondent, JohnPerretti.
Despite having come up with the term "mixed martial arts" and being a pioneer and one of the founders of modern MMA, John Perretti is no longer involved in the sport. Nor does he even watch it, either on TV or live, although he does sometimes keep up with other combat sports like boxing, kickboxing, sumo, and wrestling.
"It just didn't interest me," he said in our interview, recorded by Skype this past week on Tuesday. "The whole thing just had devolved into something I had no interest in."
We discussed his disillusionment with a sport in which he had such a key role in creating. He explained how he finds most MMA in the USA "abysmal" and "unwatchable"; how his relationship with the sport has ended similarly to how personal or romantic relationships end; how he "quit" and was never fired from his position as UFC matchmaker; why he considers MMA "not creative anymore"; and the dangers of head trauma and CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) in MMA and other sports.
When we discussed grappling, he said he wished he had started his groundbreaking professional grappling show, The Contenders, before he had started Extreme Fighting. The Contenders had just one event, in October 1997, after Extreme Fighting, which ran from 1995 to 1997, had gone out of business. What would combat sports history have been like if he had done that?
Besides training his sons in weightlifting - they are both at the top of their weight classes in their age groups in the USA - he plans to open a gym next year in Japan when he relocates there full-time.
And we also asked a broader question from all this: If MMA founders like John, Rorion Gracie, Bob Meyrowitz, Donald Zuckerman, and others are all no longer involved in the sport and have moved on, what does this say about the long-term viability of MMA?
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
ONE Fighting Championship. ONE FC is Asia's largest and most prestigious mixed martial arts event. ONE FC features the best Asian fighters and has initiated the ONE Asia Partnership Network, which includes most of the major MMA promotions and MMA gyms in Asia. For more information, go to their web site, at ONEFC.com.
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
The First Annual Liberty Bell Classic East Coast King of Catch Tournament, organized by the North American Catch Wrestling Association in conjunction with Scientific Wrestling. This catch wrestling tournament will take place Saturday, August 31, 2013, at the Klein JCC, 10100 Jamison Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19116. No points! No politics! Only submissions and pins win! For more information, go to nacwa.weebly.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again speaks with lifelong martial artist, former UFC and Battlecade Extreme Fighting matchmaker, TV commentator, and our senior correspondent, John Perretti.
On October 11, 1997, before the major no-gi grappling championships of today, John Perretti was the main organizer of a pioneering grappling event known simply as "The Contenders". The format was a seven-match card, held in Sioux City, Iowa, pitting a team of various martial artists against a team of elite U.S. wrestlers. Victory in each match could come by submission or, if there was none, judges' decision. There was no striking permitted, and the matches were held in a cage. The martial artists won, four matches to three, including three wins by submissions, but controversy ensued during and after the event about the rules and decisions.
This ended up being a money-losing, one-shot deal, because attendance was sparse and pay-per-view buys were minuscule. Still, it is considered a pioneering event because its concept helped inspire the numerous no-gi grappling championships which followed it.
Calling the event his "brainchild," John Perretti said in this interview, which was recorded by Skype Sunday, "I am to blame for all the problems with it." But he added, quoting a widely-held view about this event, "It's the greatest show no one ever saw."
We thus discussed what happened at this historic event, many of whose matches can be seen on YouTube, some of the lessons for today, and much more.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
ONE Fighting Championship. ONE FC is Asia's largest and most prestigious mixed martial arts event. ONE FC features the best Asian fighters and has initiated the ONE Asia Partnership Network, which includes most of the major MMA promotions and MMA gyms in Asia. For more information, go to their web site, at ONEFC.com.
MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City February 16 and 17, 2013, for the fourth annual MMA World Expo, featuring an amateur MMA tournament, grappling, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, February 16, and Sunday, February 17, 2013, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
(Photo of Eddie Goldman and Ian Carpenter)
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents our first video show. As with any maiden voyage, there are still some kinks to work out, but we thank our colleague Ian Carpenter for being the video producer of this episode of No Holds Barred, which was recorded May 26 at the Magic Pumpkin Studios in Astoria, Queens, New York.
On the show, we begin by discussing the historic victory by Bernard Hopkins over Jean Pascal to become the top light heavyweight boxer in the world. Hopkins, at age 46, also becomes the oldest boxer ever to win a major world title. But we also discuss some other aging fighters who have not done so well of late, including boxer Roy Jones Jr. and mixed martial arts fighters Randy Couture and Dan Severn.
We next discuss the growing awareness of the severity of injuries in sports, including the incredible number of deaths in auto racing and American football, especially in high school and college football. We also note the growing number of injuries of different types for main event mixed martial arts fighters today.
And we conclude by discussing grappling and how some MMA fighters even today emphasize their submission skills. These include the unbeaten heavyweight Guram Gugenishivili, who headlines the M-1 Challenge XXVI card on July 8 in the main event against Pat Bennett.
While we do plan to do more video shows, we will also continue our audio shows as well.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by Ian Carpenter.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
M-1 Global. Founded in 1998, M-1 Global has staged over 100 mixed martial arts events worldwide including the M-1 Selection tournaments and M-1 Challenge events, in Eastern and Western Europe, North America, and Asia. While discovering and developing the world's next generation of superstar fighters, M-1 Global's greatest asset is the number one heavyweight in mixed martial arts history, Fedor Emelianenko. Make sure to catch their shows from around the world, including on Showtime in the U.S., and visit their web site, M-1 Global.com, and the M-1 Facebook page for news, videos, and live streaming events.
Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman previews a unique event combining mixed martial arts and the current struggle against fascists and racists in Europe. This is the Second International Tournament in Mixed Martial Arts Among Anti-Fascists of Europe, known as "No Surrender!! II" It takes place Saturday, April 17, in Kiev, Ukraine.
We spoke with one of the organizers of this event, known as Anton, who is an anti-fascist activist. The rise of fascist and neo-Nazi elements in Eastern Europe following the collapse of the Soviet Union has resulted in resistance by the people there, but also the death of some prominent opponents of the fascists. Because of the current danger to those who are active in this anti-fascist movement, this mixed martial arts event will be closed to the public and its location kept secret.
The background to these important developments was explained by Anton, who stressed that a key motivation in organizing such events was to train the members of this movement in self-defense. As the announcement of this event stated, "The tournament is intended to continue the tradition of learning and use of fighting arts not only in the ring or mat, but also in real life situations. Invited to apply are all the caring people who refuse to be reconciled with the dominance of the Nazi terror in the streets of their own cities."
This is thus also an amateur event using modified MMA rules. But it is also an historic event, as it shows that the sport of mixed martial arts can be used to promote positive values and play a progressive role in society. That was central to our discussion, as we try to bring information about all this to the world.
You can find our more details about this event and the movements and organizations behind it at: http://avtonom.org/en/node/9247.
You can also see some of the type of fighting which will take a place at this event at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi0DRhbouZo.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by Ian Carpenter.
Make sure to visit the official boxing forum for No Holds Barred, the MySpace Boxing Forum.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
Bragging Rights Corner, for news and always independent opinion about the sport and business of boxing. Check out their web site at http://www.braggingrightscorner.com.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with the legendary fight agent and boxing personality, Johnny Bos.
There are few if any people alive who know more about boxing than Johnny Bos. But instead of prospering from that knowledge and wisdom, last year Johnny Bos, the quintessential New Yorker, had to leave this faded but still sometimes active center of boxing for a town not known for being a pugilistic capital: Clearwater, Florida. The main reason was that he could no longer find work in this alleged sport.
Johnny's fortunes in boxing seemed to head swiftly downhill after an incident whose consequences, ironically, brought him back to the Big Apple this week. His fighter, former world champion Joey Gamache, was slated to fight the late Arturo Gatti in Madison Square Garden Feb. 26, 2000. At the weigh-in the day before, however, Bos and many others said that Gatti hopped on and off the scale without making the contracted weight of 141 pounds. While he objected to this, officials from the New York State Athletic Commission declared that Gatti had indeed made weight, and that the fight was on.
Gatti, who reportedly weighed 160 pounds on an unofficial HBO scale the day of the bout, proceeded to score a brutal second-round knockout. Gamache had to be taken to a hospital after it, nearly died there that night, and suffers from permanent brain damage. His career, of course, was over, although he does still train fighters.
Gamache then sued the New York State Athletic Commission for negligence for allegedly permitting Gatti to fight well over the contracted weight. After years of legal wrangling, that case was finally heard this past week, and this was why Johnny Bos returned to New York, in an unusual role as a witness on behalf of Joey Gamache.
We had a chance while he was still in New York, and after the trial itself was over, to speak with Johnny Bos. (A verdict by the trial judge is expected in several months.)
In our lengthy discussion, Johnny explained what went on at this botched weigh-in, how it affected the Gatti-Gamache fight, and what it all indicated about the quality of the regulation of boxing. He also gave us some ideas on what major changes are needed in boxing, and just who may be starting to make them. And, as always, he did so in a style and tone reflective of the long gone glory days of boxing in America.
So join us on this edition of No Holds Barred for a rare behind-the-scenes look at what really goes on in the world of boxing.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by Ian Carpenter.
Make sure to visit the official boxing forum for No Holds Barred, the MySpace Boxing Forum.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.
American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Wrestling 411, providing coverage of the sport of wrestling on TV, the Internet, and radio. Wrestling 411 is produced by Media Sports Productions, whose sole mission is the marketing and promotion of the sport of wrestling.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by commenting on the controversy around the November 15 mixed martial arts fight between Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture at UFC 91. We go to the No Holds Barred e-mail bag for an insightful analysis by a listener about how this fight may have symbolized "The Day That MMA Died", and then critique a number of so-called "experts" writing in the mainstream media defending the UFC promoters for handing the inexperienced Lesnar this title shot and inflating what his real athletic credentials are.
In the main part of this show, we speak with our long-time colleague, Todd Hester, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Gladiator Magazine. Todd is also a correspondent on this show.
In its November 2008 edition, Gladiator Magazine announced that it has presented its first-ever Lifetime Journalism Achievement Award to Eddie Goldman. In an article in its November 2008 issue, Eddie Goldman was also named the "Conscience of the Combat Sports".
In a lengthy interview, we discuss why this award was given, and then, as is befitting on a show called No Holds Barred, jump into explaining and analyzing some of the pressing problems in the combat sports of mixed martial arts, boxing, and wrestling.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Wrestling 411, providing coverage of the sport of wrestling on TV, the Internet, and radio. Wrestling 411 is produced by Media Sports Productions, whose sole mission is the marketing and promotion of the sport of wrestling.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by discussing the changed business climate for mixed martial arts following the ratings success of last Saturday’s EliteXC show on CBS.
In light of this, we covered the news conference Thursday in New York, where it was announced that the Affliction mixed martial arts promotion and real estate mogul Donald Trump had entered into a partnership, with Trump buying an equity stake in Affliction. The inaugural Affliction show takes place Saturday, July 19, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, and will be shown in the U.S. on pay-per-view.
We got a brief comment from Trump about why he chose to invest in Affliction, and spoke with Tom Atencio, vice president of Affliction, about the company's business plans, as well as their intention of creating unified MMA championships by working with the new sanctioning body, WAMMA.
This Saturday night, June 7, WBC super welterweight champion Vernon Forrest (40-2, 29 KOs) will defend his title against Sergio Mora (20-0-1, 5 KOs) from "The Contender" series. This fight takes place at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., and will be shown in the U.S. on Showtime. We spoke with Vernon Forrest Thursday afternoon at a New York news conference about this fight and what to expect in it.
Also this busy weekend, the 2008 World Jiu-Jitsu Championships, better known as the Mundials, take place beginning Thursday, June 5, and running through Sunday, June 8, at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of California State University Long Beach in Long Beach, California. This event is organized by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
To preview the Mundials, we spoke with our colleague Kid Peligro, a senior editor of the ADCC News and a correspondent on our show. In a lengthy discussion, Kid offered his picks for the favorites in the weight classes in the men's and women's black belt divisions, as well as the absolutes. We also discussed the critical role of grappling in the mixed martial arts.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.
Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
No Holds Barred blog
No Holds Barred podcast
The Boxing Standard
No Holds Barred on MySpace
On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman speaks with award-winning boxing writer and musician Charles Farrell. He covered this past Saturday's dramatic fight between the undefeated WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto (23-0, 25 KOs) and the former unified welterweight champion, Zab Judah (34-5, 25 KOs), at New York's Madison Square Garden.
In a lengthy interview, we discuss why this fight was so important and what boxing can learn from it. We also critique films like "Rocky" and TV shows like "The Contender", as well as much of the boxing media. We touch on what Quinton "Rampage" Jackson's knockout of Chuck Liddell at UFC 71 says about the overall skills of many top MMA fighters. And we talk about boxing and music, as well as Charles's playing with jazz legend Ornette Coleman.
Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).
NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. You can also catch the IFL's newest show, "IFL Battleground", every Monday night on MyNetworkTV (http://www.mynetworktv.com/). An encore presentation will run each Saturday night from. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.
BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).
FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
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On the first edition of the return of “No Holds Barred,” host Eddie Goldman interviews former mixed martial arts fighter of the year Frank Shamrock. On Friday, March 10, in San Jose, Calif., after being out of the spotlight for several years, Frank returns to action to fight Cesar Gracie.