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Wednesday, May 31, 2006

NO HOLDS BARRED: Wes Sims, Joey “Knockdown” Brown, and Jeff Weller 

On this week’s two-part edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman previews three mixed martial arts shows taking place this Saturday, June 3.

In the first part of our show, we speak wih controversial heavyweight fighter Wes Sims. He has a rematch with Daniel Gracie in a super fight on the International Fight League (IFL) show Saturday at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, NJ.

We also speak with Joey “Knockdown” Brown, who takes on Vadim Kulchitskiy at the Mixed Fighting Championship 7 (MFC) show, also Saturday, and at Boardwalk Hall, also in Atlantic City, NJ.

In the second part of the show, we speak with veteran fight announcer and manager Jeff Weller, who is now a mixed martial arts promoter. His show, called Extreme Wars X2, takes place Saturday at the Oakland Arena in Oakland, California, and will be webcast on MMAHawaii.com. We also discuss the overall state of mixed martial arts.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, just click
here or here.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available
through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

Underhook, with Next Level Apparel, the tops in grappling shorts, rashguards, and more.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Throwdown Magazine, action lifestyle for extreme sports and the best in combat sports journalism.

King of the Cage, the number one cage fighting promotion on the planet.

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Tuesday, May 30, 2006

SecondsOut Radio: Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo, Vic Darchinyan, George Foreman, O’Neil Bell, Steve Cunningham, Shannon Briggs, Steven Duval 

On this week’s packed edition of SecondsOut Radio, host Eddie Goldman discusses the present, the past, and the future of boxing.

We speak with the lightweight champion Diego Corrales (40-3, 33 KOs) and his nemesis, Jose Luis Castillo (54-7-1, 47 KOs), who had the 2005 Fight of the Year, have split their first two fights, and now will go at it for the third time on Sat., June 3, in Las Vegas and in a bout televised in the U.S. on Showtime. We also speak with undefeated flyweight titleholder Vic Darchinyan (25-0, 20 KOs), who defends his belt against fellow unbeaten fighter Luis Maldonado (33-0-1, 25 KOs) on that same show. Corrales, Castillo, and Darchinyan all help preview their bouts.

A new organization known as Superfighter is trying to play a major role in the future of boxing. They are planning a series of eight-man, one-day tournaments made up of four-round fights. The first of these is slated to take place in the fall in Australia, and in the heavyweight division. Plans for this group were unveiled at a New York media conference last week.

Former two-time heavyweight champion of the world George Foreman is part of this group, and we spoke with him both about this new tournament, what is ailing the heavyweight division today, and where Superfighter fits in to the present-day quest to crown a new heavyweight champion of the world.

We also spoke with two fighters who were at this media conference who plan to compete in Superfighter: cruiserweight champion O’Neil Bell (26-1-1, 24 KOs) and undefeated top cruiserweight contender Steve Cunningham (19-0, 10 KOs). Both Bell and Cunningham explain why they plan to compete at heavyweight in this tournament.

Superfighter CEO and founder Steven Duval of Australia also explained how he sees his brainchild going and what plans he has for his organization.

Another heavyweight announced as being part of this tournament but not at the media conference was former top heavyweight Shannon Briggs (47-4-1, 41 KOs). In a comeback effort, he has reeled off 11 straight wins by knockout or TKO, including a stoppage win at the end of the third round this past Wednesday in New York. At ringside right after his fight, we got Briggs’s comments both on that fight and his immediate future plans.

It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, and listen, learn, and enjoy.

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Another Cool Day at the Office 


Left to right: Amber, me, and Christina at the Broadway Boxing show May 19, 2006, at the Manhattan Center in New York. Thanks to Richard Cox of RoundCardGirlz.com for the photo.

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Monday, May 29, 2006

Pay$Per$View TV: Is the End Near? 

Most likely because I hadn't been looking for such things, I didn't realize how inadvertently easy it would be to come across free – and illegal – online videos of Saturday's UFC pay$per$view. I was looking for results and comments on the show, which I did not order, on various message boards from people who had seen it.

If you want to know why I didn't order it, on Saturday my monthly cable bill from Time Warner arrived. It included the fifty bucks for the De La Hoya-Mayorga pay$per$view – reportedly seen in 875,000 households – and came to a mere $161.06. And it was accurate.

With sites like YouTube, RapidShare, and so many others, the pay$per$view wall is coming down, albeit illegally. Policing such sites is a monstrous task, and may be a virtual impossibility, so pay$per$view producers are going to have to rethink their business models, and fast, like it or not. But like the fiasco in the music business, they probably won’t be smart enough to do so until it is too late to limit the damage.

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Saturday, May 27, 2006

Professional Submission League Results 

Our colleague Kid Peligro is posting the results from Friday night's Professional Submission League event in Santa Monica, CA, as they come in. You can see them on the ADCC News by clicking here.

Also scheduled was a live Internet radio webcast of the event, but that does not seem to be working for some as yet unreported reason.

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Friday, May 26, 2006

Anthony Robles named ABC World News Tonight Person of the Week! - John Fuller 

Anthony Robles named ABC World News Tonight Person of the Week!

Hi All:

Anthony Robles, the amazing high school national champion wrestler born with one leg, was named the ABC World News Tonight Person of the Week. I have been working with Anthony for about three months now, and while we have seen some amazing P.R. for him, this is an incredible honor.

In case you missed the episode, I am including a link to the ABC web site where the transcript is posted. And if you are not sure who I am talking about yet, then you aren't reading my e-mails - so shame on you, haha... Anthony was born with just one leg, but has grown to become a national champion high school wrestler. He is also one of the most humble, down-to-earth kids I've ever met as well...

Keep watching as I am sure there will be more big news concerning Anthony later this summer!

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/PersonOfWeek/story?id=2009221&page=1

John Fuller

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Boxing Tidbits: Superfighter, John Ruiz, and Sultan Ibragimov 

I have a follow-up on news about the proposed Superfighter tournament on the blog at TheSweetScience.com.

Also, we just received this press release from the camp of John Ruiz, who we have long regarded as highly underrated and much more skilled than many of boxing’s “experts” have realized. Many of these same “experts” are also just as silent when it comes to exposing the dangers of steroids and other harmful illegal banned substances in boxing and other sports. John Ruiz is one of the few fighters to have publicly and forcefully spoken out on that issue, perhaps another reason boxing’s establishment frowns on him.

Here is the press release:



2-time WBA Heavyweight Champion of the World
John Ruiz No. 1 contender in WBA

LAS VEGAS (May 22, 2006) – Two-time world heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz (41-6-1, 28 KOs) is the World Boxing Association’s No. 1 contender according to its latest ratings. Ruiz had petitioned the WBA for an immediate rematch against Nicolay Valuev for the WBA heavyweight title, or No. 1 rating, after losing a controversial decision last December in Berlin.

“I want to thank the WBA for granting at least one part of our petition,” Ruiz said. “If we couldn’t get an immediate rematch, we asked that I be rated in the No. 1 position and next in line for a WBA title match against the winner of Valuev and (Owen) Beck (June 3).”

We also received a press release from Warriors Boxing noting that the IBF is holding a purse bid June 3 for a fight between Ruiz and the undefeated Sultan Ibragimov (19-0, 16 KOs). That fight should be quite important, as Sultan Ibragimov may be the best and most exciting of the up-and-coming heavyweights. Here is that press release:

THE NEW ‘SULTAN OF SWAT’ READIES FOR ‘THE QUIETMAN’
IBRAGIMOV-RUIZ PURSE BID TO BE HELD ON JUNE 3RD

HOLLYWOOD, FL, May 26 – Like the immortal Babe Ruth knocked home run after home run out of the park, the new “Sultan of Swat”, Sultan Ibragimov, is knocking out opponent after opponent in his quest for the Heavyweight Championship.

But finally, the unbeaten native of Rostov-na-Donu, Russia will get his chance to move closer to that dream as it was announced that a purse bid will take place on June 3rd, 2006 at noon during the IBF convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This bid will determine the day and site for the IBF elimination bout between Ibragimov (19-0, 16 KOs) and former World Champion John ‘The Quietman’ Ruiz. The winner will get a shot at newly crowned IBF Heavyweight Champion Wladimir Klitschko

“I would like to thank the IBF for this opportunity to fight for the number one contender’s position, and I would also like to thank my team of Warriors Boxing, Boris Grinberg, and Sampson Lewkowicz for their tireless efforts to put me in this position,” said Ibragimov. “Now it’s time for me to make the most of this opportunity, and I will succeed by knocking out John Ruiz and then Wladimir Klitschko to win the World Title.”

For more information on Warrior’s Boxing, please visit our website at
www.warriorsboxing.com.

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“Dear Diary” on TheSweetScience.com 

My latest column is up on TheSweetScience.com.

Called
“Dear Diary”, once again I go where other boxing writers won’t, or can’t. It’s all about some of our favorite subjects: love and heavyweights.

Sigh. Spring is in the air. Would that an undisputed heavyweight champion of the world were, too!

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Professional Submission League Ready For Debut Tonight, Fri., May 26, in Santa Monica 


As we have been reporting, the new Professional Submission League (PSL), featuring submission wrestling, will have its debut show, named L.A. SUB X, tonight, Friday, May 26, at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, CA. A live, free Internet radio webcast will be available on MMA Live (http://mmalive.com/) on Fri., May 26, beginning at 7:30 PM PDT. An Internet pay-per-view is also planned after the event.

You can listen to our interviews about the Professional Submission League (PSL) with its founder, Rico Chiapparelli, on my NO HOLDS BARRED podcast by
clicking here.

The PSL is also now on MySpace at:
http://www.myspace.com/lasubx.

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Wednesday, May 24, 2006

NO HOLDS BARRED: Rico Chiapparelli on Professional Submission League, Gary Abbott on USA Wrestling World Team Trials, & Drs. Homansky & Goodman 

This coming weekend should be a wonderful one for wrestling and grappling. On last week’s edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, we took a close look at the new World Sumo League (WSL) and interviewed several of their wrestlers: Sidney Carty, Wayne Vierra, Stilian Georgiev, Ronny Allman, and Hans Borg. This group has its debut shows and kicks off its North American tour Friday, May 26, at The Palace at Auburn Hills, MI, and Saturday, May 27, at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL, near Chicago.

In the first part of this week’s special two-part edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, we preview two more grappling events.

As we have been
reporting, the new Professional Submission League (PSL), featuring submission wrestling, will have its debut show, named L.A. SUB X, on Friday, May 26, at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, CA. A live, free Internet radio webcast will be available on MMA Live (http://mmalive.com/) on Fri., May 26, beginning at 7:30 PM PDT. An Internet pay-per-view is also planned after the event.

Also this coming weekend, USA Wrestling will be holding the 2006 World Team Trials in men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. This takes place Sat., May 27, and Sun., May 28, at the Tyson Center Events in Sioux City, Iowa. The winners in each weight class advance to the 2006 World Championships of Wrestling, to be held Sept. 26-Oct. 2 in Guangzhou, China.

This week we get an update on the Professional Submission League from its founder, Rico Chiapparelli, an NCAA Div. I wrestling champion at the University of Iowa under the legendary coach Dan Gable, and later founder of the RAW Team, the most successful group of wrestlers in the mixed martial arts.

We also discuss the 2006 World Team Trials with Gary Abbott, Director of Communications and Special Projects of USA Wrestling.

In the second part of our show, we speak with Association of Boxing Commissions Vice President and former Nevada State Athletic Commissioner and emergency physician, Dr. Flip Homansky, and Nevada State Athletic Commission Medical Advisory Board Chairman, former Chief Ringside Physician, and Neurologist, Dr. Margaret Goodman. Drs. Homansky and Goodman are currently working with the newly-formed Combat Sports Center for Safety and Research (CSCSR), which aims to promote safety and awareness in sports such as boxing and mixed martial arts. In a lengthy discussion, they explained what studies this new center will undertake to further the cause of fighter safety, as well as what changes are needed in the regulation of the combat sports. We also touched on such issues as the prevalence of steroids and other dangerous supposedly performance-enhancing drugs in the combat sports. For more information about this center, contact Dr. Greg H. Bledsoe at
gbledso1@jhmi.edu .

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, just click
here or here.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available
through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

Underhook, with Next Level Apparel, the tops in grappling shorts, rashguards, and more.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Throwdown Magazine, action lifestyle for extreme sports and the best in combat sports journalism.

King of the Cage, the number one cage fighting promotion on the planet.

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Monday, May 22, 2006

SecondsOut Radio: Drs. Goodman & Homansky on Fighter Safety & Luis Collazo, Edgar Santana, Gary Stark, Emmanuel Clottey, Jerson Ravelo & Juan Cabrera 

This week we have a special two-part edition of SecondsOut Radio.

In the first part, host Eddie Goldman speaks with several of the boxers who fought and were victorious this past Friday, May 19, on the "Broadway Boxing" card at the Manhattan Center in New York. We spoke with rising junior welterweight Edgar Santana (18-2, 13 KOs), fighting in his first main event at “Broadway Boxing”; unbeaten featherweight Gary Stark Jr. (16-0, 8 KOs); former title contender and comebacking junior welterweight Emmanuel Clottey (24-6, 14 KOs); and unbeaten middleweight prospect Juan Cabrera. We also spoke with two top fighters who were attending the show: now-former WBA welterweight champ Luis Collazo (26-2, 12 KOs), fresh off a controversial loss to Ricky Hatton; and returning super middleweight Jerson Ravelo (17-1, 12 KOs), who has had three straight first-round knockouts following a 17-month layoff.

In the second part of our show, we speak with Association of Boxing Commissions Vice President and former Nevada State Athletic Commissioner and emergency physician, Dr. Flip Homansky, and Nevada State Athletic Commission Medical Advisory Board Chairman, former Chief Ringside Physician, and Neurologist, Dr. Margaret Goodman. Drs. Homansky and Goodman are currently working with the newly-formed Combat Sports Center for Safety and Research (CSCSR), which aims to promote safety and awareness in sports such as boxing and mixed martial arts. In a lengthy discussion, they explained what studies this new center will undertake to further the cause of fighter safety, as well as what changes are needed in the regulation of the combat sports. We also touched on such issues as the prevalence of steroids and other dangerous supposedly performance-enhancing drugs in the combat sports. For more information about this center, contact Dr. Greg H. Bledsoe at
gbledso1@jhmi.edu .

It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just
click here, and listen, learn, and enjoy.

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Friday, May 19, 2006

Malcolm X, May 19, 1925-Feb. 21, 1965 


The official web site of Malcolm X is at http://www.cmgww.com/historic/malcolm/home.php.

And have you noticed the similarity between the phrases “By Any Means Necessary” and “No Holds Barred”?

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IFL TV Starts Sun., May 21, on Fox Sports Net 

The first show for the new International Fight League (IFL) will be telecast this Sunday, May 21, on Fox Sports Net in the U.S.

This one-hour show, the first episode of those taped April 29 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, NJ, begins at 6 PM EDT and will be repeated several times. Make sure to check your local listings, especially since Fox Sports Net is a collection of regional sports networks mainly devoted to telecasting major non-combat sports teams.

For Fox Sports Net New York, here is the IFL TV schedule, all in EDT:

May 21 06:00pm
May 22 12:00pm
May 23 03:00pm
May 24 02:00am
May 25 02:00pm
May 27 07:00pm
May 28 03:00am

The second episode airs on Fox Sports Net New York Sun., May 28, also at 6 PM EDT, and also with numerous replays.

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Thursday, May 18, 2006

“Cheatin’” on TheSweetScience.com 

My latest column is up on TheSweetScience.com.

Called “Cheatin’”, it discusses boxing’s latest dopin’ scandal as well as some recent history of cheatin’ by boxing’s faithful. It is best read while listenin’ to some good ole cheatin’ and drinkin’ country music songs, some of which are suggested at the beginnin’.

Don’t cheat yourself by not readin’ it!

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A Message from Queen Alyssa 


A Message from Queen Alyssa:

Made it thru another week...........

GO TEAM!
Celebrate your victory by getting so smashed getting hit by a bus is probable... with me & Angela!
Remember: Mo booze = mo fun

TRAILER TRASH THURSDAY @ DOC HOLLIDAYS
141 Ave A NYC

FREE weinies
CHEAP BOOZE
CHEAP GIRLS
CHEAP THRILLS

Trashiest attire is not suggested, it is demanded!!!!!!!!!!!

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Wednesday, May 17, 2006

World Fighting Alliance Comes Out Swinging By Signing International Mixed Martial Arts Superstar Quinton Jackson - Press Release 

www.wfa.tv

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

World Fighting Alliance Comes Out Swinging By Signing International Mixed Martial Arts Superstar Quinton Jackson

Jackson vs. Olympic Silver Medalist and Former UFC #1 Contender Matt “The Law” Lindland Fight Among Star-Studded Lineup For The WFA’s Inaugural “WFA: King of the Streets” Event at The Forum July 22nd

LOS ANGELES, May 15, 2006 – The World Fighting Alliance (WFA) was officially reborn today as a “fighter-first” association featuring the world’s toughest mixed martial arts (MMA) athletes. The announcement coincided with the WFA’s signing of international MMA superstar Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, the man who destroyed reigning UFC light-heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell, ending months of speculation about which association Jackson would call home. The WFA also announced its inaugural event, “WFA: King of the Streets” to be held July 22nd at The Forum in Los Angeles, California.

The WFA is designed to be the world’s premier professional Mixed Martial Arts association, providing fans, sponsors and the media with an incomparable entertainment experience. As a “fighter-first” association, the WFA will showcase its athletes’ skills and personalities to the sport’s growing legions of fans through compelling match-ups, in-depth interviews and features highlighting the twisted roads and difficult paths that have led them to the pinnacle of the MMA world.

“As mixed martial arts continues to evolve into a mainstream global sports and entertainment attraction, it’s critical that we preserve the competitive balance and integrity of the sport, while continually upgrading the entertainment experience for consumers,” said Jeremy Lappen, CEO of the WFA. “To date, other organizations have not done a very good job of developing and marketing their fighters. The WFA, however, is founded on the belief that it’s the fighters, their unique stories, and the rivalries and drama between them that will take the sport to even greater levels of success.”

Those stories, rivalries and the drama that follows will be showcased at the inaugural “WFA: King of the Streets” event taking place on July 22nd at The Forum, a historic venue rich in fighting history. Located in the heart of Inglewood, Calif., the venue provides an appropriate urban setting to kick off the WFA’s street-brand of MMA entertainment.

“For so many of our fighters, the hardships of the streets demanded physical dominance as a matter of pure survival. They come from rough and humble beginnings, but the commitment to training and developing their MMA fighting skills is what got them off of the streets,” said Lappen. “The WFA celebrates the street origins of our sport and what better place to pay respect to our edgy roots then in the heart of Los Angeles at the historic Forum.”

In addition to “Rampage” Jackson, the WFA’s star-studded lineup of fighters includes:

Street fighting legend and former UFC superstar heavyweight Kimo Leopoldo

The undefeated Brazilian Lyoto Machida, the only man to beat UFC Champion Rich Franklin (he ko’d him), and whose career record also includes victories over stars BJ Penn and Stephen Bonnar

Former boxing star Jeremy “Half-Man, Half-Amazing” Williams who’s crossing over into the MMA realm after a stint as one of the featured trainers on ESPN’s popular boxing reality show The Contender

Jason “Mayhem” Miller, one of the sport’s most exciting young fighters and a self-made internet celebrity whose fan club, the “Mayhem’s Monkeys” comprises thousands of rabid MMA fans.

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Ricco Rodriguez who looks to regain his crown as the top fighter in the world.

World-class kick boxer-turned MMA competitor Kit Cope looks to finally establish himself as a legitimate force in the cage in the WFA.

The official fight card for “WFA: King of the Streets” features a “who’s who” of established MMA stars, now fighting under the WFA banner. The WFA sought to present the most intense head-to-head match-ups possible, loaded with significant history and animosity between scheduled opponents. The result will be one of the most action-packed and controversial fight cards in MMA history.

Following is a breakdown of the WFA King of the Streets bouts confirmed to date.” The complete fight card will be announced in the days to come once all match-ups become official:

Quinton Jackson (24-6-0) vs Matt Lindland (18-3-0)
After a highly-touted five-year fight career in Japan, one of MMA’s most popular fighters is reborn in North America with the arrival of the WFA. Jackson takes on former Olympic silver medal-winning wrestler-turned submission specialist Matt Lindland. Lindland, the former #1 contender at 185 lbs, has moved up to the 205 lb. weight class and recently scored an impressive first round submission win against Mike Van Arsdale.

Ricco Rodriguez (22-6-0) vs Ron Waterman (13-3-2)
Following a lengthy absence, this former UFC heavyweight champion makes a highly anticipated return to the cage in a battle against long-time rival Ron Waterman, who defeated Rodriquez in their only match prior to “WFA: King of the Streets.” Rodriguez will enter this bout looking to not only settle unfinished business with Waterman, but to reestablish him as a force to be reckoned with in the sport.

Lyoto Machida (7-0-0) vs Vernon White (24-27-2)
This bout features one of MMA’s brightest new stars against one of its most respected veterans. With one of the most impressive winning streaks in MMA, Machida, an undefeated knockout specialist with victories over top stars Rich Franklin, BJ Penn, and Stephan Bonnar looks to establish himself in the WFA by going head to head with the “Tiger.” White has shown impressive hands of late, knocking out his last two opponents, and a victory over this young prodigy would go far in refuting those who believe his best days are behind him.

Ivan Salaverry (11-4-0) vs Art Santore (14-4-0)
This bout pits two of the sport’s most technically sound fighters against each other. MMA veteran Salaverry is used to competing with top talent on a daily basis, having come out of the AMC Pankration camp of Bob Sapp and Josh Barnett. For Santore this fight against the proven Salaverry represents one of his biggest challenges to date. However, on the heels of capturing the UMMA World Middleweight title, Santore looks to continue his steady rise to MMA prominence with a victory at WFA King of the Streets.

Kimo Leopoldo (9-5-1) vs Opponent TBD
After a successful career establishing himself as one of the sport’s most dynamic and imposing forces, defeating such notable MMA stars as Tank Abbott, Bam Bam Bigelow and Kazushi Sakuraba, Kimo overcame his biggest battle against drugs and alcohol. The born-again Christian now backed by faith, intends to return to a position of dominance in MMA, beginning with “WFA: King of the Streets.” His opponent will be announced in the days to come.

Rob McCullough (11-3-0) vs Opponent TBD
Following a successful kick boxing career that earned him a reputation as a dominant lightweight striker, McCullough has made a successful transition into MMA. The O.C. local looks to take his career to the next level fighting for the WFA. His opponent will be announced in the days to come.

Jason Miller (14-4-0) vs. Opponent TBD
Jason “Mayhem” Miller brings his trademark wild style as the still-reigning Icon Sport Welterweight champion. The wily submission expert has made huge strides in MMA over the past several years and is determined to establish a legacy of dominance in the WFA with his outrageous and aggressive style.

Tickets for “WFA: King of the Streets” at The Forum went on sale this afternoon and are available at all Southern California Ticket Master outlets (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernadino and Ventura Counties), online at Ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at (213) 480-3232, (714) 740-2000, (661) 322-2525 or (805) 583-8700.

The event will also be shown live on pay-per-view television (details to be announced in the days to come).

Intimidating forces like Jackson will have significant input into the way they are marketed, providing fans with the greatest access ever to their favorite athletes.

“When Jeremy (Lappen) shared his vision for the WFA with me, it was clear that this was an organization committed to its fighters and to consistently putting the highest level of MMA talent in the cage for the fans,” said Jackson. “The decision was easy for me. The WFA is going to take this sport to an even higher level of competition and entertainment and I wanted to be a part of that.”

The WFA’s management and ownership group includes Lappen, Las Vegas attorneys Ross Goodman and Louis Palazzo, and retired businessman William McFarlane. The WFA has been reborn through the team after a six-year hiatus. The commitment to working in tandem with the fighters is fueling the rebirth and attracting many of the sport’s most recognizable names.

For more information on the WFA and “WFA: King of the Streets,” July 22nd at the Forum in Los Angeles, visit www.wfa.tv.

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Senate Defeats S. 1955 - Your Grassroots Support Made a Difference - Prevent Blindness America 

Dear Vision Advocate,

In case you were wondering whether you can make a difference in Washington, let us assure you that you can! Thanks to your countless emails, phone calls, letters and faxes, the Senate soundly defeated S. 1955, the Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act. Your message -- that patient protections come first -- was heard loud and clear on Capitol Hill.

As reported earlier, S. 1955 would have seriously undermined important patient protections at the state level, such as mandatory coverage of eye exams, eye glasses, and other vision services.

In order to move the bill forward, the Senate would have had to invoke "cloture," a parliamentary procedure that cuts off debate and allow the bill to move to a vote. If a bill doesn’t get 60 votes, it can’t proceed. Because S. 1955 didn’t get 60 votes, the bill is effectively dead.

All of this "Inside the Beltway" speak is our way of saying THANK YOU! Were it not for PBA's advocates telling their Senators to oppose this bill, we might have lost this important vote.

To learn how your Senator voted, click here.

If they voted "Nay," send them a follow-up email, thanking them for standing up for patient's rights. To send a follow-up email, type in your Zip code in the "Contact Congress" button at right and click "GO!" On our Action Alert page, click the "e-mail" link below your Senator's names.

Please know that your actions made the difference. Keep up the good work!

Sincerely,
Hugh R. Parry
President and CEO
Prevent Blindness America

About Prevent Blindness America
Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness America is the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, Prevent Blindness America touches the lives of millions of people each year through public and professional education, advocacy, community and patient service programs and research. These services are made possible through the generous support of the American public. Together with a network of affiliates, divisions and chapters, Prevent Blindness America is committed to eliminating preventable blindness in the United States. For more information, or to make a contribution to the sight-saving fund, call 1-800-331-2020.

Copyright © 2006 Prevent Blindness America ®
http://www.preventblindness.org/

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Center Devoted to Combat Sports Will Research Tough Questions - Press Release 

May 5, 2006 09:44 ET

Center Devoted to Combat Sports Will Research Tough Questions

LAS VEGAS, May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and renowned trainer Teddy Atlas are pulling no punches in backing the newly formed Combat Sports Center for Safety and Research (CSCSR). "I'm excited about being a part of this groundbreaking initiative. The research is important for the sport and will ensure the future safety of boxers," notes Lewis.

The CSCSR has been created to promote safety and awareness in sports such as boxing and mixed martial arts. Safety decisions in combat sports must be made on the basis of hard data rather than guesswork. This will be accomplished by conducting in-depth research, providing educational material and training, and promoting safe practices.

"Our goal is to be the premier provider of objective, quality research and educational training in order to promote safety and prolong the careers of those in the combat sports," said Johns Hopkins researcher and Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Dr. Gregory Bledsoe.

This independent research center was co-founded with other well-respected physicians: Chief Scientist and Hopkins Professor Dr. Guohua Li, MD, Dr.PH; Association of Boxing Commissions Vice President and former Nevada State Athletic Commissioner and emergency physician, Dr. Flip Homansky; and Nevada State Athletic Commission Medical Advisory Board Chairman, former Chief Ringside Physician, and Neurologist, Dr. Margaret Goodman. Seth Horowitz, CEO and President of Everlast Worldwide also serves on the board.

The CSCSR Advisory Board includes the vast expertise of Lennox Lewis, the former undisputed heavyweight champ and color commentator from HBO's Boxing After Dark; Teddy Atlas, color commentator for ESPN's Friday Night Fights; former heavyweight and light heavyweight Ultimate Fighting Champion Randy Couture; and journalist and safety advocate Allan Scotto.

CSCSR's first study includes new MRI technology from FONAR, one of the world's leading developers and manufacturers of MRI scanners, and a portable system that provides real-time assessment of mild traumatic brain injury to rapidly assess cognitive function co-invented by Dr. Michelle LaPlaca and Dr. David Wright from Georgia Tech and Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. This will be the first longitudinal study to link radiologic data with data regarding cognitive functioning before and immediately following a fight.

"Our hope is that these data can be used to identify participants at risk of traumatic brain injury and provide those officiating such events additional objective criteria by which they can assess fighters in the ring," Dr. Bledsoe said.

The second longitudinal study, already underway, is in conjunction with the California State Athletic Commission and Executive Officer, Armando Garcia, aimed at correlating weights of fighters at the weigh-in, before competition the night of the event, and immediately following the fight with factors such as fight outcome, age and career history.

"This is an opportunity to bring the expertise of researchers from Hopkins, as well as Georgia Tech and Emory University together with the boxing community," Homansky said. "Hopefully, it is just beginning."

Atlas agrees: "This can be something that can serve fighters and the fight business. Hopefully we'll get some answers that will make the sport safer."

The Combat Sports Center for Safety and Research is an independent not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation. It is not affiliated or endorsed by any established academic institution including The Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology, or Emory University. For additional information, please contact either Dr. Margaret Goodman at (702) 255-8785 or Dr. Greg H. Bledsoe at gbledso1@jhmi.edu.

Participant Biographical Data

Gregory H. Bledsoe, MD, MPH is Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Bledsoe is an emergency physician with a research focus on injury prevention. He has published in many peer-reviewed journals including The Journal of Trauma, The Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, Pediatric Emergency Care, Wilderness and Environmental Medicine, and Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. He is also an expedition physician who has traveled to over 40 countries, and provides medical training and support for the United States Secret Service.

Guohua Li, MD, Dr.PH is Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Li is an epidemiologist specializing in injury causation and trauma outcome. He has authored over 100 manuscripts published in peer-reviewed medical and health journals. Dr. Li is a former winner of the Kenneth Rothman Epidemiology Prize and a current Guggenheim Fellow.

Edwin "Flip" Homansky, MD is an Emergency Physician in Las Vegas where he is Chief Medical Officer for the Valley Health System. Dr. Homansky started as a ring physician with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) in the early 1980s and later became Chief Physician and Medical Advisory Board Chairman. During his more than twenty years with the NSAC, he also served as a commissioner for 5 years. He is Vice President of the Association of Boxing Commissions, and co-authored the book "Ringside and Training Principles." His numerous safety accomplishments include pioneering HIV testing, steroid testing, and mandatory MRI/MRA testing on fighters in the state of Nevada.

Margaret Goodman, MD has been a practicing neurologist in Las Vegas since 1988. Dr. Goodman was a ring physician with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) for 12 years, and also served as Chief Ringside Physician. She is Chairman of the NSAC's Medical Advisory Board and Medical Committee Chairman for the Association of Boxing Commissions. Dr. Goodman co-authored "Ringside and Training Principles," a book aimed primarily at fighters and trainers, and is a regular contributor to Ring magazine. Dr. Goodman has been instrumental in the institution of advanced safety standards in Nevada including mandatory MRI/MRA testing. Drs. Goodman and Homansky will be honored "for a career marked by honesty and integrity" at this year's Boxing Writers Association of America banquet.

Seth Horowitz, Chairman, CEO and President of Everlast Worldwide, Inc. Named as one of the "25 Leaders to Watch" by Sports Edge Magazine, Mr. Horowitz has continued in his father's footsteps as a substantial contributor to both the amateur and professional boxing community, and has participated in educational seminars to boxing fighters and trainers. Everlast has shown a commitment to fighter safety and has endeavored to improve their equipment through research such as this.

Lennox Lewis, former undisputed heavyweight champion, started boxing at age 12. He amassed an amateur record of 85 wins - 9 losses, and went on to earn a Gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics for Team Canada when he defeated future world champion Riddick Bowe. He turned pro in 1989 and retired in 2004 with a professional record of 41 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw. Among the boxers he beat were Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, and Vitali Klitschko. Along with Muhammad Ali and Evander Holyfield, Lennox is the only boxer in heavyweight history to have won the heavyweight championship on three separate occasions. Lennox understands both the rewards and dangers of the sport. He has been a professional and safety advocate in and out of the ring. Lennox continues his career in boxing as the new color commentator for HBO's Boxing After Dark.

Teddy Atlas started his career in boxing under the tutelage of legendary trainer Cus D'Amato. His boxing career was cut short due to an injury, and he began to train fighters for D'Amato including Mike Tyson. As a professional trainer, he worked at one time or another with world champions Michael Moorer, Tracy Patterson, Barry McGuigan, Donnie LaLonde, Simon Brown, and Joey Gamache. For over 20 years, Teddy has done color commentary for radio and television programs, and is currently the boxing color commentator for ESPN Friday Night Fights. He is founder and Chairman of the Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation that attempts to ease the burden of those less fortunate, and his book, "Atlas: From the Streets to the Ring: A Son's Struggle to Become a Man," has just been released.

Randy Couture is the only athlete to have held championship titles in the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Randy spent 6 years in the US Army, then attended and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in foreign languages and literature. He then worked as an assistant wrestling coach for Oregon State University before entering the UFC at age 34. He was a three-time Olympic team alternate (1988, 1992, and 1996); a semifinalist at the 2000 Olympics Trials; a three-time National Collegiate Athletic Association All American; and a four-time NCAA finalist. In his UFC career of 14 wins, he holds wins over Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, and Mike Van Arsdale. After retiring in 2006, Randy continues in the sport as trainer and advisor for Team Quest.

Allan Scotto is a journalist who began in boxing working for "New York Sportscene Magazine." He has also worked as a research consultant for the NBC Budweiser Boxing Series, and was a consulting producer for Fox's boxing reality show, "The Next Great Champ." Allan now works exclusively as an Internet journalist and is widely recognized as a proponent for fighter safety.

FONAR Corporation is one of the world's leading developers and manufacturers of MRI scanners. Throughout 25 years of invention, development and production, FONAR has been on the leading edge of innovation in the MRI industry. In 1980, FONAR revolutionized diagnostic imaging through the introduction of the world's first commercial MRI scanner. Now FONAR has revolutionized diagnostic imaging with its Upright MRI, the world's first MRI that performs Upright Imaging and Position Imaging. In 1970, Raymond Damadian, MD, made the discovery that is the basis for magnetic resonance (MR) scanning that there is a marked difference in relaxation times between normal and abnormal tissues. This seminal discovery, which remains the basis for the making of every MRI image ever produced, is the foundation of the MRI industry. FONAR has great interest in making boxing safer, and is donating their technology to reach this goal.

Michelle LaPlaca, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, a joint department between Georgia Tech and Emory University. Following post-doctoral training in Neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania, she joined the faculty at Georgia Tech in 1998. Dr. LaPlaca's research interests are in 1) brain and spinal cord injury biomechanics and 2) repair strategies for central nervous system injury to reduce ongoing cell and tissue damage and promote regeneration. She has several active research projects aimed at understanding the complex injury mechanisms associated with traumatic central nervous system injury. She is co-inventor of a revolutionary self-contained, portable system to create an immersive environment and administer a series of abbreviated neuropsychological tests to rapidly assess cognitive function. Dr. LaPlaca has received an NSF CAREER award and is a member of several professional organizations, including the National Neurotrauma Society, the Biomedical Engineering Society, and the American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair.

David Wright, MD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and the Co-Director of the Emergency Medicine Research Center at Emory University. At Emory, he directs the Brain Injury Research Group, an interdisciplinary and highly collaborative core of clinicians and researchers investigating novel ways to address acute neuronal injury. He is co-inventor, with Dr. LaPlaca, on a revolutionary self-contained system that will provide a real-time assessment of mild traumatic brain injury in environments previously non-conducive for neuropsychological testing. Dr. Wright oversees clinical trials associated with validation in several hospitals and athletic settings. Dr. Wright is also a member of the program faculty for the Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences at Emory University, and the core faculty for the Center for Injury Control and Prevention at GT/Emory. He is a true bench-to-bedside translational researcher, bridging the gap between basic science research and clinical practice.

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com/.

Source: Combat Sports Center for Safety and Research

CONTACT: Dr. Margaret Goodman, +1-702-255-8785 or Dr. Greg H. Bledsoe, gbledso1@jhmi.edu, both of the Combat Sports Center for Safety and Research

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Monday, May 15, 2006

Medicare Agency Wants to Bar Coverage of Low Vision Devices: AFB 

American Foundation for the Blind Press Release:

Medicare Agency Moves to Deny Seniors and People with Disabilities Important Low Vision Devices

Disability Groups Mobilize to Protect Coverage

Washington, DC (May 5, 2006)—This week the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its intention to bar coverage of low vision devices, including closed-circuit television systems (CCTVs), magnifiers, and other low vision technology designed to help people with vision loss live healthy and independent lives. The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and other disability rights groups are working quickly to ensure the proposal doesn't take effect.

"Barring coverage of low vision devices would have devastating effects on the quality of life of aging Americans and others with vision loss," said Carl R. Augusto, AFB's President & CEO. "These tools are the very key to remaining active and living independently and safely with eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy."

The announcement comes at time when the number of Americans with eye diseases is increasing and vision loss is expected to become a major public health problem as boomers age. Over 6.5 million Americans aged 55 and older are blind or severely visually impaired. These numbers are expected to more than double by the year 2030.

"Low vision devices are designed to help people read, write, watch television, speak on the telephone, keep track of time, and cook," added Augusto. "And while some products are more affordable, some can run in the $1,800 to $4,000 range, which is a hefty investment for seniors or people with disabilities in tough financial situations."

AFB is urging advocates and the public to electronically respond to the regulatory action by June 30, 2006. CMS is accepting comments from the public at www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/oc/dockets/comments/ getDocketInfo.cfm?EC_DOCUMENT_ID=100&SORT=& MAXROWS=15&START=1&CID=&AGENCY=CMS

To read the full text of the notice of proposed rule making from CMS visit http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/ edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/06-3982.htm. Sections I. J. and II. Q refer to the "Low Vision Aid Exclusion."

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One-Legged High School National Champion Wrestler on ESPN2's “Cold Pizza” Tues., May 16 


One-Legged High School National Champion Wrestler on ESPN2's “Cold Pizza” by John Fuller

Tomorrow morning (Tues., May 16), Anthony Robles, a wrestler from Mesa, Ariz. with one leg, will appear on ESPN2's Cold Pizza at 11:34 a.m. Eastern Time. Cold Pizza replays right after the live airing as well, so if you miss him the first time around, he will be on again at 1:34 p.m. Eastern Time.

If you are not aware of Anthony, here is his amazing story:

Born with just one leg, Robles capped off an amazing career by winning the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) national title at 112 lbs. with a 9-1 victory in the finals. The NHSCA invites only seniors in high school who won state titles to its meet, meaning Robles dominated a field of only state champions.

The win also finished off a perfect 53-0 senior season for him. For his four-year career, he posted a record of 131-15 and won two Arizona state titles. He was undefeated last year as well.

"I think God gave me a gift by only giving me one leg," Robles said after winning his national title. "Other people may not see it that way, but I do."

Robles became the first disabled wrestler to win a title at the NHSCA national championships. Since winning the title, he has thrown out the first pitch at a Diamondbacks-Giants game, where Barry Bonds made an effort to congratulate him on his accomplishment. Hopefully, Anthony will be nominated for a 2006 ESPY Award for Best Disabled Athlete later this summer.

He has received scholarship offers from numerous colleges to wrestle, and has narrowed his choices down to Arizona State and Drexel Univ. In his spare time, Anthony enjoys playing the guitar and video games.

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NO HOLDS BARRED: Eddie Goldman Speaks with World Sumo League Wrestlers Sidney Carty, Wayne Vierra, Stilian Georgiev, Ronny Allman, and Hans Borg 

The new World Sumo League (WSL) is here. The first leg of their international tour is in North America, with their first shows Memorial Day weekend: Fri., May 26, at The Palace at Auburn Hills, MI, and Sat., May 27, at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL, near Chicago.

Several of the wrestlers were in New York last week to tape commercials for a 26-show series about the WSL which will air in July on
Flextech Television in the UK. WSL is also currently seeking a US TV deal, after their pilot show, shot last October in Madison Square Garden, aired on ESPN and ESPN2.

We got a chance to speak with five of the wrestlers – Sidney Carty, Wayne Vierra, Stilian Georgiev, Ronny Allman, and Hans Borg – and that is the subject of this week’s edition of NO HOLDS BARRED.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, just
click here or here.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available
through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

Underhook, with Next Level Apparel, the tops in grappling shorts, rashguards, and more.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Throwdown Magazine, action lifestyle for extreme sports and the best in combat sports journalism.

King of the Cage, the number one cage fighting promotion on the planet.

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SecondsOut Radio: Eddie Goldman Speaks with Shannon Briggs, Jeff Mayweather, Cedric Kushner, and Pete Quillin 


On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, host Eddie Goldman speaks with veteran heavyweight Shannon Briggs (46-4-1, 40 KOs) who fights Wednesday, May 24, in New York against Chris Koval (23-2 18 KOs). Briggs wants once again to fight for a heavyweight title. We speak with Briggs’s trainer, Jeff Mayweather, about his fighter’s progress and what he needs to do to land at the top of the heavyweight division. We speak with Briggs’s promoter, Cedric Kushner, about the new Gotham Boxing series he is running, on whose May 24 debut show Briggs is headlining. And we speak with popular middleweight prospect Pete “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (4-0, 3 KOs) who is fighting on this show’s undercard.

It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, and listen, learn, and enjoy.

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Sunday, May 14, 2006

“Hatton Decisions Collazo in Trickeration City” on TheSweetScience.com 

George Kimball has done it again, this time with a wonderful piece on TheSweetScience.com entitled “Hatton Decisions Collazo in Trickeration City” about Saturday’s fight between Ricky Hatton and Luis Collazo at the TD Banknorth Garden (formerly known as the Boston Garden and Fleet Center) in Boston, Mass.

The piece both analyzes the fight, won by Hatton by a close but unanimous 12-round decision, as well as explains the fits of organizational chaos at this event.

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Saturday, May 13, 2006

NO HOLDS BARRED: Eddie Goldman Interview with Rico Chiapparelli on Two More Sites 

The latest edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, featuring our interview with Rico Chiapparelli about the debut show of the Professional Submission League (PSL), named L.A. SUB X, on Friday, May 26, in Santa Monica, CA, is now available through two more web sites.

A link has been posted on the PSL’s web site at
http://www.lasubx.com. It is also available to listen to directly at OurMedia.org at http://www.ourmedia.org/node/223121/, or through my page on that site at http://www.ourmedia.org/user/57277/.

The show can still be listened to if you
click here or here.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available
through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

Underhook, with Next Level Apparel, the tops in grappling shorts, rashguards, and more.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Throwdown Magazine, action lifestyle for extreme sports and the best in combat sports journalism.

King of the Cage, the number one cage fighting promotion on the planet.

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Tom Hauser: “Fighters Are Dying: Stop The Nonsense” on SecondsOut.com 

The battle for fighter safety and against corruption in boxing may be heating up again.

Our colleague Tom Hauser has just posted an important article called “Fighters Are Dying: Stop The Nonsense” on SecondsOut.com.

The article takes the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s so-called medical guidelines advisory committee to task for accomplishing exactly nothing since it was set up last September. This committee was created, as the article points out, “in the wake of a four-month period during which four fighters left the ring in Las Vegas with bleeding in their brain. Two of them (Martin Sanchez and Leavander Johnson) died.”

Make sure to check out this article.

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Friday, May 12, 2006

Mayorga’s Latest Disgrace 

HBO Sports announced Thursday that last Saturday's Oscar De La Hoya-Ricardo Mayorga fight in Las Vegas received 875,000 pay-per-view buys, thus amassing $43.8 million in pay-per-view revenue.

The news also came out Thursday that a post-fight doping test on Mayorga came back positive for the diuretic Furosemide, also known as Lasix, which, according to this same report, is “taken to lose weight quickly or to mask steroid use.”

Remember that this was the same guy who insulted one group after another in the pre-fight hype to sell these 875,000 pay-per-view buys and tickets to the over 13,000 fans who saw the fight live at the Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Fifty bucks for this? If we wanted to see dope cheats competing, we could have always watched baseball – and for free.

And it also is no coincidence that the guys with the loudest and foulest mouths are the same ones who are the biggest cheaters.

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FLOYD PATTERSON, 1935-2006 

Floyd Patterson, the former two-time heavyweight champion of the world, and one of the most beloved and popular figures in the world of boxing, died Thursday at the age of 71.

Our colleague, boxing writer extraordinaire Charles Farrell, was a business partner of Floyd’s for a couple of years. Floyd also trained fighters whom he then managed. Charles sent us this brief but touching remembrance of his late friend:

“In a business where the best fighters are seldom macho and seldom push their weight around, Floyd was the mildest of them all. He always went out of his way to understand the other person's point of view and took great care to not embarrass anyone. Floyd Patterson was a guy whose public persona matched his inner make-up almost exactly. The only thing that didn't come across in public was his wonderful sense of humor. We made each other laugh. I'm very lucky to have been his friend.”

The New York Times also has an obituary of Floyd Patterson on their web site.

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Thursday, May 11, 2006

STRIKEFORCE, SUMO TOUR, AND BOXING WEB UPDATES 


The upcoming Strikeforce Fighting Championship mixed martial arts show has a new main event and a new web site to boot.

An injury to Kevin Randleman has forced him to withdraw from his fight with Vitor Belfort. This had been scheduled as the main event for their next show on Friday, June 9, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. Now Belfort will be facing Alistair Overeem, a regular in Pride. This fight is actually a rematch, as on April 23 of last year, Overeem defeated Belfort in Pride by a guillotine choke at 9:36 of the first round.

More information is on the Strikeforce press release, which we have also posted on the Combat Sports News.

And you can also check out their new web site, at http://www.strikeforceusa.net/ , which includes information on how to order tickets for this event.

SUMO TOUR UPDATE

The new World Sumo League (WSL) has updated its 2006 tour schedule for North America. Here are the latest dates for the 13 venues on this leg of the tour:

Friday, May 26, at The Palace at Auburn Hills, MI
Saturday, May 27, at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL
Saturday, June 3, at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, PA
Tuesday, June 6, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada
Friday, June 9, at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, NJ
Sunday, June 11, at the Bank Atlantic Arena in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Monday, June 12, at St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, FL
Friday, June 16, at Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, CA
Saturday, June 17, at Oakland Arena in Oakland, CA
Tuesday, June 20, at Everett Events Center in Everett, WA
Wednesday, June 21, at Rose Garden in Portland, OR
Friday, June 23, at Glendale Arena, Glendale, AZ
Saturday, June 24, at Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV

WSL is also bringing to New York Thursday eight of its wrestlers to tape commercials for a British television series which will air in July and feature this tour. They are Levan Altunashvili of the Republic of Georgia; Stilian Georgiev and Petar Stoyanov of Bulgaria; Kaleo of Japan; Sidney Carty of The Netherlands; Hans Borg and Ronny Allman of Norway; and Wayne Vierra, Jr. of Hawaii.

LET’S TALK BOXING WEB SITE

Thanks also go to Armando Cabrera of Let's Talk Boxing.

His site posted the release about the NO HOLDS BARRED podcast as well as SecondsOut Radio.

It’s good to see the combat sports media, and especially those with the good sense to be online, supporting each other.

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Tuesday, May 09, 2006

NO HOLDS BARRED: Eddie Goldman Speaks with Rico Chiapparelli about the Professional Submission League 


There have been many prior attempts at establishing some form of legitimate professional wrestling league in the U.S., both using submission wrestling and Olympic-style rules. One of the most promising of these ventures is called the Professional Submission League (PSL) which will have its debut show, named L.A. SUB X, on Friday, May 26, in Santa Monica, CA.

The driving force behind this new event is someone who has a wealth of experience in the combat sports: Rico Chiapparelli. He was an NCAA Div. I wrestling champion while at the University of Iowa under the legendary coach Dan Gable. He later founded the RAW Team, the most successful group of wrestlers in the mixed martial arts. Now Rico is trying his hand as a promoter of sorts, attempting to establish this pro league featuring top athletes from the grappling arts including wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and judo, all competing under one set of submission wrestling rules.

Their first event will be held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on Friday, May 26, beginning at 7:30 PM PDT. For those unable to attend, a live, free Internet radio webcast will be available on MMA Live (http://mmalive.com/) beginning at 7:30 PM PDT. An Internet pay-per-view is also planned after the event.

More information, including on how to order tickets, is being posted on the new PSL web site at http://www.lasubx.com/.

On this week’s edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, we discuss all this and more with Rico Chiapparelli.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, just click here or here.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is now available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

Underhook, with Next Level Apparel, the tops in grappling shorts, rashguards, and more.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Throwdown Magazine, action lifestyle for extreme sports and the best in combat sports journalism.

King of the Cage, the number one cage fighting promotion on the planet.

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“The Hate Business” on TheSweetScience.com 

Well, dear and perceptive readers, my latest column is up on TheSweetScience.com.

It is called “The Hate Business” and is for lovers of boxing.

Check it out and leave some comments.

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Monday, May 08, 2006

SecondsOut Radio: Eddie Goldman speaks with Ricky Hatton and Luis Collazo 


On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Ricky Hatton and WBA welterweight champ Luis Collazo, who fight Sat., May 13, in Boston, Mass.

Based primarily on his stoppages last year over both Kostya Tszyu and Carlos Maussa, Hatton was selected as “Fighter of the Year” by the Boxing Writers Association of America and The Ring magazine. This year he plans to take the next steps to becoming recognized as a boxing superstar throughout the world.

Hatton, who has regularly sold out the M.E.N. Arena in his hometown of Manchester, England, for years, is having his first fight in the U.S. since 2000, and his first major title fight abroad. This will also be his first fight at welterweight, after having amassed an unblemished record of 40-0 with 30 KOs in the 140-pound division.

But his first foe at this new weight will be no pushover. Though far less known, last year Luis Collazo (26-1, 12 KOs) went into the hometown of Worcester, Mass., of then-WBA welterweight champ Jose Rivera and took a split decision from him. This past weekend, Rivera knocked WBA 154-pound champ Alejandro “Terra” Garcia down five times en route to a lopsided decision over him to capture that belt, so Rivera is not exactly a slouch and Collazo’s win over him now looks that much more impressive.

We got a chance to speak with both Ricky Hatton and Luis Collazo this past week, and you can now hear our discussions.

It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just
click here, and listen, learn, and enjoy.

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Still Alone 

A just-released report from 2000 by the UK’s Ministry of Defence concluded that there is no evidence that any UFOs, or as they call them in Britain, UAPs – Unidentified Aerial Phenomena – are actually spacecraft carrying visitors from other planets. The study stated that these “sightings are the result of rare atmospheric conditions.”

The entire report is supposed to be posted on the Ministry of Defence’s web site later this week.

So how likely is it that there does exist some intelligent life elsewhere in the universe? Scientist Frank Drake developed an equation in 1961 to try to answer this question.

The Drake Equation involves calculating the number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy; finding the fraction of them with planets; the fraction of those planets where life actually evolves; the fraction that evolves intelligent life; the fraction that communicates; the fraction of the planet’s life during which the communicating civilizations survive; and the number of communicating civilizations in the galaxy.

He also is the Director for the Center for the Study of Life in the Universe and was key in setting up the SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) Institute in 1984, where he now serves as its Board’s Chairman Emeritus. There is even now a SETI@home project where the public can join in this search.

So what have they found so far? No little green or gray men yet, or much else. But there are over one hundred billion stars in the Milky Way and these folks have been at it for only a little over two decades, with technology still advancing at breakneck speed.

It does seem likely that there is someone else out there, somewhere. We just won’t learn about them from rumors, fables, legends, fairy tales, and the deceit of the drunk and/or demented. Science, fact, and reason will do, as threatening as those tools are to some people and institutions.

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Sunday, May 07, 2006

STILL GOLDEN - Golden Boy Promotions Press Releases 


STILL GOLDEN

GBP CONGRATULATES THE NEW WBC JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD, OSCAR DE LA HOYA

LAS VEGAS, May 6 – Ring rust? What ring rust? In his first fight in 20 months, ‘The Golden Boy’, Oscar De La Hoya showed that he was better than ever, impressively stopping Ricardo Mayorga in six dominating rounds to win the WBC junior middleweight championship at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The end came at 1:25 of the sixth frame as De La Hoya scored his third knockdown of the fight, which was televised on HBO Pay-Per-View.

For De La Hoya, who improves to 38-4 with 30 knockouts, the win earned him an amazing ninth world title, spanning every division from junior lightweight to middleweight, and it was his 19th victory and 12th knockout in 23 championship fights. And even more impressive is that after close to 14 years in the pro boxing game, Oscar is still golden.

Golden Boy Promotions congratulates our president and our champion, Oscar De La Hoya.

For more information on Golden Boy Promotions, please visit our website at http://www.goldenboypromotions.com/ .

A GOLDEN NIGHT FOR THE GBP TEAM

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR WARRIORS

LAS VEGAS, May 6 – Saturday night was a big one for the Golden Boy Promotions team at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and in addition to the stirring win by President Oscar De La Hoya over Ricardo Mayorga, five other fighters from the GBP team emerged victorious in their bouts.

Junior middleweight star Kassim ‘The Dream’ Ouma, who is co-promoted by Russell Peltz, survived a first round knockdown to earn a hard fought split decision over Marco Antonio Rubio in a bruising 12 round bout that saw both men give and take some hellacious bombs without giving in.

Two recent signees who are co-promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Sycuan Ringside Promotions, junior lightweight Joan Guzman and junior welterweight Jorge Paez Jr., made impressive debuts with GBP by outpointing Javier Jauregui and Lowell Brownfield, respectively, in undercard bouts which were also televised by HBO Pay-Per-View.

2004 US Olympian Rock Allen moved to 7-0 with 5 KOs with a six round decision win over Juan Hernandez, and Puerto Rican super bantamweight Jonathan Oquendo improved to 9-0 with 5 KOs by decisioning Torrence Daniels over eight rounds.

And even though GBP fighters Rubio, Jauregui, and Aaron Garcia fell short in their bouts tonight, Golden Boy Promotions congratulates all our warriors, who – win or lose – always gave their best.

For more information on Golden Boy Promotions, please visit our website at http://www.goldenboypromotions.com/

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“Rivera Wins Lopsided Decision and Title in Worcester” on TheSweetScience.com 

George Kimball has a ringside report of Rivera-Garcia and Perez-Kirilov on TheSweetScience.com called “Rivera Wins Lopsided Decision and Title in Worcester”.

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Jose Rivera-Alejandro Garcia and Luis Perez-Dimitri Kirilov Post-Fight Press Release 


Photos: TOM CASINO/SHOWTIME

From Showtime: "In an exciting, tremendous slugfest that featured six knockdowns and numerous exchanges throughout, Jose Antonio Rivera won a 12-round decision over defending champion Alejandro 'Terra' Garcia to capture the WBA super welterweight title Saturday on SHOWTIME."

We have posted the Showtime press release on Saturday night’s wonderful Jose Rivera-Alejandro Garcia and Luis Perez-Dimitri Kirilov card from Worcester, Mass., on the Combat Sports News.

Rivera may have fought the fight of his life by dropping the rugged Garcia five times

In the co-feature, Russian fighter Dimitri Kirilov was clearly robbed against IBF junior bantamweight champ Luis Perez by a 12-round split decision. After the fight Perez did say he would give Kirilov a rematch.

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Worcester Results: Rivera Tops Garcia 

DON KING PRODUCTIONS – 5/6/06 – SHOWTIME – DCU CENTER, WORCESTER, MASS.

THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASS. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMISSION CHAIRMAN – NICK MANZELLO

WBA SUPER WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP – GARCIA vs. RIVERA (RIVERA – UNAN. DEC.)
Supervisor: Renzo Bagnariol, Nicaragua
Referee: Dick Flaherty, Mass.
Judge: Roland Milton, Mass. 116-106 R
Judge: Leo Gerstel, Mass. 116-106 R
Judge: Don O’Neill, Mass. 114-107 R

IBF JUNIOR BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP – PEREZ vs. KIRILOV (PEREZ – S.DEC.
Supervisor: Al Lucas, New Jersey
Referee: John Zablocki, Mass.
Judge: Paul Barry, Mass. 117-110 K
Judge: Mike Ancona, Ohio 115-113 P
Judge: David Hess, Iowa 114-113 P

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De La Hoya Stops Mayorga in Six 

Phil Woolever has a ringside report of De La Hoya-Mayorga on The SweetScience.com called “De La Hoya-Mayorga: When the Smackeroos are Worth the Smacks”.

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Saturday, May 06, 2006

Two Cool New Links: Teodoro Defensive Arts and Extreme Wars 

Veteran martial artist Nathaniel Teodoro has a nice blog covering all aspects of the martial arts and self-defense. It is called Teodoro Defensive Arts, so check it out, read through it, and link to it.

Also, our old pal and announcer extraordinaire Jeff Weller is promoting a mixed martial arts event called Extreme Wars, with a web site of the same name.

Their debut show is Sat., June 3, 2006, at the Oakland Coliseum Arena in Oakland, CA. Their web site has all the info about this event, including how to order tickets.

And tonight I plan to tape both the De La Hoya-Mayorga pay-per-view and the Garcia-Rivera show on Showtime, and eventually watch them both completely. Having two cable boxes and VCR’s sure comes in handy when the networks run major shows at the same time to cut each other’s throats and thus screw the public.

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Help Protect Vision Coverage by Prevent Blindness America 

Help Protect Vision Coverage
Urge Your Senator to Vote NO on S. 1955

The U.S. Senate is poised to pass legislation that would undermine important patient protections at the state level. S. 1955, the Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act, would allow small business to bypass state insurance requirements, and would leave their employees without access to critical vision care.

Many state laws require insurance companies to cover vision services such as eye exams, eye glasses, vision screenings, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy treatments, as well as other important services. If S. 1955 becomes law, however, these important protections will be lost.

Please urge your Senator to vote against this legislation. Click here to send a letter: http://capwiz.com/preventblindness/issues/alert/?alertid=8740236

-- Prevent Blindness America

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Friday, May 05, 2006

“Cousins from Different Cultures” on TheSweetScience.com 

Do fans of “Star Trek” also watch “Stargate”? Do those who crave McDonald’s hamburgers also like hot dogs? Do Elvis aficionados listen to Johnny Cash, or Charlie Parker lovers to John Coltrane?

One would think that there is a substantial crossover within these groups. But in the combat sports, it ain’t necessarily so.

In my column this week on TheSweetScience.com, I examine some of the aspects of the rocky relationship, or even absence of any relationship, between the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts. Interviewed is a man who knows both of these worlds very well, Larry Hazzard Sr., commissioner of the New Jersey Athletic Control Board, which regulates both of these sports in that state. We talked about this last Saturday in Atlantic City, at the debut show of a new mixed martial arts league, the International Fight League (IFL).

The piece is called “Cousins from Different Cultures”.

Check it out and leave some comments.

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Which Boxing Show Will You Watch Saturday Night? 




Showtime or HBO PPV?

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Thursday, May 04, 2006

New Unofficial Sumo Blog Debuts 

It must be a good indicator for the future of pro sumo wrestling in America that a blog has just recently been set up to follow the new World Sumo League (WSL).

This new blog, which very visibly notes that it is both unofficial and unauthorized, comes out of Chicago, where the WSL's tour visits on May 27.

Check it out and pay close attention to the emergence of this new league for this very old combat sport.

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Wednesday, May 03, 2006

SecondsOut Radio: Eddie Goldman speaks with Oscar De La Hoya, Alejandro Garcia, Jose Rivera, Kassim Ouma, Marco Antonio Rubio, and Joan Guzman 


On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, host Eddie Goldman previews the huge boxing weekend coming up in the U.S.

We speak with Oscar De La Hoya, who returns to action Sat., May 6, in Las Vegas, after a layoff of over 19 months, to fight WBC junior middleweight champion Ricardo Mayorga in the main event on HBO Pay-Per-View in the U.S. We speak with WBA junior middleweight champion Alejandro Garcia and former WBA welterweight champion Jose Rivera, who also fight Sat., May 6, but in Worcester, Mass., Rivera’s hometown, and on Showtime in the U.S. We also speak with junior middleweight contenders Kassim Ouma and Marco Antonio Rubio, who fight on the De La Hoya-Mayorga undercard, as well as the undefeated junior lightweight Joan Guzman, who fights veteran Javier Jauregui, also on that undercard.

It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, and listen, learn, and enjoy.

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NO HOLDS BARRED: Eddie Goldman Speaks with Renzo Gracie, Jens Pulver, Maurice Smith, Larry Hazzard Sr., and Leon Tabbs on IFL’s Debut Show 

This past Saturday night, April 29, at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, NJ, the International Fight League (IFL) held the debut show featuring its mixed martial arts league. We have already posted the IFL’s post-fight press release on the Combat Sports News on KingoftheCage.com.

On this week’s edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, we have in-depth analysis of that show with several of its major participants.

We speak with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial arts legend
Renzo Gracie, coach of the Pitbulls, which narrowly lost its IFL meet to the Tiger Sharks, three matches to two.

We speak with former UFC champion Jens Pulver, who won his super fight with Cole Escovedo by knockout in just 56 seconds of the first round.

We speak with former world kickboxing, UFC, and Extreme Fighting champion Maurice Smith, coach of the victorious Tiger Sharks. His team now advances to the first IFL team championships June 3, also at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, against the Silverbacks, coached by another former UFC champion,
Pat Miletich.

We discuss the issues of fighter safety and how boxing and mixed martial arts stack up against each other with two of the very few people who know both sports intimately. We speak with Larry Hazzard Sr., commissioner of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board, which regulates combative sports in that state. We also speak with veteran cut man Leon Tabbs, who has worked for years in both the UFC and the corner of former undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins.

Plus, we offer our own commentary and analysis of the IFL’s debut show, explaining what they did right and where they need to make improvements.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, just
click here or here.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is now available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

Underhook, with Next Level Apparel, the tops in grappling shorts, rashguards, and more.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Throwdown Magazine, action lifestyle for extreme sports and the best in combat sports journalism.

King of the Cage, the number one cage fighting promotion on the planet.

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Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Tuesday Update 

We are preparing our next edition of NO HOLDS BARRED with interviews from this past Saturday’s IFL debut show, and waiting for the next edition of SecondsOut Radio, with previews and fighter interviews about this coming weekend’s busy boxing schedule, to be posted. Plus, I am working on several articles, both for online and print media.

In the meantime, here’s a rockin’ way to keep yourself both entertained and informed: Tonight, Tuesday, May 2, will see the telecast of the season finale of Nashville Star. The three talented finalists, Nicole Jamrose, Casey Rivers, and Chris Young, will all be performing. Big & Rich will both be performing and returning as guest judges. Cowboy Troy, the show’s co-host, will also be performing live, singing his latest song “My Last YeeHaw”, and rising star Jason Aldean will sing live as well. As is the norm in the finale of these “reality” shows, we are told to expect some surprises.

This season finale will be a live 90-minute show beginning at 10 PM EDT/9 CDT on the USA Network. It will be repeated at 1:30 AM EDT, so check your local listings. Check it out, y’all, and see and hear some of country music’s newest talent.

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