NO HOLDS BARRED

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman has a 90-minute discussion with one of the most articulate, opinionated, and erudite but down-to-earth people in the combat sports, American Top Team mixed martial arts fighter and grappler Jeff Monson.

Jeff is also one of the busiest people in the combat sports. He fought this past Saturday, April 24, in the main event of the XKL (Xtreme Kombat League) mixed martial arts show in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he lost a split decision to Travis Wiuff. He will next be competing at a grappling event in France, this Saturday, May 1. After that, he fights in the debut Abu Dhabi Fighting Championship mixed martial arts event Friday, May 14, in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. There he will face Shamil Abdurahimov of Russia in the first round of an extended open-weight tournament. He is also scheduled for a two-day, no-gi grappling tournament put on by Grapplers Quest July 10-11 at the Tachi Palace in Lemoore, California. Also slated to compete in that tournament is noted fighter and grappler Josh Barnett. And do not be surprised if the 39-year-old Monson, a two-time ADCC submission fighting champion, adds more events to his hectic schedule.

Our in-depth discussion not only focused on all these combat sports events, but also on important political and social issues. Jeff is quite outspoken that he is an anarchist, and we thus touched on some current topics including the debate in the U.S. on immigration. We also discussed how some of these issues are related to combat sports, including the motivation for fighters to fight one another, the thug culture in the combat sports, and the need for professional combat sports athletes to have some type of union or association. Jeff is also one of the millions of Americans without health insurance, while earning his living in a dangerous business where injuries are routine and the aim of these sports is to win through hurting your opponent.

This is quite an intriguing, rational, intelligent, and comprehensive discussion, the kind you have come to expect on No Holds Barred.

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Labels: anarchism, Eddie Goldman, grappling, Jeff Monson, MMA, No Holds Barred