Thursday, April 29, 2010
No Holds Barred: Mayweather-Mosley Preview with Charles Farrell
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with our colleague and correspondent Charles Farrell about some of the latest and not-so-greatest in boxing, and the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Shane Mosley fight, which takes place Saturday, May 1, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Mayweather-Mosley fight will be shown live in the U.S. on HBO pay-per-view and in the UK on Sky Sports 1.
But we begin with a commentary on one of the truly underrated overachievers in boxing, John Ruiz, who just announced his retirement. Few appreciated why he fought like he did, in a clutching style often not pleasing to the eye, but which landed him near the top of the heavyweight division for almost a decade.
The Mayweather-Mosley event has once again been preceded by a series of near-mindless infomercials on the HBO 24/7 series. Instead of ruminating on whose uncle said what, we discuss the careers of both fighters, their styles, and what each man must do to win this fight. Despite the cheapening of it by all the nasty rubbish which has been heaped upon us, this fight still is an important one and may actually end up being rather entertaining.
We also once again rip the clueless and compromised boxing media, whose members seem only to understand how to please promoters and networks enough to be buddies with the suits and get ringside press credentials. We give no quarter to these shills, hypocrites, and mediocrities who pose as journalists and writers, and we even do so without cussing.
Our lengthy discussion also takes us to many other issues in boxing, and is candid and on a high level because, unlike the guys who run the sport, we respect our audience.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
But we begin with a commentary on one of the truly underrated overachievers in boxing, John Ruiz, who just announced his retirement. Few appreciated why he fought like he did, in a clutching style often not pleasing to the eye, but which landed him near the top of the heavyweight division for almost a decade.
The Mayweather-Mosley event has once again been preceded by a series of near-mindless infomercials on the HBO 24/7 series. Instead of ruminating on whose uncle said what, we discuss the careers of both fighters, their styles, and what each man must do to win this fight. Despite the cheapening of it by all the nasty rubbish which has been heaped upon us, this fight still is an important one and may actually end up being rather entertaining.
We also once again rip the clueless and compromised boxing media, whose members seem only to understand how to please promoters and networks enough to be buddies with the suits and get ringside press credentials. We give no quarter to these shills, hypocrites, and mediocrities who pose as journalists and writers, and we even do so without cussing.
Our lengthy discussion also takes us to many other issues in boxing, and is candid and on a high level because, unlike the guys who run the sport, we respect our audience.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
Labels: boxing, Charles Farrell, Eddie Goldman, Mayweather, Mosley, No Holds Barred
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
No Holds Barred: 90 Minutes with Jeff Monson
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.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
Labels: anarchism, Eddie Goldman, grappling, Jeff Monson, MMA, No Holds Barred
Monday, April 26, 2010
No Holds Barred: Why MidwoodMania I Mattered
(Photo by Eddie Goldman.)
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses MidwoodMania I, the wrestling event organized by Coach George Hero and held Saturday, April 24, at Midwood High School in Brooklyn, New York, to raise awareness about wrestling and build support for the program there.
The event featured 11 wrestling matches under various sets of rules, headlined by a main event where Coach Hero, at age 52, took on 21-year-old former Midwood wrestler Yan Sagalov. While Yan was victorious with a takedown in sudden victory overtime to win 5-3, the packed crowd at the Midwood gym arose to their feet after the match, as Coach Hero was hoisted aloft and carried about on the shoulders of many of his wrestlers.
This was an amateur event, with no promoters or owners trying to rake in money from the efforts of everyone else. It exemplified what people can and will do for reasons other than greed and profit when properly motivated.
We thus discuss what went on at MidwoodMania I, and spoke with Coach Hero right after his match. He not only critiqued his own performance on the mat, but also vowed to continue training and wrestling, and even asked Yan for a rematch! This is the human spirit seen in the oldest sport in the world, wrestling, in an event which hopefully can serve as a model for other wrestling programs to promote and popularize themselves.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
The event featured 11 wrestling matches under various sets of rules, headlined by a main event where Coach Hero, at age 52, took on 21-year-old former Midwood wrestler Yan Sagalov. While Yan was victorious with a takedown in sudden victory overtime to win 5-3, the packed crowd at the Midwood gym arose to their feet after the match, as Coach Hero was hoisted aloft and carried about on the shoulders of many of his wrestlers.
This was an amateur event, with no promoters or owners trying to rake in money from the efforts of everyone else. It exemplified what people can and will do for reasons other than greed and profit when properly motivated.
We thus discuss what went on at MidwoodMania I, and spoke with Coach Hero right after his match. He not only critiqued his own performance on the mat, but also vowed to continue training and wrestling, and even asked Yan for a rematch! This is the human spirit seen in the oldest sport in the world, wrestling, in an event which hopefully can serve as a model for other wrestling programs to promote and popularize themselves.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
Labels: Eddie Goldman, George Hero, Midwood, MidwoodMania, No Holds Barred, wrestling
Thursday, April 22, 2010
No Holds Barred: Valero Tragedy, Froch-Kessler and Arreola-Adamek Previews
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the tragic life and death of Edwin Valero and what is says about boxing, and previews the two main fights which will take place Saturday, April 24.
The apparent suicide of 28-year-old unbeaten lightweight boxer Edwin Valero after allegedly murdering his wife is the latest in an unending series of tragedies for those who have boxed for a living. We discuss the medical condition of an epidural hemorrhage which Valero suffered in a motorcycle accident which caused him not to be licensed to fight in most places in the U.S. But he did continue to fight, despite the clear dangers of this condition, allowing the promoters, networks, sanctioning bodies, and other parasites around him to make money, even after reports surfaced of violent behavior by Valero towards his loved ones and drug and alcohol abuse. This is the tragic reality of boxing, which demands that all people in and around this sport with any integrity left take a stand.
In the latest bout in the second round of the Super Six World Boxing Classic super middleweight tournament, the unbeaten WBC champion Carl Froch (26-0, 20 KOs) from England takes on the former WBA and WBC super middleweight champion, Mikkel Kessler (42-2, 32 KOs) of Denmark. This fight will take place in the MCH Messecenter Herning in Herning, Denmark, and be telecast live in the UK on pay-per-view on Primetime Sky Channel 480 and Virgin On Demand and on pay-per-view in Denmark, and on same-day tape-delay on Showtime in the U.S. It will also be streamed live in the UK on pay-per-view on www.primetimelive.co.uk.
In the first round of this tournament, Froch won a split decision over Andre Dirrell, while Kessler lost a technical decision to Andre Ward.
Also on April 24, heavyweight Cristobal Arreola (28-1, 25 KOs) hopes to work his way towards another crack at a heavyweight title after his loss last year to WBC champion Vitali Klitschko when he fights former cruiserweight and light heavyweight champion Tomasz Adamek (40-1, 27 KOs), who is now competing as a heavyweight. This fight takes place at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California, and will be telecast live in the U.S. on HBO.
On recent media conference calls, we spoke with Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler, Cris Arreola, and Tomasz Adamek to get their takes on these fights. There were plenty of lively and informative comments and responses to our questions, hopefully signaling a lively night of fights.
We also comment on the upset unanimous decision victory by Sergio Martinez (45-2-2, 24 KOs) over Kelly Pavlik (36-2, 32 KOs) to capture the world middleweight title, and the third-round TKO by IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute (26-0, 21 KOs) over Edison Miranda (33-5, 29 KOs), both on April 17.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
The apparent suicide of 28-year-old unbeaten lightweight boxer Edwin Valero after allegedly murdering his wife is the latest in an unending series of tragedies for those who have boxed for a living. We discuss the medical condition of an epidural hemorrhage which Valero suffered in a motorcycle accident which caused him not to be licensed to fight in most places in the U.S. But he did continue to fight, despite the clear dangers of this condition, allowing the promoters, networks, sanctioning bodies, and other parasites around him to make money, even after reports surfaced of violent behavior by Valero towards his loved ones and drug and alcohol abuse. This is the tragic reality of boxing, which demands that all people in and around this sport with any integrity left take a stand.
In the latest bout in the second round of the Super Six World Boxing Classic super middleweight tournament, the unbeaten WBC champion Carl Froch (26-0, 20 KOs) from England takes on the former WBA and WBC super middleweight champion, Mikkel Kessler (42-2, 32 KOs) of Denmark. This fight will take place in the MCH Messecenter Herning in Herning, Denmark, and be telecast live in the UK on pay-per-view on Primetime Sky Channel 480 and Virgin On Demand and on pay-per-view in Denmark, and on same-day tape-delay on Showtime in the U.S. It will also be streamed live in the UK on pay-per-view on www.primetimelive.co.uk.
In the first round of this tournament, Froch won a split decision over Andre Dirrell, while Kessler lost a technical decision to Andre Ward.
Also on April 24, heavyweight Cristobal Arreola (28-1, 25 KOs) hopes to work his way towards another crack at a heavyweight title after his loss last year to WBC champion Vitali Klitschko when he fights former cruiserweight and light heavyweight champion Tomasz Adamek (40-1, 27 KOs), who is now competing as a heavyweight. This fight takes place at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California, and will be telecast live in the U.S. on HBO.
On recent media conference calls, we spoke with Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler, Cris Arreola, and Tomasz Adamek to get their takes on these fights. There were plenty of lively and informative comments and responses to our questions, hopefully signaling a lively night of fights.
We also comment on the upset unanimous decision victory by Sergio Martinez (45-2-2, 24 KOs) over Kelly Pavlik (36-2, 32 KOs) to capture the world middleweight title, and the third-round TKO by IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute (26-0, 21 KOs) over Edison Miranda (33-5, 29 KOs), both on April 17.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
Labels: Adamek, Arreola, Eddie Goldman, Froch, Kessler, No Holds Barred, Valero
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
No Holds Barred: King Mo Lawal, New Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion
(Photo – Esther Lin/Strikeforce)
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with the new Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, "King" Mo Lawal.
On April 17, 2010, in Nashville, Tennessee, Mo Lawal took a lopsided unanimous decision to capture that title from the talented Gegard Mousasi, who had been on a 15-fight winning streak.
In a candid interview, we spoke with the new champion about this fight and how he evaluated his performance. We discussed how his colorful personality has been received, as well as how this fight was viewed by both fans and those who call themselves media. He explained what problems he had encountered in this fight which he did not expect, and why he vows to do even better in his next fights. We discussed how he might do against other top light heavyweight fighters, the experience of other world-class wrestlers who have become mixed martial arts fighters, and much more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with the new Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, "King" Mo Lawal.
On April 17, 2010, in Nashville, Tennessee, Mo Lawal took a lopsided unanimous decision to capture that title from the talented Gegard Mousasi, who had been on a 15-fight winning streak.
In a candid interview, we spoke with the new champion about this fight and how he evaluated his performance. We discussed how his colorful personality has been received, as well as how this fight was viewed by both fans and those who call themselves media. He explained what problems he had encountered in this fight which he did not expect, and why he vows to do even better in his next fights. We discussed how he might do against other top light heavyweight fighters, the experience of other world-class wrestlers who have become mixed martial arts fighters, and much more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
Labels: Eddie Goldman, King Mo Lawal, MMA, No Holds Barred, Strikeforce
Monday, April 19, 2010
No Holds Barred: George Hero and MidwoodMania I
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with the legendary coach and founder of the Midwood High School wrestling team in Brooklyn, New York, George Hero.
Coach Hero has once again taken an innovative approach towards popularizing the sport of wrestling by organizing an event called MidwoodMania I. This event will feature 15 wrestling matches involving current and alumni wrestlers from Midwood High School under folkstyle, freestyle, Greco-Roman, and grappling rules. For the first time in many years, Coach Hero himself will take to the mat in one of these matches.
MidwoodMania I takes place Saturday, April 24, beginning at noon, at the Midwood High School Gymnasium at 2839 Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn.
There is a Facebook page with more information about MidwoodMania I at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=304031455047.
We spoke with Coach Hero about this event, the long struggle he had to establish this team in the face of opposition from certain quarters, how the team has grown from a small club into one of the most established programs in New York City, what wrestling as a whole can learn from the promotion of this event, and much more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
Coach Hero has once again taken an innovative approach towards popularizing the sport of wrestling by organizing an event called MidwoodMania I. This event will feature 15 wrestling matches involving current and alumni wrestlers from Midwood High School under folkstyle, freestyle, Greco-Roman, and grappling rules. For the first time in many years, Coach Hero himself will take to the mat in one of these matches.
MidwoodMania I takes place Saturday, April 24, beginning at noon, at the Midwood High School Gymnasium at 2839 Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn.
There is a Facebook page with more information about MidwoodMania I at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=304031455047.
We spoke with Coach Hero about this event, the long struggle he had to establish this team in the face of opposition from certain quarters, how the team has grown from a small club into one of the most established programs in New York City, what wrestling as a whole can learn from the promotion of this event, and much more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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
Labels: Eddie Goldman, George Hero, Midwood, MidwoodMania, No Holds Barred, wrestling
Sunday, April 18, 2010
No Holds Barred: Chris Thomas and Bob Carson Review Strikeforce Nashville
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with our colleagues and correspondents Chris Thomas and Bob Carson about the April 17 Strikeforce mixed martial arts card held in Nashville, Tennessee, and shown live in the U.S. on CBS. Bob Carson is also the host of Carson's Corner.
We spoke right after the telecast concluded. We discuss the breakout performance by "King" Mo Lawal, who decisioned Gegard Mousasi to capture the Strikeforce light heavyweight belt. We analyze the dominating performance by Gilbert Melendez over Shinya Aoki to retain his Strikeforce lightweight belt. We examine the upset victory by Jake Shields over mixed martial arts veteran Dan Henderson to retain his Strikeforce middleweight belt. We discuss the disgraceful riot which took place in the cage immediately following the Shields-Henderson fight, and what both Strikeforce and the Tennessee Athletic Commission must do in response. And we evaluate what this all means for Strikeforce and the state of mixed martial arts.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
Labels: Carson, Eddie Goldman, King Mo, No Holds Barred, Strikeforce, Thomas
Friday, April 16, 2010
No Holds Barred: Larry Hazzard on Privatizing Boxing
(Larry Hazzard and Eddie Goldman, Nov. 17, 2007, Atlantic City, New Jersey. Photo by Keisha Morrisey.)
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Larry Hazzard, who for over two decades was the renowned commissioner of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board, and is now a senior official at the IBF (International Boxing Federation), with the title Personal Assistant to the President and Chairman of Officials Education, Development and Supervision.
It seems that on virtually every televised boxing card these days there is at least one outrageous, ridiculous, or highly controversial ruling or decision made by the officials appointed by the various athletic commissions which regulate combat sports. Our discussion focuses on what to do about this mess.
There are many partial or major structural changes being proposed for boxing, especially in light of the ongoing meetings between the four major sanctioning bodies, and their meetings with the recently-formed Boxing Promoters Association, who all met Friday, April 16, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The direction proposed by Larry Hazzard is straight-forward: privatize the control of boxing like other sports, and get government out of the sport.
In light of the history of the ruthless and reckless actions of boxing promoters, which is well-known, such a proposal will be difficult or even impossible for many to accept. But it needs to be discussed and considered, and that is what we do on this edition of No Holds Barred.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
It seems that on virtually every televised boxing card these days there is at least one outrageous, ridiculous, or highly controversial ruling or decision made by the officials appointed by the various athletic commissions which regulate combat sports. Our discussion focuses on what to do about this mess.
There are many partial or major structural changes being proposed for boxing, especially in light of the ongoing meetings between the four major sanctioning bodies, and their meetings with the recently-formed Boxing Promoters Association, who all met Friday, April 16, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The direction proposed by Larry Hazzard is straight-forward: privatize the control of boxing like other sports, and get government out of the sport.
In light of the history of the ruthless and reckless actions of boxing promoters, which is well-known, such a proposal will be difficult or even impossible for many to accept. But it needs to be discussed and considered, and that is what we do on this edition of No Holds Barred.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
Labels: athletic commission, boxing, Eddie Goldman, Larry Hazzard, No Holds Barred
Thursday, April 15, 2010
No Holds Barred: Second International Tournament in Mixed Martial Arts Among Anti-Fascists of Europe
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.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here.
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.
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.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here.
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.
Labels: anti-fascist, anti-racist, Eddie Goldman, Kiev, MMA, No Holds Barred, Ukraine
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
No Holds Barred: Chris Thomas Returns
(Eddie Goldman, Chris Thomas, Malaak Shabazz, and the Hooters Girls of Manhattan)
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with our colleague and returning correspondent, Chris Thomas.
We missed Chris while he was with the Sirius Fight Club on satellite radio, but now he is back on No Holds Barred, which is accessible for free to everyone online. And his return is, as expected, quite no holds barred.
In an explosive and lengthy discussion, we examine the overall state of mixed martial arts in the world and the U.S. We particularly analyze the upcoming April 17 Strikeforce card, in which Chris predicts a "changing of the guard." And we let fly with our criticisms of many members of the so-called mixed martial arts "media" who know little or nothing about the true nature and history of the sport.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
Labels: Chris Thomas, Eddie Goldman, MMA, No Holds Barred, Strikeforce, UFC
Monday, April 12, 2010
No Holds Barred: Strikeforce Nashville Preview, Jake Shields, Dan Henderson, Gilbert Melendez, Scott Coker, Bob Carson
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman previews what could be the most important mixed martial arts card of the year, the Strikeforce event coming up this Saturday, April 17, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, which will be broadcast live in the U.S. on CBS.
This card features three Strikeforce title fights. In the main event, Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields, riding a 13-fight winning streak, takes on the former Pride two-division champion and two-time U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler, Dan Henderson. Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi, himself on a 15-fight winning streak, takes on the unbeaten "King" Mo Lawal, a three-time U.S. national freestyle wrestling champion and All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State. Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez will defend his title against the Dream champion and submission expert Shinya Aoki, who is arguably the best lightweight mixed martial arts fighter in the world today.
We play excerpts from a recent media conference call with Jake Shields, Dan Henderson, Gilbert Melendez, and Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker. Shields, Henderson, and Melendez explain their approaches to their fights. Shields and Coker also discuss the contract situation with Strikeforce since this may be the last fight Shields has with that organization, and refute the misinformation that he has already decided to leave Strikeforce.
We next have a lengthy preview of this card with our colleague and correspondent Bob Carson, who is also the host of Carson's Corner. We discuss these three title fights, and explain why the winners of these three fights could possibly be considered to be the top mixed martial arts fighter in the world at their weights. Bob also offers his predictions for this card.
This is independent and high-level analysis of mixed martial arts, and you do not want to miss this show.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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
This card features three Strikeforce title fights. In the main event, Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields, riding a 13-fight winning streak, takes on the former Pride two-division champion and two-time U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler, Dan Henderson. Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi, himself on a 15-fight winning streak, takes on the unbeaten "King" Mo Lawal, a three-time U.S. national freestyle wrestling champion and All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State. Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez will defend his title against the Dream champion and submission expert Shinya Aoki, who is arguably the best lightweight mixed martial arts fighter in the world today.
We play excerpts from a recent media conference call with Jake Shields, Dan Henderson, Gilbert Melendez, and Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker. Shields, Henderson, and Melendez explain their approaches to their fights. Shields and Coker also discuss the contract situation with Strikeforce since this may be the last fight Shields has with that organization, and refute the misinformation that he has already decided to leave Strikeforce.
We next have a lengthy preview of this card with our colleague and correspondent Bob Carson, who is also the host of Carson's Corner. We discuss these three title fights, and explain why the winners of these three fights could possibly be considered to be the top mixed martial arts fighter in the world at their weights. Bob also offers his predictions for this card.
This is independent and high-level analysis of mixed martial arts, and you do not want to miss this show.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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
Labels: Eddie Goldman, Henderson, Melendez, MMA, No Holds Barred, Shields, Strikeforce
Friday, April 09, 2010
No Holds Barred: Ricardo Liborio
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again has the pleasure of speaking with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and grappling legend Ricardo Liborio.
Ricardo Liborio is the co-owner and head instructor for American Top Team, and also the head coach of the USA Grappling team.
In another lengthy discussion, we reviewed the April 8 Bellator Fighting Championships card in Hollywood, Florida, which Liborio attended and had fighters competing. We discussed both the televised fights and the victorious performances of Roger Huerta, Joe Warren, and Georgi Karakhanyan, as well as the undercard victories of Chris Manuel and Edson Diniz.
We also got an update on the health situation of American Top Team fighter Thiago "Pitbull" Alves, who was pulled from a recent UFC card following a medical test which showed a brain irregularity. He will be returning to action shortly, and we learn more about what happened to him.
In addition, we discussed the sport of grappling, and its prospects for being added to the program of the Olympic Games. Liborio explained what changes he believes must be made to improve the organization of the sport, the need to grow it on the grassroots level, and much more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
Ricardo Liborio is the co-owner and head instructor for American Top Team, and also the head coach of the USA Grappling team.
In another lengthy discussion, we reviewed the April 8 Bellator Fighting Championships card in Hollywood, Florida, which Liborio attended and had fighters competing. We discussed both the televised fights and the victorious performances of Roger Huerta, Joe Warren, and Georgi Karakhanyan, as well as the undercard victories of Chris Manuel and Edson Diniz.
We also got an update on the health situation of American Top Team fighter Thiago "Pitbull" Alves, who was pulled from a recent UFC card following a medical test which showed a brain irregularity. He will be returning to action shortly, and we learn more about what happened to him.
In addition, we discussed the sport of grappling, and its prospects for being added to the program of the Olympic Games. Liborio explained what changes he believes must be made to improve the organization of the sport, the need to grow it on the grassroots level, and much more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
Labels: Bellator, Eddie Goldman, grappling, MMA, No Holds Barred, Ricardo Liborio
Thursday, April 08, 2010
No Holds Barred: Bellator TV Deal, Cuban Style and MMA
(Eddie Goldman and Joel Casamayor in New York, Nov. 7, 2007. Photo by Keisha Morrisey.)On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the problems with the television deal of the Bellator Fighting Championships on Fox Sports Net, and what to expect from the "Cuban style" of fighting promised by "King" Mo Lawal in his April 17 Strikeforce mixed martial arts fight with Gegard Mousasi, which will be shown in the U.S., on CBS.
We begin by noting how, in most markets in the U.S., the Bellator show of April 8, their first of 2010, will only be aired on tape delay. We discuss how this greatly hurts their overall plans to become a successful national mixed martial arts promotion. And we critique the failed model in mixed martial arts of trying to create standalone national promotions, similar to those which have existed in the fake pro "wrestling".
When "King" Mo Lawal stated on a media conference call this week that he would be using a "Cuban style" against Gegard Mousasi, almost no one in the so-called mixed martial arts "media" had any clue about what he was talking, since they are willfully ignorant of the sport of wrestling where so many Cuban athletes have excelled. Few also have any familiarity with the many great Cuban boxers, both professional and amateur, who have done so well. We thus shed a little light on the history of a few of these top Cuban combat sports champions, and urge serious fans of mixed martial arts to educate themselves about the styles of combat sports which together form the basis of mixed martial arts.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
Labels: Bellator, Cuban, Eddie Goldman, King Mo, Mousasi, No Holds Barred
Monday, April 05, 2010
No Holds Barred: Joey Reynolds, Roger Huerta, Haye-Ruiz and Hopkins-Jones Reviews
(Joey Reynolds during last WOR radio show, April 2, 2010. Photo by Eddie Goldman.)
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents discussions with radio legend Joey Reynolds and mixed martial arts fighter Roger Huerta, and reviews the David Haye-John Ruiz and Bernard Hopkins-Roy Jones Jr. fights from this past Saturday, April 3.
We begin with a commentary on the significance of the cancellation of the Joey Reynolds Show after 14 years on WOR 710 AM radio in New York, and just what this show really meant to many people. This show, which was syndicated all across the U.S., was perhaps the last of the live, mainstream, entertainment radio talk shows which were broadcast overnight and followed by generations of listeners. Joey is a big fan of boxing, and over the years many boxers and people from the world of boxing were guests on his show, including myself as the boxing correspondent. Now a syndicated show will be piped in to replace it, another sign of the destructive effects of radio consolidation. Arrangements are underway for Joey Reynolds to return with a TV show, although right now nothing has been finalized.
We thus play an excerpt from the last Joey Reynolds Show on WOR, recorded Friday, April 2, with Joey having that last discussion about No Holds Barred, the Internet, and boxing.
Next, we discuss one of the best heavyweight boxing title fights of recent years, and one of the worst pay-per-view main events of all time.
The successful defense of his WBA heavyweight title by David Haye against veteran John Ruiz proved that Haye, the former unified cruiserweight champion, has the power to defeat an accomplished heavyweight. After several knockdowns, including a slew of fouls, the white towel was waved in the ninth round, and Haye had scored a TKO victory, the first stoppage of Ruiz since 1996.
Many of us warned that the Bernard Hopkins-Roy Jones Jr. rematch was not only taking place many years after it should have, but that this fight between these two aged warriors should not have taken place in 2010. Those who had the misfortune of watching it saw little action, except repeated fouls which left Hopkins on the canvas several times. Hopkins otherwise dominated, but was just too old to hurt properly the overly-defensive and fragile Jones. Both landed in the hospital after this almost non-fight, and hopefully both will now retire as fighters, although we unfortunately doubt that will happen.
After those discussions, we move to consider the fate of the Bellator Fighting Championships, whose second season begins this Thursday, April 8, with a card in Hollywood, Florida. This will be televised live in the U.S. on Fox Sports Net, although some will not be able to see it live, such as those in New York where a hockey game is being shown on the local affiliate.
On a recent media teleconference, we spoke with Roger Huerta, the star fighter who makes his Bellator debut April 8 in the opening round of their 155-pound tournament. We discussed his determination to make his comeback to fighting after a layoff and two losses in UFC a success, and why he expects finally to achieve his potential as a fighter.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
We begin with a commentary on the significance of the cancellation of the Joey Reynolds Show after 14 years on WOR 710 AM radio in New York, and just what this show really meant to many people. This show, which was syndicated all across the U.S., was perhaps the last of the live, mainstream, entertainment radio talk shows which were broadcast overnight and followed by generations of listeners. Joey is a big fan of boxing, and over the years many boxers and people from the world of boxing were guests on his show, including myself as the boxing correspondent. Now a syndicated show will be piped in to replace it, another sign of the destructive effects of radio consolidation. Arrangements are underway for Joey Reynolds to return with a TV show, although right now nothing has been finalized.
We thus play an excerpt from the last Joey Reynolds Show on WOR, recorded Friday, April 2, with Joey having that last discussion about No Holds Barred, the Internet, and boxing.
Next, we discuss one of the best heavyweight boxing title fights of recent years, and one of the worst pay-per-view main events of all time.
The successful defense of his WBA heavyweight title by David Haye against veteran John Ruiz proved that Haye, the former unified cruiserweight champion, has the power to defeat an accomplished heavyweight. After several knockdowns, including a slew of fouls, the white towel was waved in the ninth round, and Haye had scored a TKO victory, the first stoppage of Ruiz since 1996.
Many of us warned that the Bernard Hopkins-Roy Jones Jr. rematch was not only taking place many years after it should have, but that this fight between these two aged warriors should not have taken place in 2010. Those who had the misfortune of watching it saw little action, except repeated fouls which left Hopkins on the canvas several times. Hopkins otherwise dominated, but was just too old to hurt properly the overly-defensive and fragile Jones. Both landed in the hospital after this almost non-fight, and hopefully both will now retire as fighters, although we unfortunately doubt that will happen.
After those discussions, we move to consider the fate of the Bellator Fighting Championships, whose second season begins this Thursday, April 8, with a card in Hollywood, Florida. This will be televised live in the U.S. on Fox Sports Net, although some will not be able to see it live, such as those in New York where a hockey game is being shown on the local affiliate.
On a recent media teleconference, we spoke with Roger Huerta, the star fighter who makes his Bellator debut April 8 in the opening round of their 155-pound tournament. We discussed his determination to make his comeback to fighting after a layoff and two losses in UFC a success, and why he expects finally to achieve his potential as a fighter.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
Labels: boxing, Eddie Goldman, Hopkins, Huerta, Joey Reynolds, No Holds Barred
Saturday, April 03, 2010
No Holds Barred: Daniel Cormier, 2-0 in MMA
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Daniel Cormier, the 2007 world bronze medalist and two-time U.S. Olympian in freestyle wrestling, who was victorious on March 26 in his second mixed martial arts fight with a first-round knockout over John Devine on a Strikeforce card in Fresno, California. You can watch this fight here.
We spoke about this fight and how and why he was able to triumph so quickly in it. He explained how he is applying and incorporating solid boxing technique into his mixed martial arts offense and defense. We discussed why this fight was not televised by Showtime, which has drawn criticism from many fans. We of course discussed the 2010 NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championships, how this remains a tremendous event, some of the top performances at it, and why some colleges produce so many mixed martial arts fighters, including Oklahoma State, where he wrestled and was an All-American. We discussed how many who think they understand mixed martial arts have little or no understanding of the level of wrestling and athleticism in freestyle, in which he won his world bronze medal in 2007 and was a two-time Olympian, and much more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
We spoke about this fight and how and why he was able to triumph so quickly in it. He explained how he is applying and incorporating solid boxing technique into his mixed martial arts offense and defense. We discussed why this fight was not televised by Showtime, which has drawn criticism from many fans. We of course discussed the 2010 NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championships, how this remains a tremendous event, some of the top performances at it, and why some colleges produce so many mixed martial arts fighters, including Oklahoma State, where he wrestled and was an All-American. We discussed how many who think they understand mixed martial arts have little or no understanding of the level of wrestling and athleticism in freestyle, in which he won his world bronze medal in 2007 and was a two-time Olympian, and much more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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.
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