NO HOLDS BARRED

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again speaks with the former kickboxer, an original Gene LeBell black belt, the former UFC and Extreme Fighting matchmaker, and our senior correspondent, John Perretti.

Now age 55, John Perretti is feeling the effects of a life in the martial arts and combat sports. While he is still active in many endeavors, various ailments, some the results of concussions he suffered while fighting, teaching, and training, have slowed him down.

What are the lessons of all this for young athletes competing or hoping to compete in the combat sports or other violent sports? Are there rules changes which could make these sports reasonably safe while still leaving them compelling and exciting? And, looking back and knowing what we do now, was competing and training in these sports worth it? Those are some of the issues we discussed with John Perretti in a phone interview last week.

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