NO HOLDS BARRED

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Carlos Carvalho, the executive officer of the USA ADCC Federation.

The most important grappling tournament of 2013 in North America is about to happen: the final North American qualifier for the 2013 ADCC World Submission Fighting Championships. This is the last chance for North American grapplers to qualify for the 2013 ADCC World Championships. This qualifier will take place this Saturday, March 2, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio, as part of the annual Arnold Sports Festival.

The winners in both the five men's weight classes and the two women's weight classes will receive official invitations to compete in the 2013 ADCC World Submission Fighting Championships, which will be held later this year at a date and location to be announced.

We spoke with Carlos Carvalho Wednesday by Skype about this important event.

"It is such a big event. You can't imagine," he said in this interview. The logistics involve bringing competitors from the 48 ADCC Federations around the world, plus the officials and staff, to the event.

"The ADCC is the Olympics of grappling, because we are as big as the Olympics. I don't see any other organization that runs something like this big, except the Olympics."

We discussed the international growth of the ADCC Federations especially in Europe, the high level of athletes who will compete in the North American qualifier, the ADCC rules, and more.

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