NO HOLDS BARRED

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Mark Cody, the head wrestling coach at the University of Oklahoma.

Now in his fourth season as the Sooners' wrestling coach, he has also become the president of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA).

This weekend, Oklahoma hosts two dual meets at the McCasland Field House in Norman, Oklahoma. On Saturday, January 31, they host number 8 Iowa State, and on Sunday, February 1, they host number 20 Oregon State. Both meets start at 2 PM CST/3 PM EST and will be televised live in the U.S. on Fox College Sports Central and replayed later, as well as televised on other regional networks. As always, check your local listings.

We spoke with Coach Cody by phone Thursday.

His team this year is one of the youngest in college wrestling, with only one senior starter along with several freshmen. Especially as they have improved during the course of the season, he has big plans for them, both on and off the mat.

"My goal here is to win the academic championship and win a national championship in wrestling -- several national championships," he said.

"That means that we have to have a special group of guys. And we have to continue to recruit unique individuals that are willing to buy into everything that we're asking of them here. But as far as everything being in place for that to happen, it's great. I couldn't ask for more support."

We discussed some of the outstanding wrestlers on the Oklahoma Sooners and how this young team has been progressing. We also discussed his five-year plan, the "family atmosphere" at Oklahoma wrestling, his own accomplishments in pushing academics while coaching at American University prior to coming to Oklahoma, the effect on wrestling of the O'Bannon decision requiring some colleges to compensate some of their top athletes, how coaches have to ensure that their programs remain "relevant" on their campuses, marketing wrestling, the continuing task of recruiting, their no-drugs and no-drinking policy for their team, and much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: coach, Eddie Goldman, Mark Cody, No Holds Barred, Oklahoma Sooners, wrestling

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Josh Barnett.

A challenge was made last week by wrestler and former Michigan State Spartans' team captain Curran Jacobs, who pinned Christopher Crossan of the Snake Pit Wigan on June 7, 2014, in the main event of the Catch Wrestling Alliance International Invitational: The Rebirth in Los Angeles. He issued a challenge to Travis Newaza, who was victorious at the West Coast King of Catch Wrestling Tournament held January 11, 2015, in San Diego, California.

Curran Jacobs said about Travis Newaza, in an interview last week on No Holds Barred, "He's a good jiu-jitsu guy, but I saw no catch wrestling happening at all" in the videos of his matches at that tournament. He also said that he considers that there are "fake titles" being handed out in catch wrestling today.

That challenge was accepted, and arrangements were begun to be made for this match between Curran Jacobs and Travis Newaza to take place, by Josh Barnett and several other people. However, last Wednesday, Travis Newaza suffered an injury in training, which has caused that match to be postponed until a later date.

With the controversies on this series of events burning up social media, Josh Barnett wanted to address these issues. He did so in this lengthy interview, which was recorded by phone Wednesday.

Addressing the direction this discussion has taken, he said, "If it takes somebody being even just proclaimed the champion of a tournament that sounds very prestigious, King of Catch, if that's what it takes to get people to finally peel away the layers, open up their mouths, and show who they really are and what they feel, then I'm just going to go out and say, 'OK, I am the greatest catch wrestler walking the Earth right now. Period.'

"Nobody puts it up more than me. Nobody's accomplished more than me. Nobody's continuing to go out there and push it, on the mats and behind the scenes. No one's trying to develop the athletes like I am. And if anybody has an issue with it, then they should come and take me on.

"But there is no better catch wrestler in the entire world, period. I don't care who you belong to, who your association is, you're not better than me. I can beat anybody that claims they're a catch wrestler, probably a lot of them quite easily. And that's that."

We discussed the current growth of catch wrestling, the lack of competition and limited number of events in it, the need for various catch wrestling organizations to work together, the influence of the late Billy Robinson, why catch wrestling should be considered part of wrestling by the broader wrestling community, why catch wrestling is still far from having real world and national champions, the reason he has not entered any of these catch wrestling events, why those training in catch wrestling should regularly enter events under the many other rulesets of wrestling and grappling, the importance of combat wrestling, his own training of catch wrestlers and athletes at CSW, and much, much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: BJJ, catch wrestling, challenges, Eddie Goldman, grappling, jiu-jitsu, Josh Barnett, No Holds Barred

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents a tribute to one of the true pioneers in the sport once known as no-holds-barred fighting (NHB) and now known as mixed martial arts, Phyllis Lee.

Coming from a background as a pro wrestler, she was one of the first fight managers in the earliest days of MMA, representing numerous fighters including Dan Severn, Ron Waterman, Gary Myers, Chris Lytle, Nathan Marquardt, Shane Carwin, Carlos Condit, and many others. Besides getting fighters in North American organizations such as UFC and Battlecade Extreme Fighting, she had a particularly close relationship for many years with the Pancrase organization of Japan.

All over the world Phyllis Lee was known as the First Lady of NHB.

After a bout with pneumonia, Phyllis Lee passed away Sunday, January 18, 2015, at age 76, while in her sleep and hospitalized. A memorial service for family and friends will be held Saturday, January 31, at her church in West Unity, Ohio.

As a tribute to her, we are reposting an interview conducted with her in June 2006. In it, she explained how she got involved with MMA; why this grandmother from the Toledo, Ohio, area, had such a passion for the combat sports and the people involved in it; her connections with Pancrase and Karl Gotch; pro and amateur wrestling; some of the events which took place and fighters who fought at the time of this interview; and much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: Eddie Goldman, First Lady of NHB, MMA, No Holds Barred, Pancrase, Phyllis Lee, wrestling

My latest blog for the Defense Soap site, "A Challenge in Catch Wrestling", is up at http://blog.defensesoap.com/news/a-challenge-in-catch-wrestling.

Labels: Catch Wrestling Alliance, combat wrestling, Curran Jacobs, Defense Soap, Eddie Goldman, Ivaylo Ivanov, No Holds Barred, Travis Newaza

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with MMA pioneer and legend Ken Shamrock.

A veteran of the early days of MMA, the first King of Pancrase, and known especially for his skill with submissions, Ken Shamrock, now 50 years old, is embarking on yet another pioneering venture: to become a champion in bare-knuckle boxing.

His debut fight is slated to take place this April in the U.K. against bare-knuckle boxing legend James Quinn, at a date and location to be announced. It is also planned for this fight to be shown on pay-per-view, with details forthcoming.

We spoke with Ken Shamrock by phone Tuesday.

Just like he articulately defended MMA in its formative days against various detractors, Ken Shamrock is defending this latest incarnation of bare-knuckle boxing, both for its relative safety and as an art form.

Gloves in both boxing and MMA were introduced, he said, "under the same myth that I believe, is to try and make it safer. And I thought to myself, 'Safer for who?'"

He explained, "It's really not to protect the guy getting punched. It's really to protect the guy that's doing the punching and make it more exciting for the fans to get more knockouts and be able to have the fighters sustain their career longer without breaking their hands and having to retire."

Bare-knuckle boxing, he said, makes "fighters become more articulate and more accurate and more cautious about letting their hands fly, holding back some of the power that they may have, to be able to land strikes that are going to be perfect and not miss their target. Because if they do, the consequences are whether they could lose the fight because they broke their hand."

Similarly, he argued that when gloves were brought into MMA, "They took away the purity of submissions," and made it harder to win by submission.

We also discussed how he feels "rejuvenated" and "better than I have in the last 15 years", how bare-knuckle boxing is legal in the U.K. although unregulated, the development of the rules for this 21st century version of bare-knuckle boxing, why MMA today only has an "edge" in safety over gloved boxing, why history shows that bare-knuckle boxing is safer than gloved boxing, why bare-knuckle boxing will be "more exciting" than MMA, his views on the potential of submission wrestling and catch wrestling, his plans for training for this fight, and much more.

In addition, we commented on the passing of another MMA pioneer, Phyllis Lee, who was known as the "First Lady of NHB".

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: bare-knuckle, boxing, Eddie Goldman, Ken Shamrock, MMA, No Holds Barred

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with wrestler and former Michigan State Spartans' team captain Curran Jacobs.

After a victory by pin over Christopher Crossan of the Snake Pit Wigan on June 7, 2014, in the main event of the Catch Wrestling Alliance International Invitational: The Rebirth, at UCLA in Los Angeles, California, and thus winning the Frank Gotch Award, he is planning to return to action this year.

Towards this end, he is issuing a challenge to Travis Newaza, who was victorious at the West Coast King of Catch Wrestling Tournament held January 11, 2015, in San Diego, California.

We spoke with Curran Jacobs by phone Monday.

"I would like to actually call out that gentleman who won that tournament, Travis Newaza, I believe his name is," he said.

"He is being claimed the King of the West Coast, and I'm on the West Coast." He added that he was unaware of the January 11 event.

He went on to criticize his performance in that event.

"He's a good jiu-jitsu guy, but I saw no catch wrestling happening at all."

We discussed his continuing training at Catch Wrestling Los Angeles, why he considers there to be "fake titles" being handed out in catch wrestling today, why he believes that many of the matches at these tournaments are "not a good display of catch wrestling", why he calls the Catch Wrestling Alliance "the leader of the pack", and much, much more.

We also comment on the passing of an MMA pioneer, Phyllis Lee, who was known as the "First Lady of NHB".

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: Catch Wrestling Alliance, Curran Jacobs, Eddie Goldman, No Holds Barred, Travis Newaza

(Photo by Keisha Morrisey.)

No Holds Barred: Keith Thurman, Adrien Broner, Lamont Peterson, Roberto Duran, Lou DiBella, John Miller, PBC on NBC

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents the interviews recorded at the inaugural news conference for the new Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) series on NBC.

This news conference took place Wednesday, January 14, at NBC's studio 8H, the home of "Saturday Night Live", at 30 Rockefeller Center in New York. For this year, there will be 20 live "PBC on NBC" events. This will include five Saturday primetime shows on NBC, six Saturday afternoon shows on NBC, and nine Saturday primetime shows on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), with specific dates and times to be announced. In this Premier Boxing Champions venture, NBC is working with Haymon Boxing and its head, boxing manager Al Haymon.

We spoke with:

-- Keith Thurman (24-0, 21 KOs), who will face Robert Guerrero (32-2-1, 18 KOs) on March 7.

-- Adrien Broner (29-1, 22 KOs), who will face John Molina Jr. (27-2, 22 KOs), also on March 7.

-- Lamont Peterson (33-2-1, 17 KOs), who will face Danny Garcia (29-0, 17 KOs) on April 11.

-- Boxing legend Roberto Duran.

-- Promoter Lou DiBella, who will officially act as the promoter for several of these cards, about the potential for the "PBC on NBC" to elevate the status of boxing.

-- John Miller, the Chief Marketing Officer, NBC Sports Group, about some of the business aspects of the "PBC on NBC".

A photo gallery from this news conference can be seen here.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: Adrien Broner, Eddie Goldman, John Miller, Keith Thurman, Lamont Peterson, Lou DiBella, NBC. Al Haymon, No Holds Barred, PBC, Premier Boxing Champions, Roberto Duran

This news conference took place Wednesday, January 14, at NBC's studio 8H, the home of "Saturday Night Live", at 30 Rockefeller Center in New York.

Left to right: Keith Thurman, Adrien Broner, Danny Garcia, Thomas "Hitman" Hearns, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Lamont Peterson, John Molina Jr., and Robert Guerrero.

Al Michaels video at news conference.

Sugar Ray Leonard.

Sugar Ray Leonard.

Lamont Jones, Vice President of Operations for Haymon Boxing Management.

Keith Thurman and Robert Guerrero.

Adrien Broner and John Molina Jr.

Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson.

Eddie Goldman, Keisha Morrisey, and Roberto Duran.

Eddie interviewing Roberto Duran with manager Luis DeCubas Jr. and Keisha Morrisey.

Eddie interviewing John Miller, Chief Marketing Officer, NBC Sports Group.

Eddie interviewing boxing promoter Lou DiBella.

Eddie interviewing Lamont Peterson.

Eddie interviewing Keith Thurman.

(Photos of fighters, Al Michaels, Sugar Ray Leonard, Lamont Jones, Keith Thurman and Robert Guerrero, Adrien Broner and John Molina Jr., and Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson by Eddie Goldman. The other photos are courtesy of Keisha Morrisey.)

Labels: Adrien Broner, Eddie Goldman, John Miller, Keisha Morrisey, Keith Thurman, Lamont Peterson, Lou DiBella, NBC. Al Haymon, No Holds Barred, PBC, Premier Boxing Champions, Roberto Duran

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents the audio from the inaugural news conference for the new Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) series on NBC.

This news conference took place Wednesday, January 14, at NBC's studio 8H, the home of "Saturday Night Live", at 30 Rockefeller Center in New York.

The return of major boxing shows to network television in the U.S. will start with a card on Saturday, March 7. Thus far announced are matches featuring Keith Thurman (24-0, 21 KOs) vs. Robert Guerrero (32-2-1, 18 KOs), and Adrien Broner (29-1, 22 KOs) vs. John Molina Jr. (27-2, 22 KOs). On April 11, Danny Garcia (29-0, 17 KOs) will face Lamont Peterson (33-2-1, 17 KOs).

For this year, there will be 20 live "PBC on NBC" events. This will include five Saturday primetime shows on NBC, six Saturday afternoon shows on NBC, and nine Saturday primetime shows on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), with specific dates and times to be announced.

There will also be Spanish-language audio and video coverage of these cards, as well as video streaming on NBC Sports Live Extra via their TV Everywhere service.

In this Premier Boxing Champions venture, NBC is working with Haymon Boxing and its head, boxing manager Al Haymon.

The news conference featured Jon Miller, the President of Programming for NBC Sports and NBCSN; a video from sportscaster Al Michaels, who will be the host of these prime time shows on NBC; boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard, who will be the lead analyst on these shows; award-winning composer Hans Zimmer, who will be in charge of composing the music for these shows; Lamont Jones, Vice President of Operations for Haymon Boxing Management; introductions of the fighters; and a short video on the history of boxing on NBC radio and TV.

Of particular note were these announcements by Lamont Jones: "With the support of the United States Anti‑Doping Agency, each boxer who competes in a PBC bout will be subjected to rigorous Olympic‑style random drug testing. With the involvement of the Cleveland Clinic, each boxer who competes in a PBC bout will benefit from evaluations by staff physicians from the clinic. And the PBC series will support the clinic's important Professional Fighter’s Brain Health Study."

We will also have several individual interviews from this news conference posted shortly.

We also open with a commentary on how this can all be a game-changer for the oft-beleaguered sport of boxing.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: Adrien Broner, Danny Garcia, Eddie Goldman, John Molina Jr., Keith Thurman, Lamont Peterson, NBC. Al Haymon, No Holds Barred, PBC, Premier Boxing Champions, Robert Guerrero

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents the audio from the section of Monday's Nevada State Athletic Commission public meeting on the issue of out-of-competition drug testing. This issue has came to the fore since they claimed they had no "jurisdiction" to punish UFC fighter Jon Jones for a positive drug test, a month before his UFC 182 fight with Daniel Cormier, for benzoylecgonine, the main metabolite of cocaine. We also read a statement from Dr. Margaret Goodman, the President and Board Chairman of the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), explaining why "Any fighter who had a drug problem should not be declared fit to compete."

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: cocaine, doping, Eddie Goldman, Jon Jones, MMA, Nevada State Athletic Commission, No Holds Barred, UFC

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Mike Martelle, the owner and head instructor of the Grizzly Gym.

A martial artist who has mastered numerous disciplines and styles of both grappling and striking, he will be traveling from Kingston, Ontario, Canada, this coming week to Dakar, Senegal, in Africa, to train and compete in the traditional style of wrestling known as Laamb. There he will train with Kairé Deux at the Soumbédioune Training Center (l'écurie Soumbédioune), as well as conduct seminars in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA.

He is working on this project with the Lion Heart Initiative.

We spoke with Mike Martelle by phone Thursday.

"Ever since I was a little kid when I started martial arts decades ago, it was always my lifelong dream to compete on every continent," he said. "This trip to Africa will complete that goal. This will be the last of the six viable continents that I will be traveling to and competing upon."

He continued, "We'll be competing in a traditional form of wrestling, the national sport of Senegal, called Laamb."

There are two versions of Laamb: amateur and professional.

"Essentially you're looking to win via taking your opponent down, or putting him out-of-bounds. And in the professional version, you can also use closed-fist punches to, shall we say, encourage the takedown," he said.

"So I'm very excited about it. It's going to be fantastic."

We discussed more about the Lion Heart Initiative, the potential for Laamb (also called Senegalese Wrestling) to become a popular sport worldwide, why this is "sport at its purest, at its most primal", upcoming plans for catch wrestling and combat wrestling events this year, and much, much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: Africa, catch, combat, Eddie Goldman, Grizzly Gym, Grizzly's Quest, Laamb, Lion Heart Initiative, Mike Martelle, No Holds Barred, Senegal, wrestling

My latest blog for the Defense Soap site, "Springtime for Catch Wrestling, 2015 Edition", is up at http://blog.defensesoap.com/news/springtime-for-catch-wrestling-2015-edition.

Labels: catch wrestling, Defense Soap, Eddie Goldman, No Holds Barred, springtime

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with LGBT sports advocate, former Terrapin Wrestling Club director, and a member of USA Wrestling's diversity committee, Akil Patterson.

We spoke with him by phone Wednesday.

Although he had been a top college football player, he was also a wrestler and a wrestling coach. "I'm a wrestler at heart," he said. Akil identifies himself as a Black, gay, Christian male.

We thus focused on the issues of overcoming homophobia and transphobia, and fighting for diversity and inclusion, in wrestling and other sports.

"I try to help bring along some new initiatives to frame some new and outstanding information that's going to be going out to the wrestling communities," he said. "And also just to kind of bridge the gap between what is considered D and I, what really is diversity and inclusion in America, and how we can not only take the LGBT part, but also a minority perspective, and really make sure that everyone understands and is culturally aware and competent about what wrestling really means."

He explained, "The crux of it is, is you're out there to compete. You're out there to have fun. And at the end of the day, we're one big family. We really are."

We discussed why acceptance and equality for LGBT athletes will come, but "a little slower than we like it." We also discussed his own experiences in sports when he came out as gay, the treatment of LGBT athletes in many sports today, the support he has been given in his efforts, his work with Athlete Ally, and much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: Akil Patterson, diversity, Eddie Goldman, gay, inclusion, LGBT, No Holds Barred, sports, wrestling

Regarding the discussion around the Jon Jones drug use controversy, Dr. Margaret Goodman, the President and Board Chairman of the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), confirmed to me by e-mail that the WADA prohibited list for OOC (out-of-competition) testing does not include cocaine. However, VADA does include cocaine, as they do not have a specific OOC protocol.

She wrote: "Any fighter who had a drug problem should not be declared fit to compete. Cocaine is a dangerous drug. Putting fighter safety first means just that! A fighter who has to go into rehab for a condition determined before the fight needs attention--not a high profile fight. Plus the risks in training on cocaine are great and can't be ignored."

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with MMA and jiu-jitsu legend Royce Gracie.

One of his latest ventures is acting, and he is a featured actor in the new film "The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power". Although he has appeared on film before, this is the first film in which he is not playing himself.

We spoke with Royce Gracie by phone, using Google Voice, Tuesday, about this film.

"I'm a soldier," he said of his character. Several other actors with real MMA and martial arts backgrounds also appear in this film, including Roy Nelson. But the fate of Royce's character in this film is different from what we know of his real accomplishments in combat sports.

In this film, he said with a laugh, "The Scorpion King kicks my butt."

We discussed more about his role, how he had to learn sword fighting for it, how jiu-jitsu aided in this process, plans to continue his acting career, his upcoming seminars and appearances at Bellator MMA events, and much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: BJJ, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Eddie Goldman, film, grappling, MMA, movie, No Holds Barred, Quest for Power, Royce Gracie, Scorpion King, UFC

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman comments on the WWE-like "bad blood" angle used to promote the Jon Jones-Daniel Cormier fight; contrasts it with how Floyd Mayweather deconstructed the attempt to promote his 2006 fight with Zab Judah under the name "Sworn Enemies"; compares it to the actions of boxers including Andre Berto and Pete Quillin with their December 12 "Black Out Boxing - A Rally for Justice" in Las Vegas; discusses the need for the fighters involved in the class-action lawsuit against Zuffa/UFC to enlist support from athletes in other sports as well as workers, unions, and the public; and much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: Andre Berto, bad blood, Black Out Boxing, Daniel Cormier, Eddie Goldman, Floyd Mayweather, Jon Jones, MMA, No Holds Barred, UFC, Zab Judah