NO HOLDS BARRED

As its popularity declines, scandals still rock both professional and amateur boxing. The role of organized crime figures in boxing is largely unchecked, with indications that it is actually growing.

No style of wrestling, with the notable exception of sumo in Japan, has gained a mass audience, and no real professional wrestling circuit has thus far been successful in about a century.

Other styles of combat sports and martial arts, in particular mixed martial arts, have often sunk to the level of the staged wrestling by promoting a host of negative social values. The values of respect, discipline, honor, and inclusiveness have been abandoned and replaced by a ruthless and vulgar culture.

At the same time, the Olympic movement has lost its luster amidst its own mounting scandals and unpopular acts.

In these times, the value of independent combat sports and martial arts journalism is greater than ever. Yet media consolidation has not only greatly weakened independent media and journalism in general, but has been especially hard on independent combat sports and martial arts journalists. Promoters, networks, and now streaming services fund and create media that largely regurgitate their press releases and corporate positions, while crowding out independent voices and outlets.

It is in this situation that I appeal to you to help support the independent media work that I have been engaged in for three decades, and nearly 16 years on the No Holds Barred podcast, one of the longest-running podcasts in the world.

There are three ways I suggest to do this:

1 -- Subscribe to the No Holds Barred page on Patreon. Articles and analyses are exclusively posted there which get right to the heart of the issues facing the combat sports and martial arts. You can do so by going here.

2 -- Purchase some items on the No Holds Barred shop on Redbubble. You can buy T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, mugs, pillows, masks, and even mini-skirts there. (It has been recommended to me that people select sizes on the large side, as some items may run small.) You can browse all the items for sale and then place an order here.

3 -- Support No Holds Barred by making a donation via PayPal. Your generous donation, no matter how large or small, can help this work continue. You can do so here.

Of course, you can also post links to this media work on social media, and review and recommend it.

That's it for now. I welcome any assistance.

Thanks, Eddie Goldman