NO HOLDS BARRED

No Holds Barred: Rolles Gracie

2012-01-31T22:02:00.003-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with mixed martial arts fighter and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion Rolles Gracie.

On Saturday, February 11, Rolles Gracie will be facing the more experienced and larger Bob Sapp in a heavyweight bout on the ONE Fighting Championship card at the Kelapa Gading Sports Mall in Jakarta, Indonesia.

We spoke with Rolles Gracie by phone Tuesday evening about what to expect in this fight. While some see this as an easy win for this member of the legendary Gracie family, Rolles dismissed such thinking and explained why he views Bob Sapp as a very dangerous opponent. He explained why his loss in UFC two years ago actually helped him improve as a fighter, and to what he attributes that defeat. He discussed his preparation for this fight, which included training with Rashad Evans and Mike Van Arsdale, why he is looking forward to fighting once again in Asia and for ONE FC, why it is better for fighters if there is not a monopoly in mixed martial arts, why he aims to finish all his fights, and more.

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The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by Ian Carpenter.

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ONE Fighting Championship. ONE FC is Asia's largest and most prestigious mixed martial arts event. ONE FC features the best Asian fighters and has initiated the ONE Asia Partnership Network, which includes most of the major MMA promotions and MMA gyms in Asia. For more information, go to their web site, at ONEFC.com.

DARE Championship. Based in Thailand, DARE is a mixed martial arts event where fighters from all over the world compete to become the DARE Champion. DARE is one of the first MMA promotions in Thailand, and has been televised in many countries and online. For more information, go to their web site, at DareFightSports.com.

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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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Mike Haskamp of Legend Fighting Championship

2012-01-29T21:48:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Mike Haskamp, the co-founder of the Hong Kong-based MMA promotion, the Legend Fighting Championship.

Legend FC will be having their seventh show Saturday, February 11, at the City of Dreams in Macau SAR, China. Headlining the ten-fight card will be two title fights. Legend welterweight champion Bae Myung Ho of South Korea will be fighting challenger Li Jingliang from China and China Top Team. In the co-main event, Yao Honggang, also of China Top Team, will defend his Legend bantamweight title against fellow Chinese fighter Jumabieke Tuerxun, who holds a victory over Yao.

We spoke by Skype with Mike Haskamp Monday morning (which was Sunday night in the U.S.) about this card and the growth of Legend FC. He elaborated on the origins of Legend FC as well as the fascinating beginnings and development of MMA in China. He discussed their television deals, which will have Legend 7 seen in many countries in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as on pay-per-view in North America. Legend has also just signed a distribution and syndication deal with ESPN International, with more details coming soon.

We also discussed how Legend carries out self-regulation of events, the fighter safety measures taken, the rules and use of a five-roped ring, and much more.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

No Holds Barred: Rose Gracie Explains Submission-Only Victories at Gracie U.S. Nationals

2012-01-26T15:12:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Rose Gracie, the president of the Gracie U.S. Nationals and the Gracie Worlds.

The 2012 Gracie U.S. Nationals jiu-jitsu tournament, featuring both gi and no-gi divisions, takes place Saturday, January 28, and Sunday, January 29, at the Los Angeles Fitness Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

But unlike other jiu-jitsu and grappling tournaments, including this event in previous years, the 2012 competition has a new set of rules: you can only win by submission. There are no points, no advantages, and no judges in these 15-minute matches.

Rose Gracie, who is the granddaughter of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu co-founder Helio Gracie and the daughter of UFC co-founder Rorion Gracie, had become dissatisfied with the lack of offense, scoring, action, and technique she had seen in many jiu-jitsu and grappling tournaments.

"People can win a match without even attempting a technique at all, and they're proud of it," she explained. "It's not jiu-jitsu anymore."

In addition, there will be drug-testing at the 2012 Gracie U.S. Nationals, a first for such an event.

We spoke by phone on Wednesday with Rose Gracie about this event and these innovative new rules. She also discussed the changing role of women in the Gracie family, and in jiu-jitsu and grappling as well.

It will indeed be very instructive to see how these new rules work out at this event, so expect a follow-up soon after the event.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

No Holds Barred: Vaughn Anderson, More on King Mo

2012-01-25T13:24:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with mixed martial arts and muay Thai fighter Vaughn "Blud" Anderson.

Based in Thailand and training at the Legacy Gym in Ubon Ratchathani, Vaughn "Blud" Anderson has competed under numerous rules and in many diverse organizations, including K-1, Art of War, and Martial Combat. He also has been a television commentator for Legend FC MMA telecasts around the world. His next fight, on Saturday, February 4, in Thailand, will be under K-1 rules on a card called MVM, which stands for "muay Thai vs. martial arts".

We spoke with Vaughn "Blud" Anderson by Skype Tuesday about his upcoming fight and his fascinating career fighting in Asia in many different styles. We discussed his one-night tournament victory on December 18, 2011, on a PRO Fighting MMA card in Taiwan, where he won all three fights by first-round knockout or TKO. He explained why fighting is so important to his life. We also discussed his experiences fighting in so many organizations, the enormous growth of MMA in Asia, issues related to governance and regulation of combat sports in Asia, and much more.

We also open with an update on the situation regarding MMA fighter "King" Mo Lawal, who tested positive for the banned steroid drostanolone following his January 7 Strikeforce fight, but maintained that he never knowingly took any banned substances. He and his manager Mike Kogan now believe they have found the culprit for this positive test: an over-the-counter product called S Mass Lean Gainer by Rock Solid, which was recommended to him by a store employee to help deal with leg pain. We also stress that athletes should try to use the services provided by various anti-doping organizations, including the Banned Substances Control Group, set up by renowned anti-doping expert Dr. Don Catlin, and the National Center for Drug Free Sport.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

No Holds Barred: King Mo Lawal and Mike Kogan Discuss Steroids and Supplements

2012-01-23T16:12:00.003-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with mixed martial arts fighter and former elite freestyle and college wrestler "King" Mo Lawal, and his manager, Mike Kogan.

On Tuesday, January 17, the Nevada State Athletic Commission announced that "King" Mo has tested positive for the banned steroid drostanolone, also known as Masteron, following his January 7 Strikeforce fight, a TKO victory over Lorenz Larkin. Since then, both "King" Mo and Mike Kogan have maintained that he has never knowingly taken any performance enhancing drug.

After carefully reviewing the supplements he had been taking, all purchased through public retailers, and investigating the history of all of them, they now believe that this positive drug test was the result of taking a mislabeled over-the-counter supplement. They plan to name publicly this supplement as soon as possible.

We spoke with both "King" Mo Lawal and Mike Kogan by phone late Sunday night about this terrible situation. They stressed that they have nothing to hide, want to be one hundred percent transparent, and will abide by the decision of the Nevada State Athletic Commission when they have a hearing on this matter, which will probably be in March. "King" Mo described how this mess has affected him, although he said that the outpouring of support for him and his background in wrestling have helped him get through this. He also said that he is willing to work with VADA, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, which conducts random and unannounced urine and blood tests of athletes, unlike the weaker testing done by the various athletic commissions. We discussed what could be done to deal with this problem of unregulated supplements being so widely available, the need for some type of independent certification and testing of these supplements, what fight promotions can do in the battle against doping, and more.

In addition, we open with a commentary on one of the key sources of this problem: the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), which prohibits the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from testing and approving these types of supplements before they reach the market. This law, passed by politicians of both major U.S. political parties following extensive lobbying by the supplement industry, never should have been passed and needs to be changed now before it does any more harm to the public, athletes of course included.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

No Holds Barred: Lee Li On Big Lunar New Year For MMA In Asia

2012-01-22T17:54:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with the journalist, writer, and our Hong King-based Asian correspondent, Lee Li, who publishes the web site MMA in Asia.

After the festivities are over for the traditional Lunar New Year, which begins January 23, there will be an explosion of mixed martial arts events throughout Asia. ONE FC has an event on Saturday, February 11, in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Legend FC has an event the same day in Macau. The following week there are two cards in the Philippines. There are numerous other events scheduled all over Asia.

We spoke by Skype with Lee Li on Sunday about this upcoming series of events. She began by discussing the Dream card from December 31 in Japan, and went on to examine the many events and fighters in these upcoming shows, including ONE FC, Legend FC, ROAD FC, URCC, PXC, RUFF, and many more. We discussed the importance of establishing effective and professional governance of MMA in the many countries of Asia, the issues related to regulation and self-regulation of these promotions, the announcement of the formation of the Super Fight League in India, and much more.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

No Holds Barred: Ole Laursen

2012-01-19T14:45:00.002-05:00

(Photo by Lee Li)

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with the former world and European muay Thai champion and now a noted mixed martial arts fighter, and the owner of the Legacy Gym in Thailand, Ole Laursen.

He will next be fighting in the main event of the ONE FC 2 "Battle of Heroes" card on Saturday, February 11, in Jakarta, Indonesia. His opponent will be the Swiss-based Japanese fighter Felipe Enomoto of the Enomoto Dojo.

We spoke with Ole Laursen by Skype Thursday as he was training for this fight while building a new gym on Boracay Island in the Philippines. He talked about his recovery from neck and knee injuries, which had forced him to pull out of a planned fight at the first ONE FC card in September against URCC champion Eduard Folayang. We discussed his return to the Philippines to train for this fight, what he knows about and how he is preparing to fight Felipe Enomoto, his transition to mixed martial arts from muay Thai, his growth as a mixed martial artist including his five-fight winning streak following losses to Genki Sudo and Caol Uno, how he has incorporated grappling into his arsenal, what led him to becoming a professional fighter, the enormous potential for growth of MMA in Asia, how ONE FC is taking MMA in Asia to a new level, why 2012 will be his year, and more.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

No Holds Barred: John Barr of ESPN

2012-01-17T21:25:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with John Barr, a reporter in ESPN's Enterprise Unit.

On the ESPN web site, he wrote, along with Josh Gross, the article "UFC fighters say low pay simply brutal". He also reported on this issue and interviewed numerous people on the ESPN television show "Outside the Lines".

We spoke with John Barr by phone at length Tuesday afternoon about these controversial reports. He explained why ESPN became interested in this topic after UFC parent company Zuffa purchased Strikeforce, and how they arrived at their estimate of what percentage of UFC's gross revenue UFC fighters receive. We discussed the absence of transparency and disclosure to the fighters of UFC's finances, how and why they interviewed numerous fighters on and off camera, the private reaction of many fighters to their reports, the role of discretionary bonuses as a means of control of fighters, and the lack of protections for mixed martial arts fighters afforded to boxers under the Muhammad Ali Act. He also answered charges that ESPN ran this story because of some vendetta against the UFC, that positive comments from fighters about the UFC pay structure were edited out of the story, that the reports were filled with lies and did not give all the facts, and much more.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

No Holds Barred: Mark Ribowsky on the Relevance of Howard Cosell

2012-01-16T18:16:00.003-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Mark Ribowsky, author of the new biography Howard Cosell: The Man, the Myth, and the Transformation of American Sports.

Howard Cosell was not only a "cultural icon", a highly insecure and (thus) highly pompous man, and an always controversial sportscaster, but also a pioneer in developing independent sports journalism and critiques of the powers-that-be in the world of sports. Although he eventually became a major part of the sports establishment through his decades of work for the ABC television and radio networks from the 1950s through the 1980s, his main legacy is that he strove to "tell it like it is" and stand up for what he believed was right in sports.

We spoke with Mark Ribowsky by phone Monday afternoon about his important new book and the legacy of Howard Cosell. Before Cosell, he argued, sports broadcasting was "a forum for Ken dolls to parrot the company line". After Cosell, who passed away in 1995 at the age of 77, in sports, and particularly in what passes today for sports journalism, "people have gotten way too soft".

This book provides an important and critical analysis of the life of one of the pioneers of sports journalism, and is a must-read for all those, journalists or not, who stand for truth and justice in the world of sports and in the world in general.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

No Holds Barred: Gina Carano

2012-01-11T19:51:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with former mixed martial arts and muay Thai fighter Gina Carano, who is the star of the new spy film "Haywire".

In this film, directed by Academy Award winner Steven Soderbergh, she plays Mallory Kane, a covert operative who is betrayed by her cohorts.

We spoke with Gina Carano by phone Wednesday afternoon about her widely-acclaimed starring role, her first, in this movie. She discussed her training in weapons and fighting for this movie, in which she performed almost all of her own stunts. She commented on her character, which was not the stereotypical, one-dimensional role usually given to fighters, and her transition from fighting to acting. She also discussed the battle to legalize mixed martial arts in New York; her reaction to her last opponent in MMA, Cris "Cyborg" Santos, who defeated her in August 2009, testing positive for steroids after her December 17, 2011, Strikeforce fight; her explanation about a report that her voice was altered in this new film; and more.

"Haywire" opens in theaters in the U.S. on January 20.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

No Holds Barred: Corruption 2012

2012-01-10T05:28:00.002-05:00

(Photo: Esther Lin, Strikeforce)

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the numerous cases of corruption and bad governance in the combat sports which have already cropped up in this brand new year.

Among the topics discussed are the statement by heavyweight boxer Dereck Chisora that boxing is "the most dodgy and corrupt sport in the world"; what we know about Mustafa Ameen, the so-called "mystery man" who was ringside at the controversial Lamont Peterson-Amir Khan fight; the positive doping test for Strikeforce fighter Cris "Cyborg" Santos, her excuses, and how this all once again illustrates the inadequate drug testing in the combat sports; the important steps taken by the International Olympic Committee and the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association in the battle against dope cheats; the late stoppage in the one-sided Strikeforce fight on Saturday, January 7, where "King" Mo Lawal scored a second-round TKO over Lorenz Larkin; new developments in the fight against corruption in FIFA; and much more.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

No Holds Barred: On Bull Riding, MMA, Boxing, and Wrestling This Weekend

2012-01-06T15:30:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman previews the 2012 season opener for the Professional Bull Riders at Madison Square Garden in New York, January 6-8, as well as the Strikeforce MMA card in Las Vegas on January 7. Also discussed are the drama outside the ring in boxing involving Floyd Mayweather (whose jail sentence from a domestic violence case was just postponed until June) and Victor Ortiz. And previewed is the showdown Saturday night, January 7, between the number one college wrestling team in the U.S., the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, and the number two college wrestling team, the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Also noted are the similarities between bull riding and MMA, including the success in both sports of athletes from Brazil; how bull riding is legal in New York but not MMA; how New York Governor Andrew Cuomo wants to legalize casino gambling which requires a state constitutional amendment, but has said nothing about legalizing MMA; and more.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

No Holds Barred: King Mo Lawal

2012-01-03T06:01:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with mixed martial arts fighter and former elite freestyle and college wrestler "King" Mo Lawal.

"King" Mo, the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, will be returning to action this Saturday, January 7, against the unbeaten but less experienced Lorenz Larkin. This Strikeforce card will be televised in the U.S. on Showtime and take place in Las Vegas, Nevada.

We spoke with "King" Mo on Thursday about what to expect in this fight with Lorenz Larkin. "King" Mo predicted that it will be reminiscent of the 2001 boxing match, also in Las Vegas, between Marco Antonio Barrera and "Prince" Naseem Hamed, in which Barrera dominated the unorthodox Hamed en route to a unanimous decision win. "King" Mo, of course, expects to emulate Barrera with Larkin performing like the "Prince", although "King" Mo does expect it to be a competitive fight.

We also discussed numerous other topics with "King" Mo, including why his legendary ring entrances now have to be toned down; his contract status; why he wants to win a regional boxing title and fight Ola Afolabi, who is the number-one ranked WBO cruiserweight contender; the ever-changing rules in international wrestling; why he wants to include knees to the head of a downed opponent in the MMA unified rules; why Andre Ward is the 2011 boxer of the year; and more.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

No Holds Barred: Lessons from New Year's Weekend Fights, 2011 No Holds Barred Awards

2012-01-01T05:21:00.003-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman reviews the fights and some of the issues arising from the New Year's weekend cards, and presents the 2011 No Holds Barred Awards.

The boxing card on Showtime Friday night, December 30, only re-raised questions about the neurological health of returning fighters Jermain Taylor and Andre Dirrell. The UFC card, also on Friday night, again exposed Brock Lesnar, who was blown out by Alistair Overeem in the first round and subsequently announced his retirement from MMA, as the worst UFC heavyweight titleholder in history.

But the spiraling contractual and legal issues facing Overeem, which led to him being sued by his former management and his purse being held up for this victory, also highlighted the need for MMA fighters to have their own association like athletes in other sports do, and to get the same protections as boxers do under the Muhammad Ali Act in the U.S.

Also addressed is the decline of submissions and of grappling in MMA, particularly in the U.S., and what this says about the relative safety and level of technique of MMA compared to boxing and other combat sports.

Dream held its annual New Year's Eve card at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan, featuring a mix of MMA and kickboxing fights with several fake pro "wrestling" acts. This says a lot about the weakness of the governance of this event. On the other hand, the real matches on the Dream card, held in a ring, featured numerous fights displaying a wide variety of grappling and striking techniques. The main event saw a first-round knockout by Fedor Emelianenko over Satoshi Ishii. The co-feature saw a great fight loaded with superior grappling where Shinya Aoki won a unanimous decision over Satoru Kitaoka to win the Dream featherweight title.

Next is the announcement of the very selective and purposely non-comprehensive 2011 No Holds Barred Awards, to highlight some of the good and the bad in the combat sports in 2011. Among the awards are the combat sports athlete of the year, combat sport of the year, boxer of the year, grappler of the year, sports organization of the year, comeback sport of the year, worst state regulation of combat sports in the U.S., best combat sports vlog, best wrestler and boxer in MMA, best MMA ring announcer, best MMA TV announcer, best new MMA journalist, MMA journalist of the year, and a few more awards of varying degrees of historical importance.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

No Holds Barred: Heath Sims on Heading Evolve MMA Wrestling Program

2011-12-28T23:56:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Heath Sims, who has just been named to head the wrestling program at the top martial arts training organization in Asia, the Singapore-based Evolve MMA.

Heath joins the Evolve staff with a long history of success in wrestling. He won numerous championships and tournaments in wrestling, culminating with earning a berth on the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team in Greco-Roman wrestling. Afterwards he turned to fighting in MMA, including a successful stint in Pancrase in Japan. More recently he has been an instructor at Team Quest in Murrieta, California, and has been lead cornerman for one of the legends of MMA and also a former Greco-Roman Olympian, Dan Henderson.

We spoke with Heath Sims by phone Wednesday about his new position. He explained why he decided to accept it and move to Singapore, and the growth of both wrestling and MMA in Asia. We discussed the transition that fighters without wrestling backgrounds must make to learn wrestling for MMA. We also discussed some of the problems facing wrestling and how it has not fully taken advantage of the success so many wrestlers have had in MMA.

Heath will be departing for Singapore in February, and explained how his involvement with Evolve MMA is an important and historic step forward for MMA in Asia.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

No Holds Barred: Steve Nelson on USWF, UWFi, and Catch Wrestling

2011-12-26T21:28:00.004-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Steve Nelson, the founder and owner of the USWF (Unified Shoot Wrestling Federation).

In the 1990s, the USWF ran a series of successful events, mainly in Amarillo, Texas, using shoot wrestling rules which allowed open-handed strikes, submissions, kicks, and knees. In essence, it was a real style of pro wrestling, having been derived from the worked style seen in Japan in companies like the UWFi. Steve Nelson, who had wrestled at Oklahoma State, won two world silver medals in sambo, had a judo background, came from a family of pro wrestlers, and fought in MMA, had also participated in UWFi and trained in real catch wrestling prior to founding the USWF. Steve is also the longtime head wrestling coach for both the boy's and girls' wrestling teams at Palo Duro High School in Amarillo.

We spoke with Steve by phone Monday afternoon about the history of the USWF and the lessons from it which we can utilize today. He explained how he positioned the USWF to be a real sport which promoted the athletes as role models and not trash-talkers. We discussed with Steve why the USWF produced such exciting events, including his historic rematch with Ralph Gracie at USWF 11 on August, 22, 1998, a great fight which earned Fight of the Year honors.

We also discussed the potential for a revival of real catch wrestling, what it must do to become popular once again, who would be its initial base of fans and participants, and more.

The videos from the USWF shows are also available on DVD on the USWF web site.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

No Holds Barred: Dr. Margaret Goodman and Ryan Connolly Introduce VADA, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association

2011-12-24T14:06:00.004-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Dr. Margaret Goodman, the president and board chairman of, and Ryan Connolly, the chief legal counsel of, VADA, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.

VADA, which is just beginning its activities, was set up as an independent organization that will offer and promote effective anti-doping practices and programs in boxing and mixed martial arts. By providing more comprehensive testing than the various athletic commissions, and enlisting athletes to participate in its programs on a voluntary basis, VADA will create an opportunity for these athletes to demonstrate their commitment to clean sport.

We spoke with Dr. Margaret Goodman and Ryan Connolly by phone on Friday about VADA. They explained why this new organization is necessary in the fight against doping, what it will do, and how it will do it. They discussed the first major fight which will have VADA testing, the rematch between the two former welterweight boxing champions, Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto, scheduled for February 11, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada. They also reiterated why the substances which are banned pose major health risks. And they also commented on the attitude towards VADA from many athletes, the media, and various promoters, and much, much more.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Antonio Graceffo, the Brooklyn Monk, on Martial Arts and MMA in Asia

2011-12-22T02:50:00.004-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with the "Brooklyn Monk ", Antonio Graceffo.

Born in Brooklyn, raised in Tennessee, and living for many years in Asia, Antonio Graceffo has written books, hosted the "Martial Arts Odyssey" web TV show, studied traditional martial arts and boxing, and more recently has fought in mixed martial arts events in Asia, even though he is now 44 years old. He is also now adding wrestling to his repertoire of martial arts.

We spoke with Antonio while he was visiting New York last week. He has been bringing to the rest of the world information on Bokator, a traditional martial art from Cambodia, which is similar to muay Thai. We spoke about how he ended up living in Asia, the martial arts and its culture in Asia, and how that differs from the culture of Western MMA. He explained which styles and techniques are practiced in which countries and regions of Asia, and where some styles like wrestling are not. He discussed MMA in Asia, and especially Malaysia, as well as the emergence of the ONE Fighting Championship and its network, and much, much more.

Antonio Graceffo is a fascinating and unique individual, and we hope this lengthy interview is just the start of many discussions with him on No Holds Barred.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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No Holds Barred: John Perretti on Concussions and the Future of Violent Sports

2011-12-20T17:55:00.001-05:00

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.

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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Randy Couture on College, Catch, and Greco-Roman Wrestling

2011-12-18T17:06:00.001-05:00

(Photo by Paula Romero)

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Randy "The Natural" Couture.

Randy has just put out a new book, along with photographer Sara Levin, called "The Last Round". The book chronicles the final fight in his career, and includes numerous observations on his many years of competition in both wrestling and MMA.

In the book, despite indicating that he will likely devote a large part of his time to working in a new position in MMA, he wrote, "I will always be a wrestler."

So when we spoke with Randy right after the news conference for the MMA World Expo on Friday in New York, we focused on the implications of that statement. As a four-time U.S national champion in Greco-Roman wrestling and a two-time runner-up in the NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championships, he still wants to help the sport which laid the basis for his success in mixed martial arts.

We thus discussed some of the problems facing college wrestling, the recent revival of catch wrestling including the holding of catch tournaments at his Xtreme Couture training facility in Las Vegas, the recent rule changes in Greco-Roman wrestling, and much more.

In addition, that news conference at which Randy Couture spoke included discussion about why MMA is still illegal in New York and other issues. We begin this show by commenting upon these issues.

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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Alvin Aguilar of URCC

2011-12-15T22:27:00.001-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Alvin Aguilar, the founder and president of the URCC.

Founded in 2002 and running events regularly since then, the URCC (Universal Reality Combat Championship) is the first and largest mixed martial arts promotion in the Philippines. The URCC is thus one of the longest-running MMA promotions in the world. The URCC has also formed a mutually exclusive partnership with the ONE Fighting Championship, and is a key part of the ONE Asia Partnership Network.

We spoke with Alvin Aguilar by Skype on Tuesday about the development and growth of the URCC. We discussed the history of the URCC, how it is regulated by the government of the Philippines through the Games and Amusement Board, why the URCC is working so closely with ONE FC and other mixed martial arts organizations throughout Asia, who some of their top fighters are, their plans to run an event in the U.S. in 2012, their busy schedule of events in the Philippines, the effects of the UFC coming to the Philippines, 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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com

No Holds Barred: Andre Ward, Carl Froch, and Boxing Governance

2011-12-15T10:14:00.001-05:00

Photo by: Tom Casino / Showtime

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Super Six World Boxing Classic finalists Andre Ward and Carl Froch, and discusses why the bad governance in boxing made this super middleweight tournament necessary.

On Saturday, December 17, WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward (24-0, 13 KOs) will face WBC super middleweight champion Carl Froch (28-1, 20 KOs) in the finals of the two-year-long Super Six World Boxing Classic. This fight will take place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and will be televised live in the U.S. on Showtime and in the U.K. on Sky Sports. The winner will earn the right to be called the best super middleweight in the world.

We spoke with both Andre Ward and Carl Froch at the kickoff news conference in August for this fight, which had originally been scheduled for October 29 but had to be postponed after Ward suffered a cut during training. We discussed what to expect in this fight, as well as the need for a boxers' union. We also previewed this fight with New York TV host Kristal Hart, whose show airs on Manhattan Neighborhood Network.

In addition, we open with a commentary on why it took an American television network, Showtime, to organize a tournament of the top fighters in the world in this division, when legitimate sports regularly have competitions pitting the best against the best.

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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com

No Holds Barred: Renzo Gracie, Nevada Commission-Overeem Drug Test Mess

2011-12-13T00:27:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, grappling, and MMA legend Renzo Gracie.

On Saturday, December 17, Renzo will be hosting the Renzo Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 2011 Open tournament at the MMA World Expo in New York. We spoke with Renzo on Friday at his New York academy about this tournament, the tremendous growth of his academy, his recent trip to Abu Dhabi to help plan the expansion of ADCC grappling events around the world, the emergence of the ONE Fighting Championship as the largest MMA promotion in Asia, and more.

We open by discussing the latest fiasco involving the political appointees of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. They held a public hearing on Monday, December 12, which included discussion of their so-called "random" drug testing, where athletes are given prior notice, and the licensing situation of Alistair Overeem. While training in his home country of the Netherlands, Overeem could not complete the tests the Nevada commission wanted in the time frame they wanted. The Nevada commission does not directly work with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), has far weaker standards than WADA, never contacted their Dutch affiliate of the Anti-Doping Authority Netherlands, and did not even seem to know who conducts such drug testing in that country. Instead, they tried to put the onus of the results of their refusal to be a part of the world anti-doping movement and to follow the international protocols of WADA on the fighter Overeem and his assistants. They did issue a conditional license to Overeem and ordered him to take some of their "random" tests, but appeared either clueless or uninterested in solving a problem which has long been addressed in international sport by responsible authorities.

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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Billy Robinson and Jake Shannon on Catch Wrestling

2011-12-11T13:41:00.003-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with catch wrestling legend Billy Robinson and Jake Shannon of ScientificWrestling.com.

Although he is in his seventies, Billy Robinson is still traveling the world to conduct seminars to pass on the art and science of catch wrestling, as he learned it in places like the legendary Riley's Gym in Wigan, England. Jake Shannon is also a key part of this movement to revive catch wrestling, organizing seminars and training sessions as well as writing books and using the Internet to promote the revival of this sport.

We spoke at length with both Billy Robinson and Jake Shannon by phone on Friday about the past, present, and future of catch wrestling. We discussed what catch wrestling is, some of the problems in the rules of other styles of wrestling, how the old rules of catch wrestling included winning by pin or submission but often varied greatly and were sometimes even negotiated before a match, the Wigan theory "to learn how to learn wrestling", how catch wrestling teaches you how to learn and to open your mind, why catch wrestling today needs a "united marketing front" like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu had in mixed martial arts, the influence of catch wrestling in mixed martial arts, how numerous wrestlers and fighters for years have been training in catch wrestling, and much, 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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Jens Sejer Andersen of Play the Game on Corruption and the Culture of Silence in Sport

2011-12-10T11:25:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Jens Sejer Andersen, the international director of Play the Game.

Based in Denmark, Play the Game is an international conference and communication initiative aiming to strengthen the ethical foundation of sport and promote democracy, transparency, and freedom of expression in sport.

We spoke with Jens Sejer Andersen on Friday via Skype about some of the latest developments in the battle against corruption in sport. He explained how a "culture of silence" towards the many facets of corruption characterizes sport worldwide. We discussed the latest scandals involving members of the international football federation FIFA, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the now-defunct marketing agency ISL, which was accused of paying millions of dollars in bribes to top sports officials around the world. In October, the Play the Game conference called on the IOC to lead the struggle against corruption in sport. However, by failing to act and speak decisively on the ISL scandal, Jens Andersen now argued that the IOC "has disqualified itself" from a leadership role in this struggle. We discussed how what happens in world football, the most popular sport in the world, affects world sport as a whole, including the combat sports. And we examined some ideas about what those of us who stand against corruption in sport must do.

In the combat sports, recent attention has been given to a series of "jokes" made about rape by UFC fighters Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, and Miguel Torres. We comment on the implications of that, and read a statement about this issue by journalist, writer, activist, and sexual abuse survivor Emmily Bristol.

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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Steve Koepfer and Kris Iatskevich on North American Throwdown, Freestyle Sambo and Catch Wrestling Event Feb. 25

2011-12-08T19:36:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Steve Koepfer of the American Sambo Association (ASA) and Kris Iatskevich of the International Submission Wrestling Alliance (ISWA) about the North American Throwdown.

The North American Throwdown will be held Saturday, February 25, 2012, in Joliette, Quebec, Canada, near Montreal. It will feature both the ASA's Eighth Annual North American Freestyle Sambo Championships and the ISWA's Catch Wrestling Open tournament, also known as the Carpentier Open. Grapplers from all styles and affiliations are encouraged to compete.

We spoke with Steve Koepfer and Kris Iatskevich by phone Thursday about this historic event. We discussed the shared history of sambo and catch wrestling, the rules of each of these tournaments, why this is such an important step forward for both styles of grappling, and much, 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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Amir Khan, Lamont Peterson, Seth Mitchell, Timur Ibragimov

2011-12-06T06:05:00.003-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman previews the Amir Khan-Lamont Peterson 140-pound title fight and the Seth Mitchell-Timur Ibragimov heavyweight fight. These bouts will take place Saturday, December 10, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., and will be telecast live in the U.S. on HBO, with the Khan-Peterson fight also being shown live on Sky Sports in the U.K.

Khan (26-1, 18 KOs), from Bolton, Lancashire, U.K., will be defending two major titles against Peterson (29-1-1, 15 KOs), who is fighting in his hometown. Mitchell (23-0-1, 17 KOs) will have the highest profile fight of his career against Ibragimov (30-3-1, 16 KOs).

We spoke with Amir Khan, Lamont Peterson, Peterson's trainer Barry Hunter, Seth Mitchell, and Timur Ibragimov on recent media conference calls. They each revealed their mindsets and told us what to expect in these fights.

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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Boxing and Bacon

2011-12-04T06:53:00.002-05:00

(cartoon from revista-amauta.org)

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the similarities and differences between boxing and bacon (hint: both involve pigs and are bad for you, but at least bacon smells and tastes good), in light of the major fights of Saturday, December 3.

Analyzed are the breakout performance by WBA bantamweight champion Anselmo Moreno, who earned a lopsided unanimous decision over Vic Darchinyan, and IBF bantamweight champion Abner Mares, who decisioned Joseph King Kong Agbeko in their rematch, this time without much controversy. But also discussed are the disputed decision win by heavyweight Robert Helenius over Dereck Chisora, and the disgraceful farce at Madison Square Garden in New York, where Miguel Cotto won by a tenth-round TKO over a fighter who should not have been licensed by the New York State Athletic Commission, Antonio Margarito. The reasons why this was a disgraceful farce are explained on this show, and remedies to this disgrace are proposed.

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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Jeff Monson

2011-12-02T19:21:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again speaks with American Top Team mixed martial arts fighter and two-time ADCC world champion Jeff Monson.

On Sunday, November 20, Jeff Monson fought MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko in the main event of an M-1 Global mixed martial arts card at the Olympic Arena in Moscow, Russia. Fedor dominated the fight, winning a three-round unanimous decision. Afterwards, Jeff required some medical attention, especially from injuries caused by the numerous kicks and punches landed by Fedor.

We spoke with Jeff Monson by phone Wednesday night about what really happened on this trip to Russia. He said that despite the loss in the fight, he was treated "great", including by Fedor, who actually apologized to him after the fight, although he had done nothing outside the rules. We discussed his recovery from these injuries, what happened in the fight, why there was almost no action on the ground, the enormous support he received from the Russian fans, his desire to return to fight in M-1 Global, how he wants to move down to light heavyweight, his busy schedule of fighting and seminars, his desire to be more involved with catch wrestling, 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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Victor Cui of ONE Fighting Championship

2011-11-30T17:32:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Victor Cui, the CEO and owner of the ONE Fighting Championship.

Based in Singapore, ONE FC ran their first mixed martial arts card on September 3, 2011. They have led the establishment of the ONE Asia Partnership Network, which is a mutually exclusive partnership of mixed martial arts organizations and gyms across Asia and the Pacific which will co-promote events and share fighters. So far, ONE FC has partnered with Dream in Japan, URCC in the Philippines, Cage Fighting Championship in Australia, ROAD Fighting Championship in Korea, DARE Fightsports in Thailand, Team Lakay Wushu in the Philippines, Tiger Muay Thai and MMA in Thailand, Tigers Gym in India, Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Singapore, Legacy Gym in Thailand, Tough MMA in Taiwan, Synergy Jiu-Jitsu in Indonesia, Juggernaut FC in Singapore, Fightworks Asia in Singapore, PAK MMA in Pakistan, Team Force in Korea, MuayFit in Malaysia, and Leverage MMA in Malaysia.

With numerous other partnerships and television deals in the works, ONE FC has already announced three events for 2012: February 11, 2012, in Jakarta, Indonesia, at the Kelapa Gading Sports Mall; March 31, 2012, in Singapore, Singapore, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium; and April 27, 2012, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Stadium Negara.

Clearly, ONE FC has emerged as the largest mixed martial arts event in Asia.

We spoke by Skype with Victor Cui on Wednesday about the development of ONE FC and their plans. He explained that "the way to exponentially grow, and quickly, a sport is cooperatively." While he obviously is building his own MMA organization and this network, he stressed that MMA organizations should "work together." He said, "The goal here is the greater good."

Our lengthy discussion included topics such as their plans for televising their events throughout Asia, the issues of governance of MMA and fighter safety, the importance of the martial arts traditions in Asia and seeing MMA as part of that, the potential for Asia to become a mixed martial arts capital of the world, boxing and MMA, their attitude to other organizations such as M-1 Global and UFC, and much more.

We also open with a commentary on the widespread analysis of people like Professor Kishore Mahbubani of Singapore that we are now in the "Asian Century", and the future of the combat sports.

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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Mares-Agbeko 2 and Moreno-Darchinyan Previews

2011-11-29T16:40:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman previews the highly-anticipated rematch between IBF bantamweight champion Abner Mares and the former two-time IBF bantamweight champion Joseph King Kong Agbeko, and the fight between WBA bantamweight super champion Anselmo Moreno and former two-division world champion Vic Darchinyan.

These two fights take place Saturday, December 3, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, and will be telecast live in the U.S. on Showtime.

The first fight between Mares (22-0-1, 13 KOs), who was a Mexican Olympian in 2004 and now lives in California, and Agbeko (28-3, 22 KOs), from Accra, Ghana, and now fighting out of the Bronx, New York, was held August 13, 2011, in Las Vegas. While it was officially ruled a majority decision win for Mares, it was marred by a major controversy since Mares landed numerous low blows but was not penalized by referee Russell Mora. Mares even dropped Agbeko with a clear-cut shot to the groin in the 11th round, but the referee ruled it a legal knockdown. This fight was the final bout in the Showtime bantamweight tournament, but since it generated so much heated controversy, an immediate rematch was scheduled.

Although Moreno (31-1-1, 11 KOs), from Panama City, Panama, holds a WBA bantamweight belt and is highly regarded as a skillful boxer, most of his fights have been in his home country, and he has never before fought in the U.S. The slugger Darchinyan (37-3-1, 27 KOs), originally from Armenia and now fighting out of Sydney, Australia, is coming off two straight wins after losing a split decision to Mares in the opening round of the Showtime bantamweight tournament.

With Nonito Donaire moving up to super bantamweight, the winners of these fights will stake a claim to being the best bantamweight boxer in the world.

We spoke with Abner Mares, Anselmo Moreno, and Vic Darchinyan on a recent media conference call (Agbeko was also scheduled for that call but never made it on). We got their views on what to expect in their fights. We also heard Abner Mares candidly discuss the controversy in his first fight with Joseph Agbeko, and what he would have done differently if the referee had taken points away from him for low blows.

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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Vadim Finkelchtein of M-1 Global

2011-11-27T12:46:00.002-05:00

(Photo by Keisha Morrisey.)

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Vadim Finkelchtein, the president and co-founder of M-1 Global.

In an interview conducted Saturday by Skype with Vadim Finkelchtein, we discussed the M-1 Global mixed martial arts card held Sunday, November 20, at the Olympic Arena in Moscow, Russia. In the main event, the legendary Fedor Emelianenko stopped a three-fight losing streak by dominating two-time ADCC champion Jeff Monson to take a three-round unanimous decision. Besides the 22,000 fans in attendance, Vadim said there were seven and one-half million people watching this fight on television in Russia alone, with numbers for the rest of Europe and North America still to come.

We discussed the importance of this event, how Fedor used a much more patient and deliberate strategy than he had in his last unsuccessful fights, what this victory means for Fedor's career, plans for a potential fight for Fedor in Dream in Japan on their traditional New Year's Eve card, the proposal to have Fedor fight former UFC heavyweight titleholder Cain Velasquez, whether or not Fedor would ever fight in UFC, 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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Catch Wrestling-Sambo Tournament on February 25, Margarito License Disgrace, and More

2011-11-25T18:21:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the North American Throwdown, a joint tournament combining the American Sambo Association's 8th Annual North American Freestyle Sambo Championships and the International Submission Wrestling Alliance ISWA Catch Wrestling Open tournament. This will take place Saturday, February 25, 2012, at the Joliette Sport Center near Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Details will be announced soon, and we will be previewing this as well.

The world of catch wrestling also got another boost on Thursday, as it was announced that veteran trainer Roy Wood of The Snake Pit in Wigan in the U.K. had won the BBC North West Unsung Sport Hero award.

We also discuss some of the implications of the dominant performance last Sunday, November 20, by Fedor Emelianenko over Jeff Monson. After three consecutive losses, Fedor won a unanimous three-round decision over the two-time ADCC world champion Monson headlining an M-1 mixed martial arts card in Moscow, Russia.

The disgrace of the week in boxing goes to those who approved Antonio Margarito for a license to fight Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden on December 3 on an HBO pay-per-view. Margarito had undergone cataract surgery, where his own damaged lens in his right eye was replaced by an artificial lens. While there was no actual rule prohibiting fighters who have had this eye surgery from fighting, in the past the Association of Boxing Commissions had felt that lens implants were not conducive to boxing. So the New York State Athletic Commission, Madison Square Garden, HBO, and his promoters Top Rank, have successfully thrown this safety precaution out the window, just so they can rake in more bloody cash. And their shills in the boxing media have applauded this.

In addition, we preview the panel discussions on legalizing MMA in New York which will be held at the MMA World Expo on December 17 and 18 in New York.

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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Olympic Doping Ban Dispute, David Howman Teleconference, Combat Sports and Doping

2011-11-22T13:49:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents the teleconference recorded Monday, November 21, of David Howman, the director general of WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency), discusses the current dispute over doping bans between WADA and the British Olympic Association (BOA), and comments on the weak anti-doping measures in the combat sports.

WADA held the teleconference to discuss with the international media their Executive Committee and Foundation Board meetings, which were held in Montreal on November 19 and 20. At these, WADA decided that they would impose a budget freeze for 2012 because of the continuing bad economic conditions. They also ruled that the BOA was "non-compliant" with the WADA code because the BOA is trying to impose a lifetime ban on any athlete who was suspended for six months or more for drug offenses. There is no doubt this dispute will end up in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

On the teleconference, David Howman also explained that discussions between organizations running mixed martial arts and boxing in the U.S., and USADA, the American arm of WADA, have "not been very successful to date", although he hopes that public pressure will play a role on the issue of anti-doping policy.

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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: New MMA History Film by Bobby Razak, Battle Against Doping Intensifies

2011-11-20T15:30:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with filmmaker Bobby Razak about his new documentary on the history of mixed martial arts, which had its first screening on Friday. Still untitled, this worthwhile and interesting film includes rare footage from the 1990s as well as numerous new interviews.

We also comment on some of the latest developments in the battle against doping, including the news that Major League Baseball will begin blood testing for human growth hormone, and the view by World Anti-Doping Agency Director General David Howman that "We are catching the dopey dopers, but not the sophisticated ones."

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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: ADCC and NAGA, MMA and New York, Mayweather and Pacquiao, and More

2011-11-17T10:50:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses a number of new developments and issues in the combat sports, including the co-operation between ADCC and NAGA (North American Grappling Association), the Twitter voting for what fights should be added to the Bellator 58 telecast on November 19, the UFC lawsuit against the ban on MMA in New York, the fallout from the Marquez-Pacquiao 3 fight, the dimming prospects for a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, Bob Arum vs. WBC, the problems of the disgraced Antonio Margarito in getting licensed in New York, Fedor vs. Jeff Monson in Moscow on Sunday, catch wrestling seminar in Cardiff on Sunday, the new MMA forums, how corruption should be fought in the combat sports, 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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Jessica Aguilar and Women in Combat Sports

2011-11-15T04:57:00.003-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with American Top Team and Bellator Fighting Championships mixed martial artist Jessica Aguilar.

She will be fighting Lisa Ellis this Saturday, November 19, at Bellator 58 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

We spoke Sunday afternoon by phone with Jessica Aguilar about this fight, which is a rematch from her first professional MMA fight in 2006, which she lost by submission after taking it with almost no MMA training. We discussed the state of women's mixed martial arts, her plans to compete for a title in Bellator, and much more.

We open by recalling some of the history of women in combat sports, including the training of women in Sparta in ancient Greece for wrestling and pankration, the forerunner of modern mixed martial arts. We note the legal and political battles many women had to wage in the U.S. in the 1970s and beyond to be allowed to compete in boxing and wrestling. As of 2012, women will be competing in all four of the combat sports in the Olympic Games: boxing, wrestling, judo, and taekwondo. But we also note that, despite the growth of women's participation around the world in numerous combat sports, HBO still has never aired women's boxing, the government of Iran still does not have women's wrestling, and UFC still has no women's fights.

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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City, featuring the Renzo Gracie Gi Open 2011 tournament, a signing of his new book by MMA legend Randy Couture, grappling and muay Thai action, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, and much more. The third annual MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, December 17, and Sunday, December 18, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.

No Holds Barred: Was Orwell Right About Sport? A Combat Sports Weekend Review

2011-11-13T06:56:00.002-05:00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the view held by George Orwell that "sport is an unfailing cause of ill-will" in light of the events in the combat sports on Saturday, November 12. Orwell wrote this in his 1945 essay entitled "The Sporting Spirit".

First up is a discussion of some of the positives in the combat sports, including the world sambo championships in Vilnius, Lithuania, and the freestyle and catch wrestling events in Wigan, England, and Summerville, South Carolina, in the U.S. Next is an analysis of the horrifying child rape scandal at Penn State University, including a coverup by school administrators and those running the football program, and how it may affect college wrestling. There was also a rally held Saturday in Las Vegas protesting "a string of incidents involving violent, misogynistic and homophobic language" in MMA, including the infamous tweet by UFC fighter Forrest Griffin that "Rape is the new missionary". The protest also called for the establishment of a code of conduct for MMA.

Next discussed are the fights themselves. Bellator had two tournament finals, won by Alexander Shlemenko at middleweight and Douglas Lima at welterweight. A 64-second fight was the only one on the UFC debut card on Fox, as Junior dos Santos knocked out Cain Velasquez to take their heavyweight title. The tactics of that brief encounter are discussed.

The most discussed fight of the night was the third meeting between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez. Pacquiao was awarded a highly-controversial majority decision in this one, which many observers believed was a robbery. Again, while boxing had a chance to make a good impression after the 64-second UFC blowout, many people left feeling cheated by the judges and ripped off by those running the sport.

So was Orwell right? That question was answered 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.

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", by Ian Carpenter.

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

MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City, featuring the Renzo Gracie Gi Open 2011 tournament, a signing of his new book by MMA legend Randy Couture, grappling and muay Thai action, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, and much more. The third annual MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, December 17, and Sunday, December 18, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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/.

The American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.