NO HOLDS BARRED

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Paul Paone and Vinh Hua of the MMA World Expo.

This year the Fifth Annual MMA World Expo will be held Saturday, July 26, and Sunday, July 27, and once again at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City, where it has been held every year since it began.

We spoke with Paul Paone and Vinh Hua at the world headquarters of the MMA World Expo in New York this past Friday.

"The absolute main attraction is going to be the Fighters Source Nationals," said Paul Paone. This amateur MMA national championship is "a culmination of their year-long series of tournaments that they've held throughout the U.S. And it's taking place Saturday, July 26th, from 6 to 9 PM. It basically wraps up our show that evening."

He added, "That is our main, main event, but we do have two other events that are taking place."

Vinh Hua next explained what will happen at these other live competitions.

"ADCC America will be holding a major tournament, their major New York East Coast tournament" in grappling, said Vinh Hua. "They'll be doing no-gi on Saturday and they'll be doing gi on Sunday. Registration is open, so if listeners who are competitors are out there, they should sign up."

In addition, "Snake Pit wrestling is doing a catch-as-catch-can tournament," he said, referring to the 2014 Catch Wrestling World Championship, presented by the Snake Pit U.S.A. This will take place Sunday, July 27, also at the MMA World Expo. Registration is still open for that tournament. Also, right before the catch wrestling tournament begins, there will be a free one-hour catch wrestling seminar, starting at 10:30 AM on July 27.

We discussed these live events, the plans for many fighters to make appearances, the numerous vendors and seminars at the MMA World Expo, why the Expo has been successful for so many years, 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:

MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City July 26 and 27, 2014, for the fifth annual MMA World Expo, featuring the Fighters Source U.S. Nationals amateur MMA tournament, two days of ADCC no-gi and gi grappling tournaments, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, catch wrestling competition, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, July 26, and Sunday, July 27, 2014, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.

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 2014 Catch Wrestling World Championship, presented by the Snake Pit U.S.A., taking place Sunday, July 27, at the MMA World Expo at the Jacob Javits Center in New York. You can only win by pin or submission. Best two out of three falls. All styles welcome. For more information or to register, go to snakepitusa.com.

The Catch Wrestling Alliance, a catch wrestling promotion that works with the highest level catch wrestlers from around the world with the goal of reviving the great sport of catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance organizes catch wrestling sporting events, and its primary organizer is Dr. Raul Ramirez. For more information, go to catchwrestlingalliance.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 http://takedownradio.com.

Labels: ADCC America, Amateur MMA, catch wrestling, Eddie Goldman, Fighters Source, grappling, MMA World Expo, New York, No Holds Barred, Paul Paone, Snake Pit USA, Vinh Hua

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Anthony Medina, the CEO and an owner of the amateur MMA league Fighters Source.

Fighters Source will be holding its U.S. Nationals Saturday, July 26, at the MMA World Expo at the Jacob Javits Center in New York. The Fighters Source U.S. Nationals will be recorded and televised at a later date.

We spoke with Anthony Medina Friday at the headquarters of the MMA World Expo in New York.

"Fighters Source is the first amateur MMA league in existence," he said. "What I mean by league is, a lot of promotions call themselves a league, but it's technically a promotion. What Fighters Source is, is an actual league. What I mean by that, we have incorporated other promotions to be a part of our league that own teams in certain cities and certain markets. What we do is match their best fighters from that promotion against other fighters from other promotions, so technically we are a true league.

"What you're going to see on the 26th of July at the Expo is a whole season of team fighting teams. The winners move on in a tournament-style bracket. And you're going to see the finalists fight it out for the U.S. team. Whoever makes that U.S. team flies to the U.K. on September 27th to fight Team U.K., who also had a tournament-style qualifier for their Team U.K."

We also discussed his views on amateur MMA, the differences between Fighters Source and the various bodies which call themselves international federations, the issue of fighter safety, the regulatory situation in New York where pro MMA is still banned but amateur MMA is legal and unregulated, 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:

MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City July 26 and 27, 2014, for the fifth annual MMA World Expo, featuring the Fighters Source U.S. Nationals amateur MMA tournament, two days of ADCC no-gi and gi grappling tournaments, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, catch wrestling competition, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, July 26, and Sunday, July 27, 2014, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.

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 2014 Catch Wrestling World Championship, presented by the Snake Pit U.S.A., taking place Sunday, July 27, at the MMA World Expo at the Jacob Javits Center in New York. You can only win by pin or submission. Best two out of three falls. All styles welcome. For more information or to register, go to snakepitusa.com.

The Catch Wrestling Alliance, a catch wrestling promotion that works with the highest level catch wrestlers from around the world with the goal of reviving the great sport of catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance organizes catch wrestling sporting events, and its primary organizer is Dr. Raul Ramirez. For more information, go to catchwrestlingalliance.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 http://takedownradio.com.

Labels: Amateur MMA, Anthony Medina, Eddie Goldman, Fighters Source, MMA World Expo, New York, No Holds Barred

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with wrestling and grappling coach and official, Clint Kingsbury.

After working since 2006 as the Domestic Development Manager for the Canadian Amateur Wrestling Association, also known as Wrestling Canada Lutte, and being based in Ontario, starting in July he will move to the Canadian province of New Brunswick to serve as the High Performance Coach at Lutte New Brunswick Wrestling.

He also has been a key figure in developing and officiating the grappling, Pankration, and amateur MMA programs for FILA, the international wrestling federation, and has been a FILA representative.

In recognition of all his work, Clint was awarded by FILA a Gold Star, its highest honor, at FILA's 2013 grappling, Pankration, and amateur MMA world championships in London, Ontario, Canada, two weeks ago.

But FILA has also announced that after this year's planned competitions, including at SportAccord's World Combat Games in October, they are shutting down their grappling and amateur MMA programs.

We spoke with Clint Kingsbury Wednesday by Skype about his plans and how he sees wrestling and grappling developing.

With FILA basically abandoning grappling and amateur MMA, especially just as these are rapidly expanding around the world, the people and countries who have been thus far been involved with FILA "don't want to just give up," he said in this interview.

"There is a band of countries that I believe that are going to stick together, and they're going to work as a cohesive group to try to create a new international federation that will hopefully carry on the grappling and the amateur MMA. Maybe separate, maybe together, I'm not quite sure."

He continued, "But definitely these countries are saddened that there is a potential loss of these styles, so I believe that there will be that unite, and they will come under one banner again and look forward for recognition with SportAccord and maybe the IOC one day."

We also discussed how the grappling, Pankration, and amateur MMA world championships went; his moving to New Brunswick; wrestling's battle to remain on the Olympic program; the present chaos in international wrestling with different countries using different rules; the growth of catch wrestling; 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:

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.

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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/.

Labels: Amateur MMA, Canada, Canadian Amateur Wrestling Association, Clint Kingsbury, Eddie Goldman, FILA, grappling, IOC, Lutte, No Holds Barred, Olympics, Pankration, SportAccord

Labels: Amateur MMA, Eddie Goldman, female, FILA, freestyle, grappling, Greco-Roman, media coordinator, No Holds Barred, Olympic, Pankration, wrestling

Labels: Amateur MMA, Clint Kingsbury, Eddie Goldman, FILA, grappling, Larry Papadopoulos, Laura Edler-Hill, No Holds Barred, Pankration, Rich Tado, World Championship