Sunday, August 22, 2021
No Holds Barred: Antonio Graceffo on Mongolian Wrestling
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the writer, author, professor, and wrestler, Antonio Graceffo.
We spoke with him by phone Saturday, August 21.
Antonio Graceffo was born in Brooklyn, raised in Tennessee, and has been living for many years in Asia -- hence his moniker, the "Brooklyn Monk". He is currently located in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, where he teaches, writes, and wrestles.
In Mongolia, wrestling is a major sport in which many boys train and compete from a young age. The main style of Mongolian wrestling is known as Bokh. It is one of the main sports at the annual Nadaam festival. Since the 13th century and the days of Genghis Khan, the Nadaam festival has featured wrestling, archery, and horse racing. Although the coronavirus pandemic forced the festival to be cancelled this year, it is normally held each year in mid-July.
"The first official Nadaam was inaugurated by Genghis Khan himself," said Antonio Graceffo. "Each year when they celebrate Nadaam, it is not only the first anniversary of the first Nadaam, but it's also the anniversary of the foundation of the Mongolian empire."
While the main festivities are held in Ulaanbaatar, there are many local Nadaam festivals.
"Simultaneously, there are Nadaams happening in every province and every district of the country," he said.
"So arguably, Nadaam is the largest wrestling competition in the world, if we were to take all the Nadaams together across the whole country of Mongolia."
We discussed the long history of Mongolian wrestling, the rules of Bokh, why many Mongolians like Asashoryu and Hakuho have dominated Japanese sumo for many years, how urbanization and globalization are affecting Bokh with its rural roots, the growing challenges faced by Mongolian and many other indigenous styles of wrestling in today's sports and media environment, and much, much more. (Photo courtesy of Antonio Graceffo.)
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Labels: Antonio Graceffo, Bokh, China, Eddie Goldman, Mongolia, Mongolian Wrestling, Nadaam, No Holds Barred, sumo, wrestling
Saturday, July 25, 2015
No Holds Barred: Antonio Graceffo on Grappling, BJJ, Catch Wrestling, and MMA in Asia
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the writer, web show host, MMA fighter, and wrestler, Antonio Graceffo.
Now in the final year of his studies at the Shanghai University of Sport in Shanghai, China, where he will complete his Ph.D. next year, he also is a teacher and a member of the traditional wrestling (Shuai Jiao) team there.
Born in Brooklyn, known as the "Brooklyn Monk", and raised in Tennessee, we spoke with him Friday in New York while he was in town.
Among the many things on this trip he has done are training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Matt Serra's gym in Long Island, training in judo in Long Island, and training in submission wrestling with Sambo Steve Koepfer at New York Combat Sambo. He commented that, based on what he has seen, both in the U.S. and in Asia, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighters are much better at newaza or ground fighting than judo athletes.
In Asia, he said, most traditional forms of wrestling emphasize throws from the standing position and have little or no ground fighting.
"All these wrestling forms are dying," he said.
However, "There's been a resurgence in interest even in the traditional forms because of MMA." With more athletes in the lighter weight classes than in the West, many of them have been training in local wrestling clubs to improve their ground skills so they could achieve success in MMA.
We also discussed how most of the grappling tournaments in Asia are dominated by people from BJJ, how catch wrestling is not well developed there, how there are some tournaments which are called catch wrestling but do not have pins, his plans to continue teaching and of course training after he gets his Ph.D., the catch wrestling and self-defense training he saw in Singapore at the Kapap Academy, and much more.
Also, as a follow-up to our previous show, we received the following addition to the comments made in our interview with Larry Hazzard, Sr., the commissioner of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board:
"For clarification, I am completely in favor of the Muhammad Ali Act, but I do not believe that Al Haymon has violated the act. I also respect other promoters' rights to pursue their redress, but I believe that the boxers are benefitting from the PBC and I think that Al Haymon took a very smart approach to reviving the sport. Also, the ABC leadership never discussed this issue with its commission membership before issuing the letter to the U.S. Attorney General."
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Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.
Labels: Antonio Graceffo, Asia, BJJ, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, catch wrestling, China, Eddie Goldman, grappling, MMA, No Holds Barred, Shuai Jiao
Sunday, July 13, 2014
No Holds Barred: Sambo Steve Koepfer and Antonio Graceffo on Catch Wrestling
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Steve Koepfer, the owner and head coach of New York Combat Sambo, and the "Brooklyn Monk", Antonio Graceffo.
Right after we recorded an interview on Thursday with Antonio Graceffo for our previous show, we headed over to New York Combat Sambo, where Antonio proceeded to join a class in catch wrestling, headed by Steve Koepfer. Although Steve Koepfer is best known for his work in sambo, New York Combat Sambo also offers regular training in catch wrestling, as well as other styles. Several of his students are expected to be competing at upcoming events, including the 2014 Catch Wrestling World Championship presented by the Snake Pit U.S.A., on Sunday, July 27, at the MMA World Expo at the Jacob Javits Center in New York, and at the Liberty Bell Classic / East Coast King of Catch Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, August 30, at Primal Gym in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, presented by the North American Catch Wrestling Association.
We spoke with both Steve Koepfer and Antonio Graceffo at New York Combat Sambo right after this catch wrestling class.
About four years ago, Steve Koepfer said that he did a joint seminar in Montreal with Kris Iatskevich, head coach at the ISWA (International Submission Wrestling Alliance). Steve was teaching sambo, and Kris catch wrestling.
"We realized that a lot of what he was teaching and a lot of what I was teaching was similar, and that a lot of the principles between sambo and catch were very similar regarding pins and submissions and takedowns. Obviously in sambo we wear the jacket and in catch there is no jacket. But we found there were more similarities than differences. And then we started training here at the gym with catch rules, which we found much more acceptable for all the techniques that we like to do that are not typically allowed in jiu-jitsu tournaments, for example."
That led them to organizing several joint sambo and catch wrestling tournaments together, with some of them having "upwards of 70 or 80 competitors, especially the ones down in Texas."
For Antonio, this was his first catch wrestling class, and also the first time he has done any wrestling in the United States. He is in the process of completing his Ph.D. at Shanghai University of Sport in Shanghai, China, comparing Chinese traditional wrestling with Western wrestling, and is also a member of the Shuai Jiao traditional wrestling team there. He also trained earlier in the week with a judo class in Long Island, New York, and commented, "In terms of the level, I saw that the level of the catch wrestler was a lot higher than the level of the sport judo guys I trained with this week."
We discussed with both Steve Koepfer and Antonio Graceffo their training together, the future of catch wrestling, what lessons can be learned for catch wrestling from the political battles in other sports like sambo, the various upcoming tournaments in catch wrestling, 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.
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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: Antonio Graceffo, Brooklyn Monk, catch, China, Chinese, Eddie Goldman, grappling, New York Combat Sambo, No Holds Barred, Shanghai University Sport, Shuai Jiao, Steve Koepfer, wrestling
Friday, July 11, 2014
No Holds Barred: Antonio Graceffo, the Brooklyn Monk, on Wrestling and China
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the writer, web show host, MMA fighter, and wrestler, Antonio Graceffo.
Born in Brooklyn, known as the "Brooklyn Monk", and raised in Tennessee, he is in the process of completing his Ph.D. at Shanghai University of Sport in Shanghai, China, and is a member of the traditional wrestling (Shuai Jiao) team there.
We spoke with him Thursday in New York while he was in town.
"My Ph.D. thesis topic is comparing Chinese traditional wrestling with Western wrestling," he said. "My professors want me to write about history, culture, rules, competition, techniques, training, all different aspects. And they sort of expanded that and they wanted me to write a lot about Greece and Rome for some reason, but that led me to writing now about Pankration: ancient Greek wrestling, and then Pankration, and then Pankration into the Roman era, which becomes like the gladiators. So actually it becomes very interesting, a lot of fun for me to write it."
He continued, "But then it also means it's expanded, the types of things that I need to go do in addition to my reading, that I need to go experience, catch wrestling for example. And they also want me to write about pro wrestling. And of course as soon as you include pro wrestling as sort of a modern evolution of wrestling, if you want to call it that, and in a way, the modern pro wrestling is the gladiatorial games of the Romans."
Thus, on this trip back to New York, he sampled training in several different styles. He attended a training session in catch wrestling with Sambo Steve Koepfer at New York Combat Sambo, as well as one in judo at Long Island Judo with Sensei Gary Rasanen, and even met with a group which performs the staged pro wrestling.
We also discussed the status of wrestling and grappling in China, how there is not now a large feeder system there on the amateur and youth levels of wrestling, how children in regular schools do not play sports, why it would be difficult for catch wrestling to succeed in China at present, his future plans, 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:
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: Antonio Graceffo, Brooklyn Monk, catch, China, Chinese, Eddie Goldman, grappling, No Holds Barred, Shanghai University Sport, Shuai Jiao, wrestling
Friday, December 27, 2013
No Holds Barred: Antonio Graceffo on Wrestling in China
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the writer, web show host, MMA fighter, and wrestler, Antonio Graceffo.
Born in Brooklyn, known as the "Brooklyn Monk", and raised in Tennessee, he has been living, training, and competing in several different countries in Asia for many years. Now 46 years old, he has gone back to school, this time in Shanghai, China, to complete his Ph.D. We spoke with him Thursday at Foley's Bar and Restaurant in New York, while he was in town visiting with family members for the holidays.
"I started doing a Ph.D. at Shanghai University of Sport, and I'm on the traditional wrestling team there," he said, referring to competing in the Chinese traditional style of wrestling known as Shuai Jiao, where the wrestlers wear jackets. "And I decided that I was going to take one year away from MMA fighting, just concentrate on improving my wrestling skills."
Discussing his studies, he said, "For my Ph.D., I'm writing a dissertation on comparative forms of wrestling. So within China, there's a number of traditional and ethnic forms of wrestling, and I'm also along the way writing scholarly articles for comparing wrestling with other sports, including MMA, sambo, judo, and so forth."
While sports, including combat sports, have been booming in recent years in China, wrestlers from that country still often do not achieve much success on the international level. In addition, there are relatively few people in China training and competing in wrestling.
"I think the key for China to improve in wrestling would be if they would promote the traditional wrestling more within China," he advised. Right now wrestling is mainly done in clubs, often involving people who work or go to school full-time.
"Culturally, they could promote traditional wrestling to the Chinese people as a Chinese sport. From that pool of traditional wrestlers, they could probably begin to draw people and then train them in freestyle and Greco-Roman."
He continued, "The strength and the weakness of Chinese sports in general is the system of sports schools, that they only have people at sports schools playing sports, and that kids in regular schools don't play sports."
We also discussed his training and experiences at the Shaolin Temple, how prevailing attitudes have changed over the years in China to martial arts and combat sports, how the standup fighting style of Sanda is still very influential in China, the prospects for Wushu as a sport, why the issues of concussions and brain injuries in combat sports have not become major areas of controversy in China, learning the Chinese language, what is called Chinese food in America, 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:
LenneHardt.com, the web site of the world's greatest ring announcer, Lenne Hardt. Need a unique and cool combat sports-related gift? At LenneHardt.com, you can order personalized messages, wedding calls, ringtones, phone answering messages, and more, all recorded by Lenne herself, in the style of your choice. For more information, go to LenneHardt.com.
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.
GrappleGnostic, sponsored by Defense Soap. Where the will to win meets the power of knowledge. Features, interviews, analysis, health tips, and information on wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and all the grappling arts, written by some of the best writers and experts in the world. Check out their web site, a http://defensesoap.com/grapplegnostic.
Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at http://defensesoap.com.
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: Antonio Graceffo, Brooklyn Monk, China, Chinese, Eddie Goldman, MMA, No Holds Barred, Shanghai University Sport, Shuai Jiao, wrestling
Thursday, December 22, 2011
No Holds Barred: Antonio Graceffo, the Brooklyn Monk, on Martial Arts and MMA in Asia
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.
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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.
Labels: Antonio Graceffo, Asia, Bokator, Brooklyn Monk, Eddie Goldman, martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred
