Monday, December 30, 2013
No Holds Barred: The Crisis in Wrestling and 2014
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses some of the main lessons of the tumultuous year of 2013 for wrestling, where it was almost banished from the Olympics, and examines what international, real professional, and catch wrestling must do in order to resolve the problems holding back the sport. The need for professional leadership, being media-savvy, running the various wrestling organizations like real sports, and battling corruption are among the topics stressed.
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: 2013, 2014, catch, corruption, crisis, Eddie Goldman, FILA, media, No Holds Barred, Olympics, real professional, wrestling
Thursday, December 12, 2013
No Holds Barred: Eddie Goldman, Dan McCool, and Scott Casber on Takedown Radio
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman was interviewed, along with veteran wrestling journalist and author Dan McCool, by Scott Casber, the host of Takedown Wrestling Radio.
This discussion took place on Takedown Wrestling Radio and was recorded right after Monday's media conference call of the Agon Wrestling Championships. That conference call previewed the Agon 2 show, scheduled for Sunday, December 22, in Flint, Michigan.
Our discussion focused not only on the development of the many real professional wrestling events like Agon, but also what changes are needed in general in wrestling to market, promote, and popularize the sport properly, and how many of the efforts in this regard so far have been inadequate at best.
Scott Casber wrote that this was "a fun, informative, and lively roundtable discussion." As is usual when the three of us talk, we told the brutal and beautiful truth.
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: Agon, Dan McCool, Eddie Goldman, FILA, Grapple at Garden, IOC, NCAA, No Holds Barred, Olympics, real professional, Scott Casber, Takedown Radio, Tour ACW, USA Wrestling
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
No Holds Barred: Mike Chapman on Corruption, Marketing, and Leadership in International Wrestling
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with wrestling and sports historian and author Mike Chapman.
Our main focus was the future of wrestling in light of the vote Sunday by the International Olympic Committee to retain wrestling for the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, but only as a provisional sport.
In our discussion, recorded Tuesday by phone, Mike Chapman noted that when the IOC members began questioning the representatives of FILA, the international wrestling federation, about their reinstatement, the very first question was about widespread allegations of corruption in the sport.
"The genie's out of the bottle," he said. "It's right up there for everybody to know about. And they simply have to deal with it. They can't look the other way, because it's going to haunt them and bring them down."
We also discussed some of the ongoing problems which nearly led to the demise of Olympic wrestling, including failures in marketing and media.
"The number one thing that I learned through all my business associations is: marketing, marketing, marketing," he said. "You can have the greatest movie, the greatest book, you can have the greatest sport, but if you're not marketing it, it doesn't really matter, because nobody's going to know what you're producing."
He added, "That's just the absolute key, and that's where wrestling has always, always, stumbled and fallen down."
There are a number of wrestling events outside the wrestling establishment which are being organized, including the Tour ACW on October 20 in Pittsburgh and the Agon Wrestling Championships on October 27 in Las Vegas, as well as numerous catch wrestling events.
In particular, the revived catch wrestling, once the style used a century ago when pro wrestling was still in part a real sport, is in its infancy but is seeking to reclaim its place as a major sport.
To revive catch wrestling, he said, "They have to have a plan, and it has to be well thought out." All that requires "a great deal of courage, it takes a great financial plan, and it takes marketing."
In addition, we also discussed the need for good leadership in wrestling, what else international and American wrestling need to do in the coming months after the IOC reinstatement, 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.
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/.
Labels: catch-as-catch-can, corruption, Eddie Goldman, FILA, IOC, leadership, marketing, Mike Chapman, NCAA, No Holds Barred, Olympics, pro, real, USA, wrestling
Sunday, September 08, 2013
No Holds Barred: FILA Pres. Nenad Lalovic Media Conference Call on Wrestling's Return to Olympics
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents the audio of the international media conference call of Sunday, September 8, featuring Nenad Lalovic, the president of FILA, the international wrestling federation.
At the 125th Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the full membership of the IOC voted to re-add wrestling to the Olympic Program for 2020 and 2024. Wrestling had been dropped as a core sport for those years at a meeting of the IOC Executive Board in February of this year, but then allowed to re-apply along with seven other sports. Three sports were shortlisted in May for the final vote, which was held September 8. Those were wrestling, squash, and the joint bid by baseball and softball. The final vote Sunday had wrestling securing a majority of voters on the first round, getting 49 votes, to 24 for baseball/softball and 22 for squash.
Following the announcement of the vote, Lalovic held an international media conference call, outlining his views on the changes FILA had made since the bombshell announcement of February. He also addressed the issue of corruption in wrestling, and other topics.
We also expect to have more analysis and discussion of these developments in the days and weeks to come.
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: corruption, Eddie Goldman, FILA, International Olympic Committee, IOC, Nenad Lalovic, No Holds Barred, Olympics, wrestling
Wednesday, September 04, 2013
No Holds Barred: "Godfather" Eddie Goldman of No Holds Barred Goes 1 on 1 with Takedown Radio
On this edition of No Holds Barred, the tables were once again turned, as host Eddie Goldman was interviewed by Scott Casber, host of Takedown Wrestling Radio.
This discussion, which was recorded Tuesday, covered the major controversies and the latest developments in the world of wrestling and grappling.
Here is the description of the show by Scott Casber:
"Godfather" Eddie Goldman of No Holds Barred Goes 1 on 1 with Takedown Radio
From head injuries, to pro-style and amateur wrestling, the IOC vote, and more, the "Godfather", Eddie Goldman of No Holds Barred, goes one-on-one with Takedown Wrestling's Scott Casber. This extensive interview is proof positive of Eddie's passion for the sport and his ability to get under the skin of major issues we face today.
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.
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/.
Labels: BJJ, brain injuries, concussion, CTE, Eddie Goldman, FILA, football, grappling, head trauma, IOC, lawsuit, NFL, No Holds Barred, Olympics, Scott Casber, Takedown Radio, wrestling
Thursday, June 27, 2013
No Holds Barred: Clint Kingsbury on the Next Steps for Grappling and Wrestling
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.
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/.
Labels: Amateur MMA, Canada, Canadian Amateur Wrestling Association, Clint Kingsbury, Eddie Goldman, FILA, grappling, IOC, Lutte, No Holds Barred, Olympics, Pankration, SportAccord
Saturday, June 15, 2013
No Holds Barred: Eddie Goldman Interviewed By Scott Casber On Takedown Wrestling Radio
This discussion, which was recorded Wednesday, covered the major controversies and the latest developments in the world of wrestling, including international and catch wrestling.
Here is the description of the show by Scott Casber:
Eddie Goldman Brings It in a Candid Interview with Takedown Wrestling Radio
No Holds Barred founder and host Eddie Goldman has covered it all: boxing, wrestling, MMA, etc. Today he opens up as only the Godfather of MMA will do. The Conscience of Wrestling tells it the way he sees it. You may be surprised at some of the things he says. Join Eddie and me for our new monthly conversation on the condition of wrestling!
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.
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/.
Labels: catch, Eddie Goldman, FILA, folkstyle, freestyle, Greco-Roman, IOC, Iowa, No Holds Barred, Olympics, Scott Casber, Takedown Radio, wrestling
Sunday, June 09, 2013
No Holds Barred: Rampage Signs With Bellator, International Wrestling Still A Mess
From the June 5 media conference call featuring Rampage and Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney, we play the questions asked by Eddie Goldman, about the need for a fighters' union or association, and about Rampage's controversial online videos.
Besides the many problems with the new wrestling rules and international wrestling, also discussed are the controversial process by which sports and federations are added and removed from the Olympic program, the growing criticisms of this process, and the need for a stronger battle against corruption in international sport.
We open with congratulations to our colleague Kristal Hart, whose TV show on Manhattan Neighborhood Network in New York, the Kristal Hart Show, was awarded first place in the Hometown Media Awards in the category of government activities. The Hometown Media Awards, sponsored by the Alliance for Community Media, were presented in San Francisco at their national awards honor show on May 30.
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.
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/.
Labels: Bellator, Bjorn Rebney, Eddie Goldman, FILA, IOC, Kristal Hart, MMA, No Holds Barred, Olympics, Quinton Rampage Jackson, rules, wrestling
Wednesday, June 05, 2013
No Holds Barred: Brandon Ruiz on Grappling, Catch Wrestling, and the Olympics
A 2011 FILA grappling world champion and the holder of numerous championships and medals in grappling, freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, his next grappling competition will be next week at the 2013 FILA world championships in London, Ontario, Canada, where he represents the USA in the +100 kg no-gi division. But it will also be his last grappling championship under the FILA banner.
The reason is that FILA has recently decided to drop grappling, as well as amateur MMA, after this year.
We spoke with Brandon Ruiz by phone about all this last Thursday.
"Anything that can help continue to grow and legitimize grappling I think is great for the sport," he said.
While the current leadership of FILA is abandoning grappling, he noted that there today are many opportunities for people to train and compete in grappling.
Speaking about the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) and ADCC, he said, "Those are probably the two biggest and the two most well-known among grappling circles. I've competed in all of those events, and I've done pretty well in all the ones that I've gone to."
He added, "That's the great part about grappling, is that you're not really beholden to any one group."
The issue of whether or not any of the various styles of grappling can ever become major spectator sports for a wide audience was discussed, and what would have to be done to achieve that.
"I think you're on to something with catch wrestling having the potential to be a great spectator sport," he said. He noted that catch wrestling laid the basis for the growth of American folkstyle wrestling in schools and colleges, and the growth of the catch wrestling circuit today.
And we discussed wrestling and grappling and the Olympics, training techniques, why he has liked participating in the FILA grappling events, and much more about these and related topics.
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.
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/.
Labels: Brandon Ruiz, catch, Eddie Goldman, FILA, grappling, MMA, No Holds Barred, Olympics, wrestling
Monday, June 03, 2013
No Holds Barred: What The Hell Just Happened With The IOC And Wrestling?
Discussed are the blunders and some of the backroom machinations which led to wrestling at first being dropped from the Olympics, as well as the real power struggle which resulted in it finishing first in the voting for the sports on this shortlist.
Essential to understanding this power struggle is grasping analysis of investigative reporter Jens Weinreich in his article Who rules world sport? Part 1: Vladimir Putin, Marius Vizer and Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah. (That article is in German, so use a service like Google Translate if needed.)
The influence of Putin and his allies on events that transpired in both the IOC and FILA, the international wrestling federation, is highlighted. Also discussed are why FILA dropped grappling and amateur MMA, the urgent need for a battle against corruption in wrestling, the election of Marius Vizer as president of SportAccord and his proposal for a united World Championship event for the many Olympic and non-Olympic sports which are part of SportAccord, 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:
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.
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/.
Labels: corruption, Eddie Goldman, FILA, grappling, International Olympic Committee, IOC, Jens Weinreich, Marius Vizer, MMA, No Holds Barred, Russia, shortlist, SportAccord, Vladimir Putin, wrestling
Thursday, March 14, 2013
No Holds Barred: On the Crisis in International Wrestling
The International Olympic Committee has come under fire recently for the recommendation by their Executive Board that wrestling be dropped from the Olympic program starting in 2020. While this is itself an absurd decision, much of the blame also rests with the clueless, incompetent, and intellectually deficient leadership in international wrestling, specifically in FILA, the international wrestling federation. Now there is a new leadership in FILA, comprised of many of the same people who drove wrestling to the brink of elimination from the Olympics, and who were admittedly asleep at the wheel during this whole process. This and other concerns raise issues about the governance of international wrestling, whether or not the sport manages to hang on and not be eliminated from the Olympics after IOC meetings in May and September which will make the final decision on this issue.
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.
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/.
Labels: Eddie Goldman, FILA, freestyle, Greco-Roman, International Olympic Committee, IOC. wrestling, No Holds Barred
Thursday, February 28, 2013
No Holds Barred: Kevin Jackson on Iowa State Going To NCAAs and Big 12s, Saving Olympic Wrestling, and King Mo
After a slow start to the 2012-13 college wrestling season, Iowa State reeled off eight wins in their final nine dual meets, with the team now ranked 20th in the nation. Several wrestlers are also individually ranked in the top 20, including redshirt sophomore Kyven Gadson, who is ranked seventh at 197 pounds.
"Were happy with the last few months," said Coach Jackson in this interview, which was recorded by phone Wednesday. "It's just the way our guys are competing. The wins are coming. The dominating performances are coming. The major decisions, the falls, the tech falls are all falling into place."
This all comes at the right time for Iowa State. The regular season is now over, with the Big 12 Duals and Championships slated for March 8-9 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and the NCAA Div. I National Championships March 21-23 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Coach Jackson added, "We're still a young team. We have four sophomores and three freshman starting in our lineup. So we're really excited about our future. But also we think for a lot of these guys the future is now, and that there are great opportunities for them at the Big 12s next week, and then at the NCAA tournament a few weeks later."
While college wrestling in the U.S. prepares for these championship tournaments, the entire worlds of wrestling and sports were rocked by the recent decision of the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee to drop wrestling from the program of the 2020 Olympics. We also discussed this with Coach Jackson.
"I don't know exactly what went wrong, besides I think our leadership within our international governing body [FILA] was flawed, and we weren't staying ahead of the game," he said. "We weren't staying ahead of what we needed to do to show the IOC that we were worthy of being in the Olympic Games, and the great things that we have done throughout the history of the Olympic Games, and how we are an integral part of those Games. And I don't think our international governing body did that."
Besides going over what changes international wrestling needs to make and what we can do to help save Olympic wrestling, we also discussed the recent loss in the Bellator MMA organization by "King" Mo Lawal, who had trained for years in freestyle wrestling with Coach Jackson at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Coach Jackson was also a professional MMA fighter in the 1990s in both UFC and Battlecade Extreme Fighting, so he offered some friendly advice to "King" Mo.
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.
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/.
Labels: college, Eddie Goldman, FILA, IOC, Iowa State Cyclones, Kevin Jackson, King Mo Lawal, NCAA, No Holds Barred, Olympic, wrestling
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
No Holds Barred: International Olympic Committee Drops Wrestling for 2020 Summer Olympic Games
Many people in the wrestling community have long criticized the poor and sometimes nonexistent promotion and marketing of wrestling, as well as the poor communications skills of many of those in charge of it. Now, it appears, the chickens have come home to roost, as other Olympic sports and those vying to get on the Olympic program have passed it by.
While the IOC could still reinstate wrestling for 2020 at its Executive Board meeting in St Petersburg, Russia, in May, or at its full IOC Session September 7-10 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, that is highly unlikely unless wrestling makes some dramatic changes in the few months before those meetings.
We also play the audio of the February 12 press briefing with the IOC Communications Director, Mark Adams, which officially announced that wrestling was being dropped by the IOC.
Here is the February 12 news release by the IOC announcing that wrestling was being dropped:
IOC Executive Board recommends 25 core sports for 2020 Games
The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today agreed on the 25 sports it will propose to the 125th IOC Session for approval as the core sports for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.
The 25 sports are: athletics, rowing, badminton, basketball, boxing, canoeing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, football, gymnastics, weightlifting, handball, hockey, judo, swimming, modern pentathlon, taekwondo, tennis, table tennis, shooting, archery, triathlon, sailing and volleyball.
The EB recommended that wrestling, governed by the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA), not be included on the list of core sports. Wrestling will now join the seven shortlisted sports – baseball/softball, karate, roller sports, sport climbing, squash, wakeboarding and wushu – vying for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic programme as an additional sport.
The eight sports are scheduled to make presentations to the Executive Board at its meeting in St Petersburg, Russia, in May. The EB will select which of the eight sports to recommend to the 125th IOC Session for inclusion as an additional sport on the 2020 programme.
In an effort to ensure the Olympic Games remain relevant to sports fans of all generations, the Olympic Programme Commission systematically reviews every sport following each edition of the Games.
Golf and rugby sevens were added in 2009 as additional sports to the 2016 Olympic programme.
The 125th IOC Session will take place from 7 to 10 September in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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.
"The Martist" with John Perretti. A "martist" is an artist as well as a martial artist. This is a blog for those who think about fighting, published by John Perretti, the lifelong martial artist and former UFC and Battlecade Extreme Fighting matchmaker. Check out John's writings at http://johnperretti.com.
MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City February 16 and 17, 2013, for the fourth annual MMA World Expo, featuring an amateur MMA tournament, grappling, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, February 16, and Sunday, February 17, 2013, 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/.
Labels: dropped, Eddie Goldman, FILA, freestyle, Greco-Roman, International Olympic Committee, IOC, No Holds Barred, wrestling
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
No Holds Barred: Lia Mata'afa
At the recent 2012 FILA World Championships in Grappling, Pankration, and Amateur MMA, she won a world championship in women's amateur MMA at 71 kg and finished fifth in women's no-gi grappling, also at 71 kg, Representing American Samoa, she also finished second at the 2012 Oceania Championship in women's wrestling and fifth at an Olympic Qualification Tournament in March, both at 72 kg. Currently she is tied for second in the FILA world rankings in women's amateur MMA for athletes of all weights, only behind another world champion, Anna Bezhenar of Ukraine.
Lia first came to prominence in the combat sports while in high school, winning a girl's state high school wrestling championship in 1998 at 140 pounds, representing Lahainaluna High School. While she did not wrestle while attending college in Boston University, she has in recent years returned to the combat sports. Again based in Hawaii, she believes that she is ready to make her mark.
"Only in the past maybe three or four years I got back into it. When I was back in Hawaii I started training MMA with Chris Leben. He has a gym out here," she said in this interview, which was recorded by phone Monday. "It started off just to stay in shape and have fun, but I'm so competitive I wanted to start competing."
Her goals for 2013 include winning another FILA world championship in amateur MMA, and then going into professional MMA. She also will be competing at the MMA World Expo in New York, February 16-17.
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.
MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City February 16 and 17, 2013, for the fourth annual MMA World Expo, featuring an amateur MMA tournament, grappling, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, February 16, and Sunday, February 17, 2013, 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/.
Labels: amateur, American Samoa, Eddie Goldman, FILA, grappling, Hawaii, Lia Mata'afa, MMA, No Holds Barred, wrestling
Thursday, December 06, 2012
No Holds Barred: Jeff Monson on His Undefeated 2012
Jeff has just completed a whirlwind series of events, competing on three cards and in a total of five fights in MMA and grappling, in just 10 days, and winning them all. He followed up a second-round submission victory over Alexander Emelianenko on November 15 at the M-1 15th anniversary show in St. Petersburg, Russia, and another world championship on November 17 at the FILA no-gi grappling world championship in Skala, Poland, with a decision win on November 24 over Kang Dong-Gook on the ROAD FC 10 card in Busan, Korea. This meant that in 2012, Jeff Monson went undefeated in both MMA and grappling.
"The year went pretty good," he said in this interview, which was recorded by phone Wednesday night. "I got a little banged up in the last match, so that's probably going to be it for the rest of the year, till looking at M-1 coming up in February."
We discussed his incredible 12-hour layover in China after leaving Korea, during which he was treated by an ophthalmologist. We also discussed with Jeff, who turns 42 in January, his plans to drop to 205 pounds for MMA, his 2013 plans to fight in M-1 and Road FC and possibly elsewhere, his desire to compete in grappling at both the ADCC and FILA world championships next year, what grappling might do in order to become a popular spectator sport, fighting at his age, and 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.
MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City February 16 and 17, 2013, for the fourth annual MMA World Expo, featuring an amateur MMA tournament, grappling, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, February 16, and Sunday, February 17, 2013, 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/.
Labels: ADCC, Eddie Goldman, FILA, grappling, Jeff Monson, M-1, MMA, No Holds Barred, ROAD FC, wrestling
Friday, November 30, 2012
No Holds Barred: Eddie Goldman Named FILA Media Coordinator
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.
MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City February 16 and 17, 2013, for the fourth annual MMA World Expo, featuring an amateur MMA tournament, grappling, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, February 16, and Sunday, February 17, 2013, 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/.
Labels: Amateur MMA, Eddie Goldman, female, FILA, freestyle, grappling, Greco-Roman, media coordinator, No Holds Barred, Olympic, Pankration, wrestling
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
No Holds Barred: Clint Kingsbury, Larry Papadopoulos, Laura Edler-Hill, Rich Tado on FILA Grappling, Pankration, Amateur MMA World Championship
Clint Kingsbury works for the Canadian Amateur Wrestling Association (Wrestling Canada Lutte) as Domestic Development Manager and is a FILA representative.
Larry Papadopoulos of Australia is a former Pancrase and Shooto fighter, currently runs and is an instructor at the Boxing Works gym in Darlinghurst, and is a FILA representative.
Laura Edler-Hill is the Illinois representative of the USA Federation of Pankration Athlima and Amateur MMA, and a FILA referee.
Rich Tado is director and head coach of the Old School Wrestling Training Center in Huntley, Illinois, an assistant wrestling coach at Harper College in Palatine, Illinois, and a FILA referee.
"Being involved with FILA grappling and non-Olympic styles since 2007-2008, probably the highlight that I could say that I saw at this event was really the growth and development of the athletes, coaches, referees, from day one till now," said Clint Kingsbury in this discussion. "The number of countries. The camaraderie. The fact that the event was put on really geared towards the high-profileness of these athletes. We had world team members from all over the world. Some of them were big names, stars in wrestling and jiu-jitsu and judo. This is what FILA is all about, bringing opportunity to athletes, and that's why I'm involved."
The 2013 edition of this event is scheduled for June 12-15, 2013, at the Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario, Canada.
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.
MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City February 16 and 17, 2013, for the fourth annual MMA World Expo, featuring an amateur MMA tournament, grappling, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, February 16, and Sunday, February 17, 2013, 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/.
Labels: Amateur MMA, Clint Kingsbury, Eddie Goldman, FILA, grappling, Larry Papadopoulos, Laura Edler-Hill, No Holds Barred, Pankration, Rich Tado, World Championship
