NO HOLDS BARRED

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Bob Carson, the host of Carson's Corner.

We spoke with him by phone Sunday.

This past Friday, February 19, Bellator MMA not only put on a show featuring some of the worst fights in the history of the world, but also at least one fight which almost ended up in the death on live TV of one of the participants.

In the co-main event at Bellator 149 in Houston, Texas, street fighters Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson and Dhafir "Dada 5000" Harris both gassed out early in their fight. Somehow these two, who both lacked professional technique and conditioning, made it into the third round, where basically Harris collapsed to the mat while Ferguson could barely stand up by himself. There was no knockout blow or submission, but only an ending because Harris was a bit more exhausted than the exhausted Ferguson.

After the fight, Harris was carried out of the cage on a stretcher, and hospitalized. Several news reports said that he had suffered kidney failure and that his heart had stopped beating. He was revived by medical personnel, but almost had died from this horrid fight. Reports also indicated that Harris had a major and fast weight cut to get down to the 265-pound heavyweight limit. Harris is reportedly recovering.

Both Ferguson and Harris are African-American, and it was not lost on everyone that this freakshow spectacle involved two Black fighters fulfilling the stereotypical role of lumpen thugs.

"It's marketed in a way to really depict African-Americans in a certain light," said Bob Carson. "And Kimbo, if you look at, if you had a checklist for a menacing, what would be considered an enemy, what would be considered a menace to society from the standpoint of the white bourgeois community, it would be Kimbo Slice. And the fact that they're showing him fighting these people in street fights, and his demeanor, and him and Dada going back and forth, it really, really had a racial aspect to it."

The other main event was just a shade less shady. While it featured two MMA legends, Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock, both are almost two decades past their primes. This was billed as their third fight, but their first two took place in 1993 and 1995. Gracie is now 49 years old and had not fought since 2007. Shamrock is now 52 years old, fighting once in 2015 (a knockout loss to Kimbo Slice) and then not since 2010.

This fight was over in the first round, when Shamrock went down from an unintentional knee to the groin by Gracie, which the referee did not see. The fight was stopped and Gracie awarded a TKO victory. It was another disgrace all around, and, along with the previous fight, has led some people to vow never to watch Bellator again.

This double disaster in Houston and the reaction it received are in some ways reminiscent of what happened in another fight in the same city of Houston, and the repercussions boxing faced from it: the November 26, 1982, brutal mismatch between WBC heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, then 40-0, and Randall "Tex" Cobb. As this completely one-sided beatdown continued and the referee did not stop it, Howard Cosell, calling the fight on ABC, said on the live telecast in the 14th round: "I wonder if that referee understands that he is constructing an advertisement for the abolition of the very sport that he's a part of?"

We discussed why this "complete spectacle" was "terrible all the way around," the potential repercussions of this show, why aging fighters like Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock need to fight (follow the money, or lack thereof), what this says about the future of MMA, why young people deciding to fight in MMA would be an "irrational act," and much, much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

You can also listen to No Holds Barred via Stitcher through iOS or Android devices or on the web here.

The PodOmatic Podcast Player app is available for free, both for Android at Google Play, and for iOS on the App Store.

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:

The North American Catch Wrestling Association, a grassroots organization designed to help rebuild the sport of catch-as-catch-can-wrestling. For more information, go to their Facebook page at facebook.com/NorthAmericanCatchWrestlingAssociation.

BJJ Eastern Europe, for the latest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu news, articles, interviews, competition calendar, European belt rankings, academy directory, and more. For more information, go to BJJEE.com.

The National Registry for Wrestling, whose mission is to increase wrestling's fanbase, to build a registry of all wrestling fans, to serve as a connecting point for all wrestling fans, and to provide TV and Internet listings for wrestling. For more information, go to NR4W.com.

Labels: Bellator, Bob Carson, Dada 5000, disaster, Eddie Goldman, Ken Shamrock, Kimbo Slice, No Holds Barred, Royce Gracie MMA

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

NO HOLDS BARRED on DojoRadio.com

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Turi Altavilla, a vice president of EliteXC until the very recent demise of that mixed martial arts company. Turi also was formerly a vice president of the Pride Fighting Championships.

In a lengthy interview, we get a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how EliteXC operated, and discuss what led to EliteXC closing its operations, the controversy stemming from the Kimbo Slice-Seth Petruzelli fight, what direction mixed martial arts should take, what his plans are now, and much, much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here or here. You can also download it here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

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

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

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.

Wrestling 411, providing coverage of the sport of wrestling on TV, the Internet, and radio. Wrestling 411 is produced by Media Sports Productions, whose sole mission is the marketing and promotion of the sport of wrestling.

FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Labels: boxing, CBS. Showtime, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, Kimbo Slice, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Pride, Pro Elite, Seth Petruzelli, Turi Altavilla, UFC, ultimate fighting, wrestling

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

NO HOLDS BARRED on DojoRadio.com

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with the legendary mixed martial arts promoter, matchmaker, and commentator, John Perretti.

In another lengthy interview, we discuss one of the biggest scandals in U.S. mixed martial arts history, the controversy revolving around the Oct. 4 Kimbo Slice-Seth Petruzelli EliteXC fight, and the degree to which the promoters may or may not have tried to protect Kimbo by having Petruzelli avoid taking down Kimbo. We discuss the roles of striking and grappling in the mixed martial arts and their evolution since the early days of the sport. Plus, we discuss John's plans for developing his new combat sport, and much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here or here. You can also download it here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

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

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

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.

FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Labels: Battlecade, boxing, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, Extreme Fighting, grappling, John Perretti, kickboxing, Kimbo Slice, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Seth Petruzelli, submission, UFC, wrestling

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

NO HOLDS BARRED on DojoRadio.com

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman takes on the world, and discusses the world of combat sports, around the world.

Among the many international topics broached in this no holds barred presentation are: the latest news in the case of Swedish Olympic wrestler Ara Abrahamian against those who allegedly denied him the opportunity to wrestle for a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics; the continuing vulgarization of mixed martial arts and particularly the UFC in America; the successful title defense this past Saturday in Argentina by WBO flyweight champion Omar Narvaez; the junior middleweight fight coming up this Saturday, Sept. 27, between Shane Mosley and Ricardo Mayorga; and the Oct. 4 mixed martial arts fight between Kimbo Slice and Ken Shamrock. We also hear questions and answers with Mosley and Mayorga, and Kimbo and Shamrock, from recent media conference calls.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here or here. You can also download it here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

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

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

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.

Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.

FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Labels: Ara Abrahamian, boxing, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, Greco-Roman, Ken Shamrock, Kimbo Slice, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Olympics, Omar Narvaez, Ricardo Mayorga, Shane Mosley, UFC, wrestling

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman reviews the CBS and EliteXC Saturday Night Fights card, which took place Saturday, May 31, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and was shown live in the U.S. on CBS.

We continue our discussion of the Pygmalion-like story of Kimbo Slice, examining its next chapter, his third-round TKO over James Thompson in the main event on this card.

We discuss the positive and negative aspects of this show, including the belittling of the role of grappling in mixed martial arts.

We conducted several interviews right after the show. We spoke with former UFC heavyweight and Pride Grand Prix champion Mark Coleman, who seconded Phil Baroni and Carlton Haselrig, about those fights, as well as his own return to fighting.

We spoke with middleweight Joey Villasenor, who scored a first-round TKO over Phil Baroni.

We spoke with unbeaten heavyweight Brett Rogers, who scored a first-round TKO over Jon Murphy.

And we got a brief comment from former UFC heavyweight champion and King of Pancrase Bas Rutten, who trains Kimbo Slice.

To listen to No Holds Barred, click here or here and just press the play button on the player.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

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

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

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.

Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.

FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Labels: boxing, Brett Rogers, Carlton Haselrig, CBS, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, Gina Carano, James Thompson, Joey Villasenor, Kimbo Slice, Mark Coleman, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, UFC

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by discussing the Pygmalion-like tale of Kimbo Slice and the reasons for his broad appeal and the Kimbo phenomenon.

Kimbo, of course, headlines the CBS and EliteXC Saturday Night Fights card, which takes place this Saturday, May 31, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and will be shown live in the U.S. on CBS. He faces fellow heavyweight mixed martial artist, James Thompson.

We spoke with Kimbo Slice along with other members of the media at the final prefight news conference this Thursday in New York.

We also spoke with another headliner on this card, the charismatic and undefeated Gina Carano, who faces Kaitlin Young in a women's 140-pound fight. And we spoke with EliteXC promoter Gary Shaw about his views on the reported hiring by the rival of EliteXC, UFC, of a Washington, D.C. lobbying firm to keep mixed martial arts out of federal regulatory legislation.

Eddie Goldman will also be a guest on the nationally-syndicated "Joey Reynolds Show" this Friday night/early Saturday morning, May 30/31. The topic will be the May 31 EliteXC show and Kimbo Slice, but expect anything to come up. The "Joey Reynolds Show" is a national radio broadcast in New York on WOR 710 AM and on 100 other stations via the WOR Network. The show airs live beginning at midnight EDT and runs to 5 AM EDT. We are presently scheduled to come on right after midnight EDT. You can also listen to the "Joey Reynolds Show" online at http://www.wor710.com/.

To listen to No Holds Barred, click here or here and just press the play button on the player.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

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

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

CBS and EliteXC Saturday Night Fights. On May 31st, watch the historic debut of "CBS and EliteXC Saturday Night Fights". The action is LIVE on CBS starting at 9 PM ET/PT. Kimbo Slice, Gina Carano, Robbie Lawler, Phil Baroni, and more will be bringing their A-games to primetime on the 31st. For more info, go to SaturdayNightFights.com.

ProElite.com, an MMA website built by and for the fans and fighters of this great sport. Watch action-packed fights, connect with others, and get exclusive MMA coverage all in one place. It's "All Combat All the Time" at ProElite.com!

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.

Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.

FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Labels: boxing, CBS, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, Gary Shaw, Gina Carano, James Thompson, Joey Reynolds, Kaitlin Young, Kimbo Slice, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, UFC, ultimate fighting, WOR

Labels: CBS, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, Frank Shamrock, Gary Shaw, Gus Johnson, James Thompson, Kimbo Slice, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, UFC

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by discussing the beating received this past Friday by former Chris Byrd in his ESPN2 bout with Shaun George. Byrd, a former heavyweight champion, was fighting at light heavyweight, and was stopped in the ninth round after looking drained and getting battered throughout the fight.

We next focus on some important correspondence from a listener who understands the connection between the combat sports, the need for a warrior culture by people who are oppressed and downtrodden, and life in general.

Among the other issues discussed are the appearance of EliteXC fighter Kimbo Slice on the Academy of Country Music Awards on CBS, the flaws in the pay-per-view model for the combat sports, and what the International Fight League needs to do to improve their fortunes.

Next, we speak with the three IFL fighters who were victorious in their championship fights this past Friday, May 16, at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. They are lightweight champion Ryan Schultz, who won a unanimous decision over Deividas Taurosevicius, to retain his belt; Dan Miller, who captured the middleweight belt with a first-round kneebar submission over Ryan McGivern; and Roy Nelson, who retained his heavyweight title with a first-round TKO over Brad Imes.

To listen to No Holds Barred, click here and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

You can also listen to it through the player on this blog and the No Holds Barred MySpace page, also by pressing the play button on the player.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

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

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

ProElite.com, an MMA website built by and for the fans and fighters of this great sport. Watch action-packed fights, connect with others, and get exclusive MMA coverage all in one place. It's "All Combat All the Time" at ProElite.com!

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.

Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.

FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Labels: boxing, CBS, Chris Byrd, country music, Dan Miller, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, IFL, Kimbo Slice, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, pay-per-view, Pro Elite, Roy Nelson, Ryan Schultz

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman focuses on several key issues regarding the state of mixed martial arts. Among the many topics discussed are the new Affliction promotion and the numerous challenges they are facing, the troubled pay-per-view model, and the recent announcement of major changes for the International Fight League (IFL).

We also hear comments by IFL CEO Jay Larkin and VP of Fighter Relations Bas Rutten on a media conference call this past week, and discuss with them the need for mixed martial arts promoters to co-promote events.

To listen to No Holds Barred, click here and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

You can also listen to it through the player on this blog and the No Holds Barred MySpace page, also by pressing the play button on the player.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

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

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

YAMMA Pit Fighting. The producers of the original UFC and Live Nation, worldwide leaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts. On the streets, it's against the law. In the pit, it IS the law.

ProElite.com, an MMA website built by and for the fans and fighters of this great sport. Watch action-packed fights, connect with others, and get exclusive MMA coverage all in one place. It's "All Combat All the Time" at ProElite.com!

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.

Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.

FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Labels: Affliction, Bas Rutten, boxing, CBS, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, IFL, International Fight League, Jay Larkin, Kimbo Slice, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, pay-per-view, Pro Elite, SopCast, UFC

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with mixed martial arts legend and former King of Pancrase and UFC heavyweight champion, Bas Rutten.

Amongst his numerous duties in many areas of MMA, Bas is training Kimbo Slice, AKA Kevin Ferguson, at his gym in Thousand Oaks, Calif., for Kimbo's May 31 fight against James Thompson on the EliteXC card at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. This show will be broadcast on CBS, the first live, prime time MMA telecast on a major American broadcast network.

In a lengthy interview, Bas discusses his evaluation of Kimbo as a fighter, where Kimbo stands in only his third professional fight, and what his potential is. He also answers some of the critics of Kimbo. In addition, Bas fills us in on some of his other activities in his increasingly busy schedule.

Plus, we offer a preview of the fight between WBC super lightweight champion Junior Witter (36-1-1, 21 KOs) and top contender Timothy Bradley (21-0, 11 KOs), which takes place this Saturday, May 10, at the Trent FM Arena in Nottingham, England. This fight will be telecast in the U.S. on Showtime on a special edition of ShoBox: The New Generation.

We spoke with both Junior Witter and Timothy Bradley on a media conference call.

To listen to No Holds Barred, click here and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

You can also listen to it through the player on this blog and the No Holds Barred MySpace page, also by pressing the play button on the player.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

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

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

YAMMA Pit Fighting. The producers of the original UFC and Live Nation, worldwide leaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts. On the streets, it's against the law. In the pit, it IS the law.

ProElite.com, an MMA website built by and for the fans and fighters of this great sport. Watch action-packed fights, connect with others, and get exclusive MMA coverage all in one place. It's "All Combat All the Time" at ProElite.com!

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.

Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.

FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Labels: Bas Rutten, boxing, CBS, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, IFL, International Fight League, Junior Witter, Kimbo Slice, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Pro Elite, Timothy Bradley, UFC

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by commenting on what is really behind the Oscar De La Hoya-Steve Forbes fight this Saturday, May 3, and why fight fans should not miss the replay of the Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez trilogy on Showtime, also this Saturday, which were the best boxing matches of the past two years. We also discuss the comments by CBS chairman Sumner Redstone that it was not "socially responsible" for CBS to decide to air the May 31 EliteXC mixed martial arts show on that broadcast network.

On our show, we spoke with Gary Shaw, the president of EliteXC's Live Events division, and president and CEO of Gary Shaw Productions, his boxing promotional company.

In a lengthy discussion, we talked about the mixed martial arts and boxing events in which he is involved. We previewed the EliteXC show coming Saturday, May 31, to the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, which will be telecast in the U.S. live on CBS beginning at 9 PM EDT, the first major mixed martial arts show on a major American broadcast network in prime time. We discussed the amazing trilogy between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez, which he promoted, and the possibility of a fourth fight; the Kimbo Slice phenomenon and why he is in the EliteXC May 31 main event; the rest of the May 31 card including EliteXC middleweight champion Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith and the return of Gina Carano; the inclusion on the May 31 undercard of Carlton Haselrig, the only six-time NCAA college wrestling champion and a star lineman with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets; his May 17 boxing card featuring unbeaten rising stars James Kirkland, Yuriorkis Gamboa, and Alfredo Angulo, in Primm, Nevada, and on HBO; and the June 7 boxing card featuring Vernon Forrest vs. Sergio Mora and the rematch between Carlos Quintana and Paul Williams, from Mohegan Sun and on Showtime.

We also spoke with IFL lightweight champion Ryan Schultz and IFL middleweight champion Ryan McGivern about their upcoming title defenses Friday, May 16, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. In a dangerous fight, Schultz faces submission specialist Deividas Taurosevicius, while McGivern, in his first title defense, fights the tough Dan Miller.

To listen to No Holds Barred, click here and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

You can also listen to it through the player on this blog and the No Holds Barred MySpace page, also by pressing the play button on the player.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

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

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

YAMMA Pit Fighting. The producers of the original UFC and Live Nation, worldwide leaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts. On the streets, it's against the law. In the pit, it IS the law.

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.

Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.

FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Labels: boxing, Carlton Haselrig, CBS, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, Gary Shaw, IFL, Israel Vazquez, Kimbo Slice, MMA, No Holds Barred, Oscar De La Hoya, Rafael Marquez, Ryan McGivern, Ryan Schultz, Steve Forbes

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this special edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Gary Shaw, who serves as a boxing promoter with his Gary Shaw Productions and as a mixed martial arts promoter as president of EliteXC.

We spoke Friday afternoon, Feb. 29, just before the weigh-ins for the highly anticipated rubber match between WBC super bantamweight champion Israel Vazquez (42-4, 31 KOs) and former world champion Rafael Marquez (37-4, 33 KOs), who, in classic battles last year, split their first two fights. The third fight takes place Saturday, March 1, at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Showtime will televise it in the U.S.

In a short but explosive interview, we discussed the significance of the deal announced Thursday, Feb. 28, that CBS will televise four live EliteXC shows a year in prime time; that the second Vazquez-Marquez fight narrowly lost in the voting by the Boxing Writers Association of America for 2007 fight of the year; why boxing could not get a network TV deal like EliteXC did; when and where the first CBS-televised EliteXC show might take place; an evaluation of EliteXC star Kimbo Slice as a fighter; and where EliteXC stands in relation to UFC.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click here and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

You can also listen to it through the player on this blog and the NO HOLDS BARRED MySpace page, also by pressing the play button on the player.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

YAMMA Pit Fighting. The producers of the original UFC and Live Nation, worldwide leaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts. On the streets, it's against the law. In the pit, it IS the law.

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.

Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.

FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Labels: boxing, CBS, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, Gary Shaw, Israel Vazquez, Kimbo Slice, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Pro Elite, Rafael Marquez, Showtime, UFC, ultimate fighting

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman begins by discussing the disgraceful lawsuit filed Monday in Clark County District Court in Nevada by Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC, against their most popular fighter, Randy Couture. As usual, this commentary is no-holds-barred.

We next discuss the card scheduled for this coming Saturday, January 19, at Madison Square Garden in New York, headlined by the clash between boxing legends Roy Jones. Jr. (51-4, 38 KOs) and Felix "Tito" Trinidad Jr. (42-2, 35 KOs). This card will be telecast in the U.S. on HBO Pay-Per-View.

We got comments from Roy Jones. Jr. about why he is so confident that he will win this fight. We spoke with promoter Don King to get his response to criticisms by some in the media of this card. And we spoke with 20-year-old rising junior welterweight prospect Devon Alexander (13-0, 8 KOs), who has the toughest assignment of his young pro career when he faces former world champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley (31-7-1, 17 KOs).

We also begin to preview the EliteXC mixed martial arts card scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 16, at the BankUnited Center on the University of Miami campus in Coral Gables, FL. That card will be shown live in the U.S. on Showtime. The main event of that card pits Internet street fighter Kimbo Slice, who is now a professional MMA fighter training with Bas Rutten, against the MMA veteran David "Tank" Abbott.

We spoke with both Tank Abbott and Kimbo Slice about this fight on a media teleconference call Wednesday. We also spoke with promoter Gary Shaw, the EliteXC Live Events President, about how his view on what EliteXC is and will do, and about how they treat their fighters.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click here and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

You can also listen to it through the player on this blog and the NO HOLDS BARRED MySpace page, also by pressing the play button on the player.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

Art of War, the undisputed arena fighting championship, promoted by SUN Sports and Entertainment, producing world class mixed martial arts events. For more information, check out their web site, ArtOfWarLive.com.

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.

Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.

FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Labels: boxing, Devon Alexander, Don King, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, Felix Tito Trinidad, Gary Shaw, Kimbo Slice, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Randy Couture, Roy Jones, Tank Abbott, UFC, Zuffa

NO HOLDS BARRED: IFL Grand Prix TV Commentary; UFC-Couture Dispute; MMA vs. Boxing; EliteXC Preview with Kimbo Slice, Jake Shields, KJ Noons, Gary Shaw; Jay Larkin

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldmano offers a no-holds-barred commentary on this past Saturday's live telecast of the semifinals of the IFL Grand Prix on MyNetworkTV; the UFC-Randy Couture dispute; and a comparison of the major defects in mixed martial arts and boxing.

We next preview this coming Saturday's EliteXC card, which will take place Nov. 10 at the American Bank Center Arena in Corpus Christi, Texas. This show will be telecast live in the U.S. on Showtime. We spoke on a media teleconference call with fighters Kimbo Slice, Jake Shields, and KJ Noons, who will each be in separate bouts on this card. We also spoke with EliteXC promoter Gary Shaw about the organizational structure of mixed martial arts.

We also spoke with Jay Larkin, the new president and COO of the International Fight League, about their anti-doping policy.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click here and just press the play button on the player.

You can also listen to it through this blog and my MySpace page, also by pressing the play button on the player.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

If you want to leave a comment on the show, you can do so on this blog.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

Art of War, the undisputed arena fighting championship, promoted by SUN Sports and Entertainment, producing world class mixed martial arts events. For more information, check out their web site, ArtOfWarLive.com.

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. You can also catch IFL Battleground on MyNetworkTV. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.

Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.

FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Labels: boxing, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, IFL, International Fight League, Jake Shields, Jay Larkin, Kimbo Slice, KJ Noons, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Randy Couture, UFC, ultimate fighting