NO HOLDS BARRED

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Michiel Thomas and Yuhei Ogawa, the executive producers of the documentary film "Game Face".

This documentary chronicles the coming out of two LGBT athletes: Fallon Fox, who is the first openly transgender MMA fighter, and Terrence Clemens, who came out as openly gay during his college basketball career.

We spoke with Michiel Thomas and Yuhei Ogawa Monday in New York at a showing of "Game Face" as part of DOC NYC, which is America's largest documentary film festival.

"There's a lot of reasons why we wanted to make the film," said Michiel Thomas, who also directed the film. "There were personal reasons for me, because I love basketball and I'm gay myself. But also I'm originally from Belgium, and when I moved out here I got to meet several friends who I found out that they lost their scholarship when they went to school because the school found out that they were gay. At the same time there was also a wave of teenage suicides going on. So all these events made me want to do something about it. And I thought this documentary could be a perfect answer. So that was the approach from the beginning."

We also discussed how they made contact with Fallon Fox through transgender basketball player Kye Allums, how the film premiered in April and has played in more than 45 film festivals with many more to come, plans to have it shown in schools and universities, future plans to get it on TV and online, the comparison of the reactions in MMA to Fallon Fox and the reactions in basketball to Terrence Clemens, and 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, at http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/no-holds-barred-with-eddie-goldman.

The PodOmatic Podcast Player for iOS is available for free 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:

MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City December 12 and 13, 2015, for the sixth annual MMA World Expo, featuring two days of the Renzo Gracie Open 2015 no-gi and gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, catch wrestling competition, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, December 12, and Sunday, December 13, 2015, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Gracie Tournaments, featuring regional, national, and world competitions in submission-only Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. For more information, go to GracieWorlds.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.
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Labels: basketball, Eddie Goldman, Fallon Fox, Game Face, LGBT, Michiel Thomas, MMA, No Holds Barred, Terrence Clemens, Yuhei Ogawa

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with MMA fighter Fallon Fox.

The first openly transgender MMA fighter, she is the subject, along with openly gay college basketball player Terrence Lamar Clemens, of a new documentary "Game Face".

Directed by Michiel Thomas, this film documents the inspiring coming out stories of these athletes.

We spoke with Fallon Fox by phone Thursday.

"'Game Face' is a documentary about LGBTQ athletes, what happens to them before they come out and during the process of when they come out as LGBTQ athletes in sports," she said.

"We have been filming for about a year and a half, almost two years with production to get this project complete. So I'm very happy that it's coming to full fruition as of late. So It's making its tour around film festivals, so people can check it out there as it makes its tour around those festivals. And you can also catch it whenever we find a distributor and put it out for the mass public."

We also discussed why acceptance and understanding of transgender people and athletes are growing, why she is currently not signed by any MMA promotion despite her 5-1 pro record, why fight promoters who refuse to sign her will be judged badly by history, the prospects for her getting signed to fight, her many other activities including writing, and much more.

"Game Face" is an important and worthy documentary which is both enlightening and moving, and is heartily recommended to be seen.

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 PodOmatic Podcast Player for iOS is available for free 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:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Labels: athletes, Eddie Goldman, Fallon Fox, Game Face, homophobia, LGBT, MMA, No Holds Barred, sports, Terrence Lamar Clemens, trans, transgender, transphobia

(Photo credit: Lucas Noonan/WSOF)

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the world's top-ranked MMA fighter in the women's 115-pound division, American Top Team fighter Jessica Aguilar.

A surprising announcement was made this past Monday by World Series of Fighting (WSOF), where she had been women's strawweight champion and had not lost a fight, that she was being released from the final fight of her contract "so that she can ideally pursue competition where it is strongest in her weight division."

Now a free agent, we spoke with Jessica Aguilar by phone Thursday about her plans.

Calling the WSOF people "awesome" and indicating that this was an amicable parting, she said that in her stay there, "It was hard to find opponents." While they still did find her opponents, and she had won all three fights in WSOF, she has not been booked since November and had no fight planned there.

"I just wanted to fight top-level opponents at my weight class," she said. "The ultimate goal is to be the best fighter out there at 115 pounds, and for me to continue proving that, I believe that I have to step up," to which, she added, WSOF management agreed.

"Now I'm a free agent," she said.

"I plan on becoming a UFC champion, because the talent there of athletes they have, the top females in my division. So that's my plan, Eddie."

She did note that as we spoke, she had not signed with any MMA organization, and could also pursue other options.

We also discussed why her focus on signing with a new organization has meant that she cannot participate in the upcoming 2015 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championships, August 28-30 in Sao Paulo, Brazil; her many community activities, including plans for this year's LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) Pride events in June; 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 PodOmatic Podcast Player for iOS is available for free 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:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Labels: American Top Team, Eddie Goldman, Jessica Aguilar, LGBT, MMA, No Holds Barred, UFC, WSOF

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with LGBT sports advocate, former Terrapin Wrestling Club director, and a member of USA Wrestling's diversity committee, Akil Patterson.

We spoke with him by phone Wednesday.

Although he had been a top college football player, he was also a wrestler and a wrestling coach. "I'm a wrestler at heart," he said. Akil identifies himself as a Black, gay, Christian male.

We thus focused on the issues of overcoming homophobia and transphobia, and fighting for diversity and inclusion, in wrestling and other sports.

"I try to help bring along some new initiatives to frame some new and outstanding information that's going to be going out to the wrestling communities," he said. "And also just to kind of bridge the gap between what is considered D and I, what really is diversity and inclusion in America, and how we can not only take the LGBT part, but also a minority perspective, and really make sure that everyone understands and is culturally aware and competent about what wrestling really means."

He explained, "The crux of it is, is you're out there to compete. You're out there to have fun. And at the end of the day, we're one big family. We really are."

We discussed why acceptance and equality for LGBT athletes will come, but "a little slower than we like it." We also discussed his own experiences in sports when he came out as gay, the treatment of LGBT athletes in many sports today, the support he has been given in his efforts, his work with Athlete Ally, 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:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: Akil Patterson, diversity, Eddie Goldman, gay, inclusion, LGBT, No Holds Barred, sports, wrestling

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the world's top-ranked MMA fighter in the women's 115-pound division, and the WSOF women's strawweight champion, American Top Team fighter Jessica Aguilar.

Now with a record of 18-4, her next fight will be at WSOF 15 on November 15 when she defends her title against Brazilian fighter Kalindra Faria, who has a record of 15-3-1 and is unbeaten in the last three years. WSOF 15 takes place at the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida, and will be shown live in the U.S. for free on NBC Sports Network.

We spoke with Jessica Aguilar by phone Wednesday.

While this is easily the biggest fight of Kalindra Faria's career, Jessica Aguilar is not taking her lightly.

"She's very experienced. She has a great record. And again, this is an athlete that a lot of people don't know about. And it's always good to challenge myself with the best opponents possible. So it's going to be a great matchup," she said. "She has wins via submission and stoppage. So It's going to be another good fight."

We also discussed her community activities, including her work with GLAAD for the October 16 Spirit Day, which is an anti-bullying event that shows support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth. She also works with the Pride Center in South Florida and the Miami Children's Hospital.

We also discussed the growing acceptance of the LGBT community and athletes in MMA and the combat sports, why she believes she is now "at my peak" as a fighter and is still improving, her training with American Top Team, 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:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: American Top Team, Eddie Goldman, Jessica Aguilar, Kalindra Faria, LGBT, MMA, No Holds Barred, Spirit Day, World Series Fighting, WSOF

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with MMA fighter Fallon Fox.

Now with a record of 5-1 in professional MMA, her latest victory came this past Saturday, September 13, with a ground-and-pound TKO win over Tamikka Brents at 2:17 of the first round on the Capital City Cage Wars show at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield, Illinois.

We spoke with her by phone Tuesday about this fight, her plans in MMA, and how being the first openly transgender MMA fighter has led to her becoming a spokesperson on LGBT and other issues inside and outside sports.

Asked if she believed that she should be fighting in bigger promotional organizations, she replied with a laugh, "Of course I belong in bigger promotions." She noted how some promotions have fighters with records of "0 and 0 and 0 and 2-1," and "no professional wins whatsoever."

She added, "And I'm 5-1," again chuckling.

We also discussed how the opponents of her fighting in women's MMA have been "proven wrong," why "they can't stop me," how the only people left opposing her right to fight are "the bigots and the ignorant," how she has adjusted since her only loss last year, her writing on many issues for various media outlets, 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:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at DefenseSoap.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: athletes, Eddie Goldman, Fallon Fox, homophobia, LGBT, MMA, No Holds Barred, sports, trans, transgender, transphobia

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Gene Dermody, the "Godfather of LGBT wrestling" and the founder of Wrestlers WithOut Borders (WWB).

Wrestlers WithOut Borders, according to its web site, is "a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of the noble Olympic wrestling sports of Freestyle Wrestling, Greco-Roman Wrestling, Beach Wrestling, and Non-Gi Grappling, as defined by WWB & FILA."

They will once again be organizing the wrestling and grappling competition at Gay Games 9.

Freestyle wrestling and no-gi grappling at Gay Games 9 will take place August 11-13 at Case Western Reserve University in the Horsburgh Gymnasium, 2138 Adelbert Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. Wrestling is the only sport that has been officially sanctioned in every Gay Games since their inception in 1982, while this is the first year in which there will be no-gi grappling competition.

For Gene Dermody, who is now 65, the wrestling at the Gay Games literally changed his life. Then a tenured school teacher living in New York, and a former college wrestler at NYU, he wrestling in Gay Games I in 1982 in San Francisco. The experience so moved him that he stayed in San Francisco, has wrestled in every Gay Games since, and plans to compete at Gay Games 9, in what will be his last appearance on the mat.

In recognition of all that he has accomplished, the Federation of Gay Games has selected him as one of two winners of the prestigious Tom Waddell Award, named in memory of the founder of the Gay Games, which is the highest honor bestowed by the Federation of Gay Games. The other winner is Elvina Yuvakaeva, a Russian sports activist, the female co-president of the Russian LGBT Sports Federation where she is in charge of international relations, and the chair of the Russian Open Games, the first international LGBT multisport tournament in her country.

We spoke with Gene Dermody by phone Thursday.

Recalling the growth of the Gay Games, which are held every four years, he said, Gay Games IV, which took place in New York in 1994, "was like a watershed event for Gay Games wrestling, and Gay Games in general."

That year the Gay Games wrestling was held at NYU.

"For me, going back to NYU -- I wrestled for NYU. This was my alma mater," he said.

"It was the first time we had had women's wrestling. This was ten years before the Olympic Committee put in women's wrestling, in Athens."

He continued, "It was a very, very competitive event, as most of the officials who they had gotten there would attest to."

While the ensuing years have seen greater and greater acceptance of LGBT athletes, there is still work to be done by organizations whose members are primarily LGBT. And there are also still many LGBT athletes who have not publicly come out.

"Our job, at Wrestlers WithOut Borders, is to create these clubs, to create the visibility, to create the comfort zone, so that eventually they will come out," he said.

We also discussed numerous topics, including how USA Wrestling at its competitions and events has been very supportive of and fair to LGBT wrestlers, and is sanctioning the wrestling and grappling at Gay Games 9. In addition, we discussed the many benefits of wrestling, how his work in San Francisco has helped develop wrestling in many schools and communities, the rules of the wrestling and grappling at the Gay Games, how the Gay Games are unlike the Olympics and are instead aimed mainly at getting recreational athletes to compete, why he expects grappling at the Gay Games to become bigger than the freestyle wrestling competition, and much, much more.

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

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

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

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

American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.

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

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

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to http://takedownradio.com.

Labels: Eddie Goldman, Gay Games, Gene Dermody, grappling, LGBT, No Holds Barred, Wrestlers WithOut Borders, wrestling

Photo credit: Lucas Noonan/WSOF

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the world's top-ranked MMA fighter in the women's 115-pound division, and the WSOF women's strawweight champion, American Top Team fighter Jessica Aguilar.

She has just successfully defended her title with a dominating five-round unanimous decision over Japanese veteran MMA fighter and kickboxer Emi "The Kamikaze Angel" Fujino, who has never lost in MMA by submission or knockout/TKO. This fight took place at WSOF 10 on June 21 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was telecast live in the U.S. on NBC Sports Network.

We spoke with Jessica Aguilar by phone Monday.

While she is happy with her commanding victory, she did indicate that she had hoped to be the first to submit Emi Fujino.

"I need to get stronger and I need to work more on my wrestling and jiu-jitsu," she said.

"Again, I'm back to work and sharpening up those tools. But I'm confident that I'll get better. In each fight that I want to do now from now on for my career, I want to see a different fighter, a more advanced, a more intelligent [fighter]. And I just want to continue showcasing that I'm a better fighter, every fight, from now on."

We discussed how this fight ended up mostly standing, how she "grew" because of this fight, her plans to compete in more grappling events, her work with youth, the support she has received from the LGBT community, and much more.

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

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

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

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

American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.

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

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

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to http://takedownradio.com.

Labels: American Top Team, BJJ, Eddie Goldman, Emi Fujino, grappling, Japan, Jessica Aguilar, jiu-jitsu, LGBT, MMA, No Holds Barred, World Series Fighting, WSOF

(Photo credit: WSOF/Lucas Noonan)

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the world's top-ranked MMA fighter in the women's 115-pound division, and the WSOF women's strawweight champion, American Top Team fighter Jessica Aguilar.

Her first title defense will at WSOF 10 on Saturday, June 21, at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her opponent will be Japanese veteran MMA fighter and kickboxer Emi "The Kamikaze Angel" Fujino, who has never lost in MMA by submission or knockout/TKO.

This fight will be part of the live telecast of WSOF 10 in the U.S. on NBC Sports Network.

We spoke with Jessica Aguilar by phone Wednesday.

Speaking of her opponent, she said, "I know that she's very experienced and she's a vet. She's fought tough competition and I know that she loves to fight, she comes to fight."

She added, "That's normal with Japanese fighters. They always come to fight. They're warriors and they're very tough."

And she noted, "She's never lost by submission. She's lost by decision. She's tough to tap. She has a wrestling background as well and she looks strong. So it's going to be a really, really good fight for me."

We also discussed her connections with Japan. "I love Japan," she said, adding that she hopes to fight there again soon.

In addition, she spoke about the many activities in which she is involved outside combat sports in her community in south Florida and elsewhere. Those included hosting an event as part of this year's Aqua Girl events in south Florida, whose aim "is to provide a safe and positive environment for LBT [lesbian, bisexual, and transgender] women to socialize and network"; attending and being honored on stage along with other openly LGBT athletes at the 2014 GLAAD Media Awards in New York; and doing volunteer work at the Miami Children's Hospital, among other things.

Plus, she also recently had a successful return to the mat, winning a gold medal in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the IBJJF Boca Raton International Open 2014. We discussed her grappling background, where her MMA career is at right now, her future plans, the growing acceptance of LGBT athletes, and much more.

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

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

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

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

Catch Wrestling Alliance International Invitational: The Rebirth. This invitational event will be held under catch wrestling rules, where you can only win by pin or submission. It will take place Saturday, June 7, in Collins Court in the John Wooden Center on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles, California. For more information, go to catchwrestlingalliance.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/.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to http://takedownradio.com.

Labels: American Top Team, BJJ, Eddie Goldman, Emi Fujino, grappling, Japan, Jessica Aguilar, jiu-jitsu, LGBT, MMA, No Holds Barred, World Series Fighting, WSOF

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with MMA fighter Fallon Fox.

Since coming out in March 2013 as the first openly transgender MMA fighter, she has been the focus of much attention both inside and outside the combat sports. She now regularly writes for Time.com, the web site of "Time", as well as other sites. She was recently named to the prestigious Trans 100 list, has been profiled in numerous publications including in a cover story in the "Chicago Reader", and has been speaking at various events.

In MMA, she rebounded from her first loss in October 2013 to defeat Heather Bassett by a second-round armbar submission at XFO 50 on March 21, 2014, at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois, thus upping her pro record to 4-1.

We spoke with Fallon Fox by phone Saturday.

Discussing the recent increase in visibility of trans people and the growth of the struggle for trans rights, she said, "It's like it all just started rising up in the last year or two, right? Like a lot of trans rights, LGBT rights, have just been happening. And there's a lot of faces, a lot of new things, a lot of trans faces have been coming out lately in the public light. So we have athletes, actors, models, we have doctors, we have people who are doing a lot of things in the trans community, and the community at large, as trans people."

She stressed, "We're all over. And it's a really good time, I think, for trans people."

We discussed how trans people's "silence hasn't been helping us"; why trans people like herself are "just like everyone else"; the growth of the Chicago area, where she is based, as a center of activity for the trans community; her growing acceptance in the MMA community; the adjustments she made in her latest MMA fight; her plans for the future; 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.

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: athletes, Chicago, Eddie Goldman, Fallon Fox, homophobia, LGBT, MMA, No Holds Barred, sports, trans, transphobia

Photo credits: WSOF/Lucas Noonan

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the world's top-ranked MMA fighter in the women's 115-pound division, and the WSOF women's strawweight champion, American Top Team fighter Jessica Aguilar.

Her debut fight with the World Series of Fighting was on January 18 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. There she captured WSOF's inaugural women's strawweight title by defeating Alida Gray by submission with an arm triangle choke at 2:45 of the first round.

We spoke with Jessica Aguilar by phone Sunday.

Having fought in MMA professionally now for eight years, she said that she expects to be fighting for about five more years.

"My goal and my plan is to go out as a champion," she said. "That's what I'm going to do."

Noted for her jiu-jitsu and grappling, she also would like to resume competition on the mat.

"After that, or in-between that, I still want to compete in jiu-jitsu, absolutely," she said. "I went back to training and I'm doing more of that. So I would love to start competing in the grappling arena as well."

Besides fighting and training, she is very involved with many community organizations in south Florida, and plans to do even more than she has already. She is a motivational speaker for the anti-bullying organization Sweethearts and Heroes. She is involved with the Miami Children's Hospital. And she works with the Pride Center in Wilton Manors, Florida, which serves the LGBTQ communities and friends and neighbors in south Florida.

We also discussed when she expects that her next fight will take place, her good experiences working with WSOF, why working with WSOF was the right decision for her, and much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link does not 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.

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: American Top Team, BJJ, Eddie Goldman, grappling, Jessica Aguilar, jiu-jitsu, LGBT, MMA, No Holds Barred, World Series Fighting, WSOF

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with wrestling coach Carlin Yetts.

He is very busy in the sport of wrestling, serving as head wrestling coach of the Cbus Wrestling Club in Columbus, Ohio, as well as wrestling coach for Dodge Knights Wrestling, a recreational youth program also in Columbus.

On the international level, he is a board member of the Federation of Gay Games, which every four years organizes the Gay Games, an international sporting and cultural event, which, according to its web site, invites "participation from everybody, regardless of sexual orientation, race, gender, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, political beliefs, athletic or artistic ability, age, physical challenge or health status." The Gay Games is open to anyone 18 years or older, and "About 10 percent of participants are from outside the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community."

Carlin Yetts is also a board member of Wrestlers WithOut Borders, which, according to its web site, is "a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of the noble Olympic wrestling sports of Freestyle Wrestling, Greco-Roman Wrestling, Beach Wrestling, and Non-Gi Grappling, as defined by WWB & FILA."

Wrestling is the only sport that has been officially sanctioned in every Gay Games since their inception in 1982.

Gay Games 9 is scheduled for August 9-16, 2014, in Cleveland and Akron, Ohio.

The wrestling and grappling at Gay Games 9 will take place August 11-13 at Case Western Reserve University in the Horsburgh Gymnasium, 2138 Adelbert Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. On Monday, August 11, there will be sign-in, clinics, weigh-ins, and skin check. On Tuesday, August 12, there will be freestyle wrestling, using slightly modified international rules (such as no head-over-head throws). On Wednesday, August 13, there will be grappling. The competition will be held for both men and women and in numerous weight classes. The wrestling and grappling at Gay Games 9 will be organized by Wrestlers WithOut Borders. The bulk of the wrestlers and grapplers expected to compete are recreational athletes.

We spoke with Carlin Yetts by Skype Sunday.

Gay Games 9, he said, "is probably going to be one of the biggest. With wrestling kind of leading the helm, you're going to see probably 150-plus wrestlers. And that's probably going to be the biggest from the Gay Games in 30 years." Since the Ohio and neighboring areas are hotbeds of wrestling, he expects a big crowd at Case Western for the wrestling.

At Case Western, which has a Division III wrestling team, their head wrestling coach has had "wide-open arms to us. It's going to be a pretty big event. They've given their facilities to us for free."

He added that today, most people feel that for sport, one's sexual or gender identity "doesn't matter."

"I feel like in our sport, if you can wrestle, then you go on the mat and prove it. Everything else comes second."

We also discussed more about the youth programs he coaches, the role of the Gay Games and Wrestlers WithOut Borders in breaking down stereotypes of LGBT athletes, how acceptance of LGBT athletes is growing but will still take time and education, how he as a gay man and wrestler and coach has faced these issues, 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.

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: Carlin Yetts, Eddie Goldman, Gay Games, grappling, LGBT, No Holds Barred, wrestling

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the world's top-ranked MMA fighter in the women's 115-pound division, American Top Team fighter Jessica Aguilar.

She has recently signed with the World Series of Fighting, and will make her debut in that promotion at WSOF 8 on Saturday, January 18, 2014, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

Her opponent will be Alida Gray, 4-0 in MMA, in a bout for World Series of Fighting's inaugural women's strawweight title.

WSOF 8 will be telecast live in the U.S. on NBC Sports Network.

We spoke with Jessica Aguilar by phone Sunday night.

Having watched some video of Alida Gray, she is confident that she will win this fight and retain her number one ranking.

"I'm going to be ready," she said, "and that belt's going to be mine."

We also discussed her previous fight, a rematch with grappling legend and MMA pioneer Megumi Fujii, which took place October 5, 2013, on the Vale Tudo Japan 3rd event card in Ota, Tokyo, Japan. Jessica Aguilar won that fight, albeit with some controversy, and she explained what happened.

In addition, we also discussed the treatment of LGBT fighters in MMA and her own experiences. Speaking for herself, she said that there was "nothing bad to say from my experience."

Besides reiterating her love of Japan and their culture and fans, we discussed her future plans, how her mother has come to accept that she is a fighter, her training at American Top Team, and the humorous story of how she first became a professional MMA fighter. And towards the end of our discussion, she treated us to a brief rendition of an old Garth Brooks song.

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: Alida Gray, American Top Team, Eddie Goldman, Jessica Aguilar, LGBT, MMA, No Holds Barred, World Series Fighting, WSOF

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

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

The Play the Game 2013 conference was held October 28-31, 2013, in Aarhus, Denmark, with 148 speakers addressing many of the burning issues in world sport. All the conference presentations are now online.

We spoke with Jens Sejer Andersen by Skype on Tuesday.

Among the many key areas of interest and issues which he identified as being focused upon at this conference were: match-fixing, especially in international football (soccer); "mega-events: what are they good for?"; "the quality of sports governance, the quality of the sports leaders, their honesty"; "doping as a permanent item on the international agenda"; and the "whole concern about which interests is sport serving".

Describing this as "the best conference we've had so far," he also explained that there is more "public involvement" in the fight for good governance and against the various forms of corruption in sport than ever before. One of the many examples of this was the popular uprising in Brazil earlier this year against the corruption and massive government spending on the 2014 FIFA World Cup while the needs of the people were not being met.

We also discussed how the "sports-business complex" uses mega-events to their advantage and often against the interests of the majority of people; the issue of rights for LGBT people in Russia and the upcoming 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics; who are the new and current "superpowers" in world sport; the exposure in the media of horrific working conditions for those involved in the construction of facilities for the 2022 Qatar World Cup; the lack of democracy and good governance in many of the international federations which are affiliated with the International Olympic Committee; how it is "outrageous" that safety for athletes is not the number one issue in many sports; allegations of corruption in some of the lower-profile sports such as weightlifting and wrestling; the growing problem of many youths not being involved in sports at the grassroots level and having sedentary lifestyles; the role of the sports media; and much, much more.

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

No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.

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

LenneHardt.com, the web site of the world's greatest ring announcer, Lenne Hardt. Need a unique and cool combat sports-related gift? At LenneHardt.com, you can order personalized messages, wedding calls, ringtones, phone answering messages, and more, all recorded by Lenne herself, in the style of your choice. For more information, go to LenneHardt.com.

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

GrappleGnostic, sponsored by Defense Soap. Where the will to win meets the power of knowledge. Features, interviews, analysis, health tips, and information on wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and all the grappling arts, written by some of the best writers and experts in the world. Check out their web site, a http://defensesoap.com/grapplegnostic.

Defense Soap, an effective, deep penetrating body soap with natural antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial soap ingredients. Defense Soap is the best cleansing body soap for men and women athletes who are involved in contact sports such as MMA, wrestling, grappling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, to help their antifungal, anti-ringworm, anti-jock itch strategy. Check out their web site, at http://defensesoap.com.

American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.

Labels: conference, corruption, democracy, doping, Eddie Goldman, FIFA, football, IOC, Jens Sejer Andersen, LGBT, match-fixing, No Holds Barred, Olympics, Play Game, soccer, Sochi, sport

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Wade Davis, the executive director of the You Can Play Project.

You Can Play is, according to its web site, an organization "dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation." Its slogan is: "Gay athletes. Straight allies. Teaming up for respect."

The issues of respect and fairness for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) athletes are major ones being discussed in world sport, from the controversy over Russia's law against so-called "gay propaganda" passed shortly before the start of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, to the debate in the combat sports involving transgender MMA fighter Fallon Fox and gay boxer Orlando Cruz. These are issues we addressed with Wade Davis. We spoke with him by phone Monday.

"One of the first things that we try to do at You Can Play is create a conversation," he said. "Whether you're someone who is against the idea of playing with an LGBT person or you're for it, our goal is to approach it from the perspective that we don't believe that people are inherently homophobic."

He continued, "Now there are definitely some who are, but we don't believe that the majority of people are, so we're willing to say, 'Hey, tell me what your beliefs are. I'll tell you mine. There is no right or wrong, but our goal is to really have a conversation.' If there is at least the option of having a conversation, then there is a chance that you're looking to be educated and receive some information that could potentially make you more or less likely to engage with helping to create a space for an LGBT person to play sports. We don't believe that telling someone what they believe is right or wrong helps to facilitate a conversation."

We discussed how to approach both sports organizations and fans on these issues, combat sports and views of what masculinity means, what people can do to fight homophobia and transphobia, 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:

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: boxing, combat sports, Eddie Goldman, Fallon Fox, homophobia, LGBT, MMA, No Holds Barred, Olympics, Sochi, transphobia, Wade Davis, wrestling, You Can Play Project