NO HOLDS BARRED

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with catch wrestler and wrestling coach Luis Ojeda.

In 2014, he became the American heavyweight catch wrestling champion.

In his next match, he will be wrestling in the main event of the third show hosted by Legit Pro Wrestling (LPW).

His opponent, in a match which will be for the International Heavyweight Championship, will be Chris Crossan, who holds the LPW British heavyweight title.

LPW 3 will take place Sunday, June 12, at new Middlesbrough Sports Village in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, U.K.

We spoke with Luis Ojeda by phone Thursday.

"It's a really exciting time for me," he said. He had already planned a vacation with his family in the U.K. in June, but decided to include a stop on the mat to compete in Legit Pro Wrestling. He was originally slated to face Chris Crossan two years earlier in Los Angeles, but since that match did not happen then, he now has the opportunity finally to wrestle him.

"I'm going to be in England anyways," he said.

"I contacted Chris Crossan. He's the man over there. I give him a lot of props for being able to put it together, put a match together. He got a venue. I'm honored to be a part of Legit Pro Wrestling."

While this will be a catch wrestling match, the rules, known as the "warrior rules", will be different from those used in other events. This match will have three five-minute rounds. Points will be awarded for pins or submissions, with the wrestler with the most points at the end of the match winning. Pins or submissions will not automatically end the match, but result in it being restarted. Thus, the match will go the full 15 minutes, "no matter what," he said.

We also discussed his coaching wrestling at San Ysidro High School in San Diego, plans to teach a combatives class, 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 available at Google Play Music.

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 Frank Gotch World Catch Wrestling Tournament. On Sunday, July 3, 2016, catch wrestlers from all around the world will compete in Humboldt, Iowa, the hometown of the legendary world champion wrestler Frank Gotch. Organized by the Catch Wrestling Alliance and co-sponsored by IAWrestle, the Frank Gotch Statue Committee, and the Frank Gotch Kids Wrestling Club, the event will take place at Humboldt High School. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.

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: catch, Chris Crossan, Eddie Goldman, Legit Pro Wrestling, LPW, Luis Ojeda, No Holds Barred

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Chris Crossan of Legit Pro Wrestling (LPW).

Our subject in this, the second part of our discussion recorded by Skype this past Thursday, is the upcoming third event for LPW.

LPW 3 will take place Sunday, June 12, at new Middlesbrough Sports Village in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, U.K.

The main event will feature Chris Crossan himself, who holds the LPW British heavyweight title, against Luis Ojeda, who in 2014 became the American heavyweight catch wrestling champion. This match will be contested for the International Heavyweight Championship. More matches on this card will be announced shortly.

"The show's June the 12th, a Sunday. It's going to run for three hours, 4 till 7. So this is all for families. We want it family-oriented. It's going to be a great day out, and I'm really excited that I've got a great opponent for this event," he said.

"I'll be wrestling Luis Ojeda from the U.S. As you know, Luis has won a lot in catch wrestling. He's King of Catch USA Heavyweight Champion. We were scheduled to have a match. It will be almost two years to the day I flew out to America, and I didn't realize I wasn't wrestling him until I got there," he said.

"The day after I was given a different match. But two years later we've managed to get our heads together, and we've arranged it, so we're going to finally get to have a match. I'm really looking forward to it."

We discussed the rules for this match, which will have three five-minute rounds. Points will be awarded for pins or submissions, with the wrestler with the most points winning. These rules are designed to speed up the action on the mat and make it "more of a sprint," he said. If the points are even at the end of the match, it is a draw, as there will be no judges.

Also, we discussed the need to teach catch wrestling to children. Towards this end, on May 2, an eight-week spring course for the Legit Pro Wrestling School has started. More information is here.

We also discussed how his own wrestling skills have improved over the past few years, the need for a democratically-run international federation for catch wrestling, how catch wrestling is "a working class sport", 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 Frank Gotch World Catch Wrestling Tournament. On Sunday, July 3, 2016, catch wrestlers from all around the world will compete in Humboldt, Iowa, the hometown of the legendary world champion wrestler Frank Gotch. Organized by the Catch Wrestling Alliance and co-sponsored by IAWrestle, the Frank Gotch Statue Committee, and the Frank Gotch Kids Wrestling Club, the event will take place at Humboldt High School. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.

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: catch, Chris Crossan, Eddie Goldman, Legit Pro Wrestling, LPW, Luis Ojeda, No Holds Barred

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with catch wrestler and wrestling coach Luis Ojeda.

Since winning the American heavyweight catch wrestling championship on August 30, 2014, in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, and becoming the first holder of this title in real catch wrestling since the early 1900s, Luis Ojeda has stayed quite busy in catch and other styles of wrestling. But he also is still learning, and will be at the winter 2015 edition of Scientific Wrestling's Certified Catch Wrestler Training Camp in San Diego, California, from Friday, February 6, to Sunday, February 8.

We spoke with Luis Ojeda by phone Monday.

"We have Wade Schalles coming down, the head coach of Scientific Wrestling -- Jake Shannon. I know there's some people coming down from Kentucky -- Jay Grooms. I've never met these guys, and I know that they're good," he said. He added that he is "excited to be around and see what I'm going to learn from Wade Schalles and all these people."

We also discussed the results of the West Coast King of Catch Wrestling Tournament and No Gi Submission Only Grappling Tournament, which took place January 11, 2015, at San Ysidro High School in San Diego, where he also serves as wrestling coach, and which he helped run, and had Travis Newaza as the big winner; his plans to compete in the annual Schwingfest, a competition in the Swiss folkstyle wrestling known as Schwingen and hosted by the Imperial Valley Swiss Club; the challenge made by Curran Jacobs to have a catch wrestling match with Travis Newaza; his own challenge of Raul Ramirez also to have a catch wrestling match; his training in many grappling styles including jiu-jitsu and judo; his coaching and plans to compete in catch wrestling this year; 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: challenges, Eddie Goldman, grappling, King of Catch Wrestling, Luis Ojeda, No Holds Barred, Schwingen, Swiss

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Jake Shannon of Scientific Wrestling.

2014 saw the greatest number of catch wrestling tournaments, events, seminars, and wrestlers participating in them all around the world, in the 21st century. Jake foresaw this when he declared on this show this past January: "It's a springtime for catch wrestling right now."

To review 2014 and discuss what to expect and needs to be done in catch wrestling for 2015 and beyond, we spoke with Jake Shannon by phone Monday.

"I call it a revolution," he said of catch wrestling's recent growth. He called it "a complete revolution, 360 degrees, that here we are, back again, with catch wrestling getting some respect."

We discussed the first catch wrestling tournament for 2015: the West Coast King of Catch Wrestling Tournament and No Gi Submission Only Grappling Tournament.

This event takes place Sunday, January 11, 2015, at San Ysidro High School at 5353 Airway Road, San Diego, California 92154.

We also discussed the historical importance of catch wrestling reviving as a sport in itself, why 2014 was a remarkable year for it, how the style vs. style format continues to capture people's imagination, how to utilize the catch wrestling vs. jiu-jitsu rivalry, why most catch wrestling matches end by pin, the appeal of catch wrestling for high school and college wrestlers, 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:

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: Eddie Goldman, grappling, Jake Shannon, King of Catch Wrestling, Luis Ojeda, No Holds Barred, scientific, Wade Schalles

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with catch wrestler and wrestling coach Luis Ojeda.

He will help kick off 2015 for catch wrestling by helping to run the West Coast King of Catch Wrestling Tournament and No Gi Submission Only Grappling Tournament.

This event takes place Sunday, January 11, 2015, at San Ysidro High School at 5353 Airway Road, San Diego, California 92154, where he also serves as wrestling coach.

We spoke with Luis Ojeda by phone Monday.

Explaining how this event was set up, he said, "I saw this opportunity. I talked to my athletic director. We had lost another tournament that we were going do for the wrestling team, usually our big fundraiser. There was a conflict with basketball. I was like, 'Hey, why don't we do a King of Catch?'"

He got approval, and added, "I pitched the idea of doing a King of Catch and a grappling tournament, and it seems to be coming together."

We also discussed the California Catch Wrestling Association Test Tournament organized by that newly-formed group, which takes place Sunday, December 21, at Brea Olinda High School, 789 Wildcat Way, Brea, CA 92821.

We went over the rules for each of these events, the upcoming competitions in California in the Swiss folkstyle wrestling known as Schwingen, plans for his next catch wrestling match following his victory in August when he won the American heavyweight catch wrestling championship at the Liberty Bell Classic/King of Catch Wrestling Tournament, the future of catch wrestling, and much more.

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

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

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: Eddie Goldman, grappling, King of Catch Wrestling, Luis Ojeda, No Holds Barred

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with catch wrestlers Luis Ojeda, Anthony Sansonetti, and Thomas Velasquez, coach Ray Karakas, and Bob Carson of Carson's Corner, at the Liberty Bell Classic/King of Catch Wrestling Tournament.

This event took place Saturday, August 30, at Primal Gym in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

In the main event, Luis Ojeda and Anthony Sansonetti had an epic catch wrestling match, with Luis Ojeda finally winning by pin in 55 minutes and 10 seconds. The match had to go into a fourth, overtime period, with no pins or submissions having been scored until then. By winning, Luis Ojeda was crowned American heavyweight catch wrestling champion, the first such holder of this title in real catch wrestling since the early 1900s.

The big winner of the tournaments was Thomas Velasquez, who captured championships in both the heavyweight and absolute divisions. By winning the absolute, he also won this event's Frank Gotch Award.

"My coach over here was telling me that it wasn't going to be easy," said the new champ, Luis Ojeda. "I didn't know what was going to happen. You never know in these things."

He added, "It was a great match. It could have went either way, and I hope we can do it again."

We also discussed the strategy for both wrestlers in this match, how they implemented it, what their plans are, and more.

With Thomas Velasquez and his coach Ray Karakas, we discussed his background, how he got involved with catch wrestling, his plans, and more.

With Bob Carson, we discussed this current new era in catch wrestling, how this style is fan-friendly and has great potential, and more.

A photo gallery from this event can also be seen here.

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 http://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: Anthony Sansonetti, Bob Carson, Eddie Goldman, King Catch Wrestling Tournament, Liberty Bell Classic, Luis Ojeda, No Holds Barred, Primal Gym, Ray Karakas, Thomas Velasquez

Here are some photos from the the Liberty Bell Classic/King of Catch Wrestling Tournament, which took place Saturday, August 30, at the Primal Gym in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

in the main event, Luis Ojeda and Anthony Sansonetti had an epic catch wrestling match, with Luis Ojeda finally winning by pin in 55 minutes and 10 seconds. The match had to go into a fourth, overtime period, with no pins or submissions having been scored until then.

By winning, Luis Ojeda was crowned American heavyweight catch wrestling champion, the first such holder of this title in real catch wrestling since the early 1900s.

The big winner of the tournaments was Thomas Velasquez, who captured championships in both the heavyweight and absolute divisions.


Dan Kanagie, Eddie Goldman, Thomas Velasquez, and Ray Karakas. Thomas Velasquez wins Frank Gotch Award.


Anthony Sansonetti (L) and Luis Ojeda (R) lock up in the corner in the first round of their match. Referee Joel Bane watches closely.


Luis Ojeda riding Anthony Sansonetti, as he did much of the match.


Luis Ojeda gets up right after pinning Anthony Sansonetti.


The winner, and the new American heavyweight catch wrestling champion, Luis Ojeda.


Both Luis Ojeda and Anthony Sansonetti are champs.


Luis Ojeda with championship belt, and Dan Kanagie of North American Catch Wrestling Association, which presented this event along with Scientific Wrestling.


Luis Ojeda, Dan Kanagie, and Anthony Sansonetti.


Eddie Goldman and Luis Ojeda.


Eddie Goldman interviewing Luis Ojeda and Anthony Sansonetti after their match.


Eddie Goldman and Bob Carson, who both covered this event.

Labels: Anthony Sansonetti, Dan Kanagie, Eddie Goldman, King Catch Wrestling Tournament, Lawrenceville, Liberty Bell Classic, Luis Ojeda, New Jersey, Primal Gym, Thomas Velasquez

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with San Diego, California-based catch wrestler Luis Ojeda.

On Saturday, August 30, he will wrestling in the main event of the Liberty Bell Classic/King of Catch Wrestling Tournament.

This match will be for the American heavyweight catch wrestling championship.

In this match, Luis Ojeda, the two-time King of Catch Wrestling heavyweight champion, will face Anthony Sansonetti, the 2013 King of Catch Wrestling USA absolute division champion.

This match will be best two-out-of-three falls, with each fall having a 15-minute time limit, and take place in a ring.

Presented by the North American Catch Wrestling Association and Scientific Wrestling, the Liberty Bell Classic/King of Catch Wrestling Tournament takes place Saturday, August 30, at Primal Gym, 231 Bakers Basin Road, Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648. At it, there will be an amateur tournament as well as this main event. In all these matches, you can only win by pin or submission, with no points or judges.

We spoke with Luis Ojeda by phone Monday.

With an extensive background in numerous grappling disciplines including freestyle and American folkstyle wrestling, judo, sambo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and the Swiss folkstyle wrestling called Schwingen, Luis Ojeda was well-prepared when he finally started training and competing in catch wrestling.

"There was a match that I was supposed to do against an MMA fighter, and we were going to do a grappling match, but we couldn't decide on the rules," he recalled. "He was about 280 pounds, and I said, 'Hey, why don't we add pins? Let's add pins to this.' And he didn't really like that. He said, 'Ahh, I'm afraid you're going to pin me because I spend time on my back.'"

He continued, "That's when I was looking on the Internet and I was lucky to find Jake [Shannon] and Scientific Wrestling."

He was invited to train with them, and said, "I felt lucky, because I got to train with some of the best -- Dick Cardinal, and then later with the late Billy Robinson."

We thus discussed his accomplishments in this recently-revived sport, including winning the heavyweight championship in 2007 and 2012 at the King of Catch Wrestling USA tournaments.

We also discussed why he believes that watching catch wrestling is "more exciting than watching a UFC fight", why he actually finds Schwingen wrestling to be the "most challenging style", his continuing training in many styles of grappling, his coaching high school wrestling, the potential for catch wrestling to re-emerge as a major professional sport, 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.

The Liberty Bell Classic / King of Catch Wrestling Tournament, presented by the North American Catch Wrestling Association and Scientific Wrestling. In this tournament, you can only win by pin or submission, with no points. It all takes place Saturday, August 30, at Primal Gym, 231 Bakers Basin Road, Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648. For more information, go to KingOfCatchWrestling.com.

Scientific Wrestling, igniting a revolution in grappling based on the pursuit of traditional Catch-As-Catch-Can wrestling. Our people are legitimate Scientific Wrestling practitioners united around training, competition, innovation, grueling physical conditioning, camaraderie, and the sharing of reliable resources. For more information, go to ScientificWrestling.com.

Snake Pit U.S.A., whose primary mission is to breathe new life into real catch-as-catch-can wrestling and help lead the catch wrestling revolution for martial artists and those pursuing recreational training and fitness alike. For more information, 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 TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: Anthony Sansonetti, BJJ, catch wrestling, Eddie Goldman, folkstyle, freestyle, grappling, judo, Liberty Bell Classic, Luis Ojeda, No Holds Barred, sambo, Schwingen

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Anthony Sansonetti.

On Saturday, August 30, he will wrestling in the main event of the Liberty Bell Classic/King of Catch Wrestling Tournament.

This match will be for the American heavyweight catch wrestling championship.

In this match, Anthony Sansonetti, the 2013 King of Catch Wrestling USA absolute division champion, will face the two-time King of Catch Wrestling heavyweight champion, Luis Ojeda of San Diego, California. This match will be best two-out-of-three falls, with each fall having a 15-minute time limit.

Presented by the North American Catch Wrestling Association and Scientific Wrestling, the Liberty Bell Classic/King of Catch Wrestling Tournament takes place Saturday, August 30, at Primal Gym, 231 Bakers Basin Road, Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648. At it, there will be an amateur tournament as well as this main event. In all these matches, you can only win by pin or submission, with no points or judges.

We spoke with Anthony Sansonetti by phone Friday.

The founder and head coach at Team Renegade NY, and the owner of Tiger Martial Arts in Levittown, New York, he noted, "I've been doing martial arts my whole life."

His preparation for competing in this newly-revived sport of catch wrestling is extensive.

"The grappling portion of it, my father, my uncle were into wrestling, and they taught me how to wrestle growing up. One of my great-uncles was a judo instructor. So we grew up in a wrestling family," he said.

"Later on I did more judo. I did some shoot wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and then sambo. I've been doing sambo for the last ten years or so. So I feel like I've done all of the major grappling styles."

He has already competed in catch wrestling events in the U.S. and Canada, and thus comes into this championship match with a relatively high degree of experience in catch wrestling.

We also discussed his preparation for what could be a lengthy match, how catch wrestling could become as or more popular than Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, how it is more exciting than Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the future of catch wrestling, and much more.

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

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

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.

The Liberty Bell Classic / King of Catch Wrestling Tournament, presented by the North American Catch Wrestling Association and Scientific Wrestling. In this tournament, you can only win by pin or submission, with no points. It all takes place Saturday, August 30, at Primal Gym, 231 Bakers Basin Road, Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648. For more information, go to KingOfCatchWrestling.com.

Scientific Wrestling, igniting a revolution in grappling based on the pursuit of traditional Catch-As-Catch-Can wrestling. Our people are legitimate Scientific Wrestling practitioners united around training, competition, innovation, grueling physical conditioning, camaraderie, and the sharing of reliable resources. For more information, go to ScientificWrestling.com.

Snake Pit U.S.A., whose primary mission is to breathe new life into real catch-as-catch-can wrestling and help lead the catch wrestling revolution for martial artists and those pursuing recreational training and fitness alike. For more information, 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 TakedownRadio.com.

Labels: Anthony Sansonetti, BJJ, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, catch wrestling, Eddie Goldman, grappling, Liberty Bell Classic, Luis Ojeda, No Holds Barred, sambo

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Dan Kanagie of the North American Catch Wrestling Association about the Liberty Bell Classic/King of Catch Wrestling Tournament.

Presented by the North American Catch Wrestling Association and Scientific Wrestling, this year's tournament takes place Saturday, August 30, at Primal Gym, 231 Bakers Basin Road, Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648. In it, you can only win by pin or submission, with no points or judges.

We spoke with Dan Kanagie by phone Wednesday.

"We're having the amateur tournament, and then we're having the superfight main event directly afterwards," he said.

The superfight "is going to be crowning the first American heavyweight champion in about 100 years."

This important match will pit the two-time King of Catch Wrestling heavyweight champion Luis Ojeda of San Diego, California, against the 2013 King of Catch Wrestling USA absolute division champion Anthony Sansonetti of Williston Park, New York.

We discussed how this championship bout may become a matchup of styles, the best-of-three falls format of the matches in this event, why catch wrestling rules are more open than the rules in other styles of wrestling and grappling, the current rise and rebirth of catch wrestling, and much, much more.

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

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 Liberty Bell Classic / King of Catch Wrestling Tournament, presented by the North American Catch Wrestling Association and Scientific Wrestling. In this tournament, you can only win by pin or submission, with no points. It all takes place Saturday, August 30, at Primal Gym, 231 Bakers Basin Road, Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648. For more information, go to kingofcatchwrestling.com.

Snake Pit U.S.A., whose primary mission is to breathe new life into real catch-as-catch-can wrestling and help lead the catch wrestling revolution for martial artists and those pursuing recreational training and fitness alike. For more information, 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: Anthony Sansonetti, Dan Kanagie, Eddie Goldman, King Catch Wrestling, Liberty Bell Classic, Luis Ojeda, No Holds Barred