NO HOLDS BARRED

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with the new ONE FC welterweight champion, Ben Askren.

He won that title by defeating Nobutatsu Suzuki with a ground-and-pound TKO victory at just 1:24 of the first round at the ONE FC show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, August 29.

We spoke with Ben Askren by phone Sunday night. He was in California, helping run a youth wrestling camp.

"Youth wrestling is growing all over America," he said. In recent years, he noted, there have been "a lot of high-level coaches going back to the youth level," including himself and his brother Max Askren, also a former NCAA Div. I champion. Both Ben and Max Askren are co-founders of the Wisconsin-based Askren Wrestling Academy.

As for the use of wrestling in sports like MMA, he said, "Wrestling is a sport that, now we've seen at the highest level, works, works in real hand-to-hand combat. It's the most effective martial art."

But Ben Askren has also been a center of controversy in MMA, most recently when he was abruptly cut off during an interview on the "Inside MMA" TV show just when he was getting to an explanation of his criticisms of UFC. As of now, no plans for them to have a follow-up interview have been announced.

He is far from alone in voicing criticisms of how UFC treats fighters. Recently MMA legend Wanderlei Silva released a video both announcing his retirement from MMA and slamming the UFC owners and management.

He has seen that video, and commented, "I think that anyone who really follows the sport closely, all the things that Wanderlei Silva was saying, they're not really a shock to anybody." He added that the way UFC treats fighters, "at most times they don't have the fighters' best interests in mind."

Needless to say, Ben Askren was not cut off in his comments on No Holds Barred, and we discussed more on this issue, why he considers UFC to be a monopoly, and how the "media" have been covering such issues.

While he continued his criticisms of UFC, he said he was quite happy fighting for ONE FC in Asia. We discussed his views on that, when he might fight next, his future plans in 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.

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: Ben Askren, Eddie Goldman, MMA, No Holds Barred, One FC, UFC, wrestling, youth

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with undefeated ONE FC fighter, U.S. Olympian, and two-time NCAA Div. I national wrestling champion Ben Askren.

His next fight will be Friday, August 29, when he faces ONE FC welterweight champion Nobutatsu Suzuki in one of three title fights on a mega-card at the Dubai World Trade Centre in the United Arab Emirates, the first for ONE FC in the Middle East. This card will be televised live in Asia on Star Sports, and streamed live on pay-per-view around the world at http://www.onefc.livesport.tv.

Nobutatsu Suzuki is from Japan and a noted black belt in Kyokushin Karate. He was undefeated in MMA in Japan for six years, and is now 2-0 in ONE FC, winning their first welterweight title with a unanimous decision over Brock Larson of the USA in March.

Undefeated in MMA and a former Bellator welterweight champion, Ben Askren, who lives in Wisconsin, won his first fight in ONE FC with a dominating performance capped by a first-round submission over combat sambo champion Bakhtiyar Abbasov of Azerbaijan in May.

We spoke with Ben Askren by Skype Thursday, as he was still in Dubai after a news conference for the August 29 event.

He explained how his combination of grappling and striking on the ground set the stage for him submitting Abbasov in their fight with an arm triangle choke.

"I think it's my ground-and-pound that softened him up, let me get the kill really easily, beat him with the submission," he said.

"I think I do controlling and positional jiu-jitsu better than anyone in MMA right now."

Many have said that his next fight with Suzuki shapes up to be a classic grappler vs. striker fight, and he agrees.

"I come from a wrestling background, and I would say I'm primarily a grappler. Obviously I think I do other things well, but I'm primarily a grappler and he's definitely primarily a striker, so yeah, 100 percent."

We also discussed how he likes fighting for ONE FC and in places like Singapore and Dubai, how he looks forward to fighting on ONE FC cards in China, why "it would be great" if catch wrestling does well, and more.

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

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: Ben Askren, Dubai, Eddie Goldman, funky, MMA, No Holds Barred, Nobutatsu Suzuki, One FC, wrestling

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with American MMA fighter Brock Larson.

Riding a four-fight winning streak, including bouts in the middleweight and welterweight divisions, his next fight will be for the inaugural ONE FC welterweight championship. His opponent will be the Japanese fighter Nobutatsu Suzuki.

This fight will headline the ten-fight ONE FC: War Of Nations card on Friday, March 14. It will be held at the Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ONE FC: War Of Nations will be televised live in Asia on Star Sports, and will be streamed live to the rest of the world as an online pay-per-view for just US$9.99, at http://www.onefc.livesport.tv.

Brock Larson is known primarily as a grappler, and won his previous fight in ONE FC by unanimous decision over the dangerous kickboxer and MMA fighter Melvin Manhoef last April.

Nobutatsu Suzuki is known primarily as a striker, and won his ONE FC debut last May with a first-round TKO over veteran MMA fighter Phil Baroni.

Thus, the Brock Larson-Nobutatsu Suzuki title fight has all the makings of a classic grappler vs. striker battle.

We spoke with Brock Larson by phone Thursday.

Speaking about fighting in Asia, the Minnesota-based fighter said, "The culture over there is so much different. It's a little refreshing, just in the sense that it's just different. I've fought the same place for so long, and it's kind of nice to go and get a kind of a new look. With the rules and everything, it just kind of re-energizes me a little bit, with all the knees on the ground and the stomps, and everything kind of takes a little bit of the cheaps out of it, as far as everything in the States go, and makes it a little more real, forces you to pay attention more and keep moving. You can't just sit there."

He continued, "Asian fans are top-notch, and Matt Hume is a really good guy. And being the matchmaker over there, I think they hit a home run with him. And I just think altogether they put together a pretty good program over there."

We also discussed his upcoming fight with Nobutatsu Suzuki and why he expects to win, his previous fight with Melvin Manhoef, the role of grappling in MMA, the possibility of a future fight with the unbeaten Ben Askren, his training at 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:

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: Brock Larson, Eddie Goldman, grappling, Malaysia, MMA, No Holds Barred, Nobutatsu Suzuki, One FC, War Of Nations

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the Agon Wrestling Championships' matchmaker and wrestler, undefeated ONE FC fighter, U.S. Olympian, and two-time NCAA Div. I national wrestling champion Ben Askren.

His next competition will be in the main event of Agon 3 on Sunday, January 26, when he will be wrestling Mike Poeta, who is an assistant coach at the University of Illinois, a three-time NCAA All-American, and a two-time NCAA finalist for Illinois. Agon 3 will take place at the Williams Center in Whitewater, Wisconsin, and will be webcast live on the Agon web site. The Agon Wrestling Championships is one of several organizations bringing back real professional wrestling, and uses a mix of American folkstyle and freestyle wrestling rules.

In addition, he has recently signed to fight in Asia's largest MMA promotion, ONE FC, and expects to debut there this spring.

We spoke with Ben Askren by phone Friday.

Speaking of his many roles, including Agon matchmaker, he said, "I always just look for opportunities like this that I think fit me well and that I'm passionate about, and this is something that fits both those categories. I would love, just like most wrestling fans would, to see an authentic professional wrestling succeed and thrive in America."

He added, "It's definitely something new in my career, and something that I'm really passionate and looking forward to helping."

We discussed some of what has to occur for this new incarnation of real professional wrestling to succeed. While he is happy with what has been done so far, he said that there still is "a long way to go," mentioning the need for improvements in production of events, building a steady audience, and working with the media. While specific plans for Agon are still being worked out, he would like eventually to see a belt system for champions established like other combat sports have.

Ironically, he noted that Agon seems to have received a more positive response from the MMA media than the wrestling media, which he said is often "resistant to change."

As for ONE FC, he said, "I think it's going to be a good fit." He has already trained at Evolve MMA in Singapore, which he said had "great facilities" which are better than American gyms, and plans to train there again before his first ONE FC fight.

In addition, he has followed the history of catch wrestling, the style utilized a century ago by wrestlers like Frank Gotch and Farmer Burns, where you could only win by pin or submission. This was the last time that real professional wrestling was a major sport, and he knows that there are lessons to be learned today from catch wrestling, both in terms of essential techniques and promotion. He said he hopes to follow some of the main matches in catch, as catch wrestling is also being rebuilt as a legitimate sport.

We also discussed more about his busy life and dual careers in wrestling and MMA, where he sees it headed, 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.

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

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

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

Labels: Agon Wrestling Championships, Ben Askren, Eddie Goldman, Mike Poeta, MMA, No Holds Barred, One FC, real professional wrestling

(Photo of Ben Askren vs. Quentin Wright from Agon 1 courtesy of Agon Wrestling Championships.)

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents the audio of the January 16 media conference call hosted by the Agon Wrestling Championships.

Participating on this call were Agon matchmaker and wrestler, undefeated ONE FC fighter, U.S. Olympian, and two-time NCAA Div. I national champion Ben Askren; NCAA Div. I national champion and Agon wrestler Max Askren; and Agon co-founder Mike DiSabato.

Agon 3 will be held Sunday, January 26, at the Williams Center in Whitewater, Wisconsin. It will be webcast live on the Agon web site.

Ben Askren will headline Agon 3 with a bout against Mike Poeta, who is an assistant coach at the University of Illinois, a three-time NCAA All-American, and a two-time NCAA finalist for Illinois. Max Askren will face Michigan native Ben Bennett. NCAA champion Craig Becker is slated to face John Mesenbrink. And college coaches Luke Smith and Chris Heilman will complete the card.

Agon 3 is being billed as the "Festival of Funk" because of the unorthodox and popular wrestling style utilized by the Askren brothers.

The Agon Wrestling Championships is one of several organizations bringing back real professional wrestling, and uses a mix of American folkstyle and freestyle wrestling rules.

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: Agon Wrestling Championships, Ben Askren, Eddie Goldman, Max Askren, Mike DiSabato, MMA, No Holds Barred, One FC, real professional wrestling

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with ONE FC MMA fighter Peter Davis.

His next fight will be this Friday, October 18, at ONE FC: Total Domination. His opponent in this lightweight bout will be Eddie Ng.

ONE FC: Total Domination will take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore. It will be televised live on Star Sports in Asia and be shown as an online pay-per-view at http://www.onefc.livesport.tv.

We spoke with Peter Davis by Skype Wednesday Singapore time/ Tuesday New York time.

Peter Davis has won all three of his fights in ONE FC, two by TKO and one by submission. Interestingly, his opponent, Eddie Ng, has also won all three of his ONE FC fights, and also two by TKO/KO and one by submission.

"He's got a very similar sort of statistical winning streak in ONE FC compared to me," said Peter Davis.

However, he added, "I'm more of a standup sort of striker. I have range on him, which I'll be using. I'll try to keep the fight standing. But if it goes to the ground, I don't believe my grappling's all so bad."

He then promised, "It's going to be an all-out war. I really want to watch the fight, but I have to do it first."

Peter Davis is also a well-known actor and model in Asia, so we discussed how he balances his different professional careers. Originally from the U.K. and now training in Malaysia and Thailand, we discussed how he ended up living in Asia and becoming a fighter. We also discussed the tremendous growth of MMA in Asia, and much more.

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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

Labels: Eddie Goldman, Malaysia, MMA, Ng, No Holds Barred, One FC, Peter Davis, Singapore, Total Domination

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the legendary and iconic world champion of ring announcers, Lenne Hardt.

As the best in the business, the Tokyo-based Lenne Hardt is always in great demand. This weekend, for example, she will be announcing at three different events in two different countries.

On Friday, October 18, she will be displaying her talents at the ONE FC: Total Domination card at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore. In the main event of that card, ONE FC interim bantamweight champion Bibiano Fernandes will fight the current ONE FC bantamweight champion, the 21-year-old Soo Chul Kim of Korea, who is returning from an injury. This fight will thus be a title unification bout.

ONE FC: Total Domination will be televised live on Star Sports in Asia and be shown as an online pay-per-view at http://www.onefc.livesport.tv.

Right after the ONE FC card, she will fly to Beijing, China, to announce two events, both on Sunday, October 20. First, she will be announcing the finals of the 2013 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship, which is the most important and prestigious grappling tournament in the world. Later that day, she will also be announcing the Real Fight MMA event.

Her country-hopping schedule will take her to Moscow, Russia, on Friday, November 8, for the Legend 2 MMA show, headlined by Alexander Emelianenko facing Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic. And there are more ONE FC events this year, a possible trip to South America, plans for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and even more.

With this kind of schedule, that is why, in our interview recorded by Skype Tuesday (Monday New York time), she sang the line "I'm just a girl who can't say no" from the Rodgers and Hammerstein song "I Cain't Say No" from the Broadway show and film "Oklahoma!".

"So that's going to keep me pretty busy," she said with a laugh.

We also discussed her announcing for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, a Japanese professional baseball team, who regard her as their "lucky charm" since they seem to win whenever she announces for them. And we discussed how various cultures around the world view combat sports; the interrelationship of music, arts, sports, and entertainment; and much more.

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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

Labels: ADCC, Beijing, China, Eddie Goldman, Lenne Hardt, MMA, No Holds Barred, One FC, Real Fight, Singapore, Total Domination

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with the ONE FC interim bantamweight champion, a multi-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA champion, and one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Bibiano Fernandes.

His next fight will be Friday, October 18, in the main event of the ONE FC: Total Domination card at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore.

His opponent will be the current ONE FC bantamweight champion, the 21-year-old Soo Chul Kim of Korea, who is returning from an injury. This fight will thus be a title unification bout.

ONE FC: Total Domination will be televised live in Asia on Star Sports, and streamed live as an online pay-per-view, at http://www.onefc.livesport.tv.

We spoke with Bibiano Fernandes by phone Thursday.

Regarding his younger opponent, the 33-year-old Bibiano Fernandes had only praise.

"The kid is a very good athlete. He's very quick. He has good conditioning. And he's very young," he said. He noted that "he has a good right hand" as well as good wrestling, and is thus "very dangerous."

But, he added, "I've fought with a lot of tough guys already," and "I'm going to be my best the day of the fight. October 18, in Singapore, at ONE FC, I'm going to bring my best."

We also discussed his own storied career; how he transitioned from just being a champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to becoming "a complete athlete" and to win championships in MMA; why he said "I love fighting in Asia"; how long he may continue to fight; and much more.

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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

Labels: Asia, bantamweight, Bibiano Fernandes, BJJ, Eddie Goldman, MMA, No Holds Barred, One FC, Singapore, Soo Chul Kim, Total Domination

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the Singapore-based Fox Sports presenter, a writer. and a commentator on the ONE FC MMA telecasts and webcasts, Steve Dawson.

Steve regularly visits New York, so we sat down to talk with him Wednesday at a Chinese restaurant in uptown Manhattan in Washington Heights, near the George Washington Bridge.

We of course discussed the phenomenal growth of ONE FC, the king of MMA in Asia, and how MMA is becoming a mainstream sport in Asia and is appealing not just to fight fans and martial artists, but to the general public.

"Many Asian markets are just not into sport the way we are in the West, and the mainstream sports that we see in the West," he said. "So I think that the combat sports that have been around for such a long time are an easier fit for people to enjoy in Asia."

After visiting New York and attending many sporting and other events, he will return home next week to face a very busy schedule. as ONE FC is holding back-to-back shows. Their next show will be called ONE FC: Champions and Warriors, and will take place Friday, September 13, at the Istora Senayan in Jakarta, Indonesia. They return the following month, with ONE FC: Total Domination on Friday, October 18, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore. Two more shows are slated for 2013, with details to be announced shortly, and an even busier schedule planned for 2014 and beyond.

We also discussed more on the culture in Asia and the attitude there to the combat sports and the martial arts as compared to the West, the changing media landscape since Fox purchased the half of Star Sports from ESPN which it did not already own, and much, much more.

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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

The First Annual Liberty Bell Classic East Coast King of Catch Tournament, organized by the North American Catch Wrestling Association in conjunction with Scientific Wrestling. This catch wrestling tournament will take place Saturday, August 31, 2013, at the Klein JCC, 10100 Jamison Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19116. No points! No politics! Only submissions and pins win! For more information, go to http://nacwa.weebly.com.

Labels: Asia, combat sports, Eddie Goldman, martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, One FC, Singapore, Star Sports, Steve Dawson

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Victor Cui, the CEO of ONE FC.

The king of MMA in Asia, ONE FC is getting ready for back-to-back shows. Their next show will be called ONE FC: Champions and Warriors, and will take place Friday, September 13, at the Istora Senayan in Jakarta, Indonesia. They return the following month, with ONE FC: Total Domination on Friday, October 18, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore.

ONE FC: Champions and Warriors on September 13 will be headlined by a flyweight bout between Shinichi Kojima of Japan and American Andrew Leone, who fights out of Thailand. The co-main event will have former ONE FC lightweight champion Kotetsu Boku of Japan facing Vuyisile Colossa of South Africa. There will also be fights involving fighters from or having roots in Indonesia, including separate bouts featuring Vincent Latoel and Vincent Majid.

ONE FC: Total Domination on October 18 will feature a bantamweight title unification fight between current champion Soo Chul Kim, who is returning from an injury, and interim champion Bibiano Fernades. Also on that card, Hong Kong native Eddie Ng faces Peter Davis of Malaysia, and Tatsuya Mizuno fights Rafael Silva.

Both these shows will be televised live in Asia on Star Sports, and streamed live as an online pay-per-view, at www.onefc.livesport.tv.

We spoke with Victor Cui by Skype Tuesday about these cards and the significance of running yet another MMA event in Indonesia.

Besides having the fourth largest population in the world and a rapidly growing economy, Indonesia has a special connection to MMA.

"Indonesia is actually a huge hotbed for MMA," said Victor Cui. He estimated that there are "over 30, maybe even over 40 MMA gyms just in Jakarta alone."

He added, "They actually have a very deep talent pool of MMA fighters with professional records because they used to have a professional event there several years ago."

So Indonesia has "a lot of people that know the sport, a big fan base, a lot of gyms, great support from the grassroots level. And you're talking about a culture that loves martial arts."

We also discussed ONE FC's plans to run events once a month for the rest of this year, their plans for 2014 and beyond, and much more.

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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

The First Annual Liberty Bell Classic East Coast King of Catch Tournament, organized by the North American Catch Wrestling Association in conjunction with Scientific Wrestling. This catch wrestling tournament will take place Saturday, August 31, 2013, at the Klein JCC, 10100 Jamison Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19116. No points! No politics! Only submissions and pins win! For more information, go to http://nacwa.weebly.com.

Labels: Asia, Eddie Goldman, Indonesia, Jakarta, MMA, No Holds Barred, One FC, Singapore, Victor Cui

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents a no holds barred analysis of the ONE FC: Rise to Power card, which took place Friday, May 31, at the 20,000-seat SM Mall of Asia Arena. in Pasay, Philippines, next to Manila.

While five fighters from the Philippines were featured on this card, all of them suffered defeat. As it turned out, it was the Japanese fighters who stole the show, winning four of six bouts and two of the three title fights in which they competed.

In the main event, former King of Pancrase Koji Oishi of Japan scored a stunning one-punch, second-round knockout over Honorio Banario of the Philippines to capture the ONE FC featherweight title. In the co-main event, Bibiano Fernandes, originally from Brazil but now from the Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada area, defeated Koetsu Okazaki of Japan by decision in a grueling five-round fight to win the vacant ONE FC bantamweight interim title.

Another local favorite from the Philippines, Kevin Belingon, lost by decision to Masakatsu Ueda of Japan in the final of the Bantamweight Grand Prix. Eduard Folayang, also from the Philippines, also lost by decision to MMA, grappling, and wrestling veteran Kamal Shalorus, originally from Iran but now based in the USA. Yasuhiro Urushitani of Japan won a close split decision over Rey Docyogen from the Philippines. American Andrew Leone outgrappled Geje Eustaquio, also from the Philippines, to win a decision. And karate champ Nobutatsu Suzuki from Japan knocked out American Phil Baroni in the first round.

On the undercard, the Lowen Tynanes of the USA continued his own rise to power, as he won by first-round referee stoppage over Felipe Enomoto from Japan. Yusup Saadulaev of Russia defeated Ryan Diaz of Canada with a first-round submission. And in a clash of American heavyweights, former King of the Cage champion Tony Johnson stopped former UFC champion Tim Sylvia by doctor's stoppage after elbow strikes on the ground opened up a huge cut near Sylvia's right eye.

The significance of this card, the fights themselves, and the many victories of these Japanese fighters as well as the losses of the fighters from the Philippines are discussed.

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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

Labels: Bibiano Fernandes, Eddie Goldman, fighters, Honorio Banario, Japan, Japanese, Koetsu Okazaki, Koji Oishi, MMA, No Holds Barred, One FC, Philippines, Rise to Power

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the legendary and iconic world champion of ring announcers, Lenne Hardt.

She has already arrived in Manila in the Philippines in preparation for ONE FC: Rise to Power, which takes place Friday, May 31, at the 20,000-seat SM Mall of Asia Arena.

We spoke with Lenne Hardt by Skype Thursday to preview this card.

"I don't play favorites. It's not just because of my job. I really shouldn't do that. I have to remain neutral," she explained in this interview. "It's also, even if I weren't involved in this as a job, as a fan, there are certain matches I get excited about."

As is usual for ONE FC, this is another loaded card. It is headlined by a ONE FC featherweight title bout between reigning champion Honorio Banario of the Philippines and challenger Koji Oishi of Japan, and pound-for-pound king Bibiano Fernandes, originally from Brazil but now from the Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada area, taking on Koetsu Okazaki of Japan for the ONE FC bantamweight interim title.

Another local favorite from the Philippines, Kevin Belingon, will face Masakatsu Ueda of Japan in the final of the Bantamweight Grand Prix. The popular Eduard Folayang, also from the Philippines, faces MMA, grappling, and wrestling veteran Kamal Shalorus, originally from Iran. Yasuhiro Urushitani of Japan will fight Rey Docyogen from the Philippines. American Andrew Leone fights Geje Eustaquio, also from the Philippines. And American Phil Baroni takes on Nobutatsu Suzuki from Japan.

On the undercard, the up-and-coming Lowen Tynanes of the USA will fight Felipe Enomoto from Japan, American heavyweights Tim Sylvia and Tony Johnson will collide, and Ryan Diaz of Canada will take on Yusup Saadulaev of Russia.

ONE FC: Rise to Power will be televised live on Star Sports in Asia and be shown as an online pay-per-view at http://www.onefc.livesport.tv.

We also discussed with her the atmosphere for fights in the Philippines, what her own future plans are, and more.

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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

Labels: Bibiano Fernandes, Eddie Goldman, Honorio Banario, Koetsu Okazaki, Koji Oishi, Lenne Hardt, Manila, MMA, No Holds Barred, One FC, Philippines, Rise to Power

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with multi-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA champion, and one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Bibiano Fernandes.

He will be trying to add yet another belt to his collection, as he takes on former Shooto champion Koetsu Okazaki of Japan for the ONE FC interim bantamweight title on Friday, May 31. This fight will be part of the ONE FC: Rise to Power card at the 20,000-seat SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, the Philippines.

ONE FC: Rise to Power will be televised live on Star Sports in Asia and as an online pay-per-view at http://www.onefc.livesport.tv.

The current ONE FC bantamweight champion, Soo Chul Kim of Korea, is currently recovering from a shoulder injury and is unavailable to fight.

We spoke with Bibiano Fernandes by phone Wednesday about this fight, how his career is going, and his plans.

Bibiano Fernandes is a very busy man, While he lives and trains in the Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada area, he often also travels to the Seattle, Washington, USA area to train at Matt Hume's AMC Pankration gym. In addition, while he is originally from Brazil, he has fought exclusively in Asia since 2009.

When he signed with ONE FC last year rather than with UFC, he demonstrated how ONE FC has become not only the largest MMA organization in Asia, but also a major player in the world. And he has no regrets about his choice.

"I'm very happy to fight for ONE FC," he said in this interview. "For me, I make a good choice. For me, for my family, I make the best choice." Citing the growth of the organization and the people running it, he summed up his experience with ONE FC clearly and succinctly: "Everything's good."

But he also does not anticipate an easy fight against the veteran Koetsu Okazaki. Bibiano has seen video of his fights and noted that he has "good hands" and "good jiu-jitsu." So while Bibiano is known mainly for his grappling and submission skills, he expects that this fight may see a diversity of technique.

We also discussed fighting in front of the enthusiastic fans in the Philippines, whether or not there will be any effect on his opponent who is fighting outside Japan for the first time, and more.

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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

Labels: Bibiano Fernandes, BJJ, Eddie Goldman, Koetsu Okazaki, Manila, MMA, No Holds Barred, One FC, Philippines, Rise to Power

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses why the ONE FC: Kings and Champions card, held April 5, in Singapore, was perhaps their best card ever, and put the arts back in mixed martial arts.

This is contrasted with the vulgarity, ignorance, and hatred prevalent in North American sports, such as the current Rutgers basketball scandal, and the response by many to transsexual female MMA fighter Fallon Fox, who was just cleared of wrongdoing by the Florida commission.

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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

Labels: Champions, Eddie Goldman, Fallon Fox, Kings, martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, One FC, Rutgers

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Evolve MMA founder Chatri Sityodtong.

It's a very busy time for Evolve MMA and Chatri. They not only have five fighters on the ONE FC: Kings and Champions card this Friday, April 5, in Singapore, but also have just started Evolve University, the world's largest online university for the martial arts and combat sports.

"The thing that makes Evolve University different from anything else out there is not only the scale of things that we've done, but every single one of our courses is taught by world champions," said Chatri in this interview, which was recorded over Skype Wednesday (Tuesday night New York time).

"From our research, we believe that we are the world's largest online university for martial arts taught by world champions exclusively," with courses in muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, MMA, submission grappling, and wrestling.

So far, the response has been phenomenal. In the first five days of its existence, the number of people who have signed up for Evolve University around the world is in the "thousands," he said.

While Evolve University aims at providing world-class instruction in these various disciplines, the emphasis is also on promoting the positive values of the martial arts.

"I want to be able to change millions of people's lives," he said. "Look at the senseless violence that we're in today. Every day you see every city, there are innocent victims being victimized for no reason. I really believe the world will be a safer place if everyone knew the basic principles of self-defense and learned martial arts and gained self-confidence and mental strength, and discipline, focus, and energy. And martial arts really does give you a warrior spirit. It gives you that desire to fight and conquer adversity that we all have in our lives."

The five Evolve MMA fighters who will be competing at Friday's ONE FC: Kings and Champions are Shinya Aoki, Eddie Ng, Leandro Issa, Alex Silva, and Jake Butler.

ONE FC: Kings and Champions will be held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore. The show will be televised live in Asia on Star Sports, which is available in 28 countries to an estimated 500 million viewers. It will also be webcast live around the world as a pay-per-view on http://www.onefc.livesport.tv.

In the main event, submission specialist Shinya Aoki will challenge for the ONE FC lightweight belt against champion and fellow Japanese fighter Kotetsu Boku. Evolve MMA's Eddie Ng of Hong Kong will take on the colorful Arnaud Lepont of France. Evolve MMA fighter and BJJ specialist Leandro Issa will try to rebound from a loss in his last fight when he faces Dagestan fighter Yusup Saadulaev. Another BJJ world champion and Evolve MMA fighter Alex Silva will fight Wushu world champion Rene Catalan. And American wrestler and now Evolve MMA fighter Jake Butler will fight the more experienced Swain Cangco of Saipan.

Also on the ONE FC: Kings and Champions card, in what is likely a classic striker vs. grappler matchup, the explosive Melvin Manhoef fights Brock Larson. The ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix continues with the semifinal round, as Jens Pulver fights Masakatsu Ueda and Kevin Belingon fights Thanh Vu. Also, Pakistani MMA pioneer Bashir Ahmad takes on Shannon Wiratchai of Thailand, and Chen Yun Ting of Malaysia fights muay Thai star Ronald Low of Singapore.

We also discussed this card with Chatri, as well as why martial arts are part of a lifelong process and journey, the growth of MMA in Asia, why Asia will become the epicenter of MMA, the current global duopoly in MMA, and much more.

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

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

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions. Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions.

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

Labels: Champions, Chatri Sityodtong, combat sports, Eddie Goldman, Evolve University, Kings, martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, One FC, Singapore