Thursday, April 26, 2012
No Holds Barred: California Assembly Member Luis Alejo on Professional Bill of Rights for MMA Fighters
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Assembly Member Luis A. Alejo (D-Salinas). He has introduced AB 2100, also known as the Professional Bill of Rights for MMA Athletes, in the California State Assembly. On Wednesday, April 25, this bill was approved by the Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media, and now goes to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.
We spoke with Assembly Member Alejo Thursday afternoon by phone about this bill and what motivated him to introduce it. He explained that as a former successful high school and community college wrestler, he started following MMA from its first telecasts in the U.S. in 1993. But he also said in this interview, "My background has been in standing up for workers' rights as well." When he saw the ESPN "Outside the Lines" report in January on fighter pay and conditions in MMA, that "sparked my interest" in addressing the problems in MMA, including "unfair contracts".
We thus discussed the aims of this bill, why it is necessary for MMA fighters to receive the same types of protections which most other professional athletes have in the U.S., what still remains to be done for this bill to become passed, why its provisions will not hurt but actually help the sport of MMA, and why this bill will become "the norm" and actually "a national standard" like the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act.
In addition, we discussed the many benefits of wrestling, how budget cuts have led to the closing of many wrestling programs including at Gavilan College where he wrestled, his continuing connection to the local wrestling community, and more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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", by Ian Carpenter.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
ONE Fighting Championship. ONE FC is Asia's largest and most prestigious mixed martial arts event. ONE FC features the best Asian fighters and has initiated the ONE Asia Partnership Network, which includes most of the major MMA promotions and MMA gyms in Asia. For more information, go to their web site, at ONEFC.com.
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American Top Team. Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com/.
We spoke with Assembly Member Alejo Thursday afternoon by phone about this bill and what motivated him to introduce it. He explained that as a former successful high school and community college wrestler, he started following MMA from its first telecasts in the U.S. in 1993. But he also said in this interview, "My background has been in standing up for workers' rights as well." When he saw the ESPN "Outside the Lines" report in January on fighter pay and conditions in MMA, that "sparked my interest" in addressing the problems in MMA, including "unfair contracts".
We thus discussed the aims of this bill, why it is necessary for MMA fighters to receive the same types of protections which most other professional athletes have in the U.S., what still remains to be done for this bill to become passed, why its provisions will not hurt but actually help the sport of MMA, and why this bill will become "the norm" and actually "a national standard" like the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act.
In addition, we discussed the many benefits of wrestling, how budget cuts have led to the closing of many wrestling programs including at Gavilan College where he wrestled, his continuing connection to the local wrestling community, and more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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", by Ian Carpenter.
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: AB 2100, California State Assembly, Eddie Goldman, Luis Alejo, MMA, No Holds Barred, Professional Bill of Rights, wrestling
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
No Holds Barred: California State Assembly Committee Hearing on Professional Bill of Rights for MMA Fighters
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman presents the audio from the April 25 public hearing of the Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media of the California State Assembly, focusing on the bill AB 2100. This bill, also known as the Professional Bill of Rights for MMA Athletes, was introduced by Assembly Member Luis A. Alejo (D-Salinas).
According to Assembly Member Alejo's news release, the bill aims to "protect professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters in California from certain exploitative business practices" and to extend to professional MMA fighters "certain legal protections already afforded to professional boxers under the federal Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act of 2000."
The hearing, chaired by Assembly Member Nora Campos, featured several speakers both for and against this bill. Those in favor of the bill included former UFC and Pancrase champion Frank Shamrock, former UFC fighter and now an attorney Christian Wellisch, former MFC lightweight champion Antonio McKee, Rob Maysey of the Mixed Martial Arts Fighters Association, trainer Juanito Ibarra, and representatives of the labor movement. Opposing the bill were Zuffa lobbyist Tim Lynch, Strikeforce women's 135-pound champion Ronda Rousey, former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes, UFC executives Lawrence Epstein and Marc Ratner, and former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell.
This bill was voted upon and approved by the committee by a vote of 5-2 with two not voting, and now goes to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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", by Ian Carpenter.
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/.
According to Assembly Member Alejo's news release, the bill aims to "protect professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters in California from certain exploitative business practices" and to extend to professional MMA fighters "certain legal protections already afforded to professional boxers under the federal Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act of 2000."
The hearing, chaired by Assembly Member Nora Campos, featured several speakers both for and against this bill. Those in favor of the bill included former UFC and Pancrase champion Frank Shamrock, former UFC fighter and now an attorney Christian Wellisch, former MFC lightweight champion Antonio McKee, Rob Maysey of the Mixed Martial Arts Fighters Association, trainer Juanito Ibarra, and representatives of the labor movement. Opposing the bill were Zuffa lobbyist Tim Lynch, Strikeforce women's 135-pound champion Ronda Rousey, former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes, UFC executives Lawrence Epstein and Marc Ratner, and former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell.
This bill was voted upon and approved by the committee by a vote of 5-2 with two not voting, and now goes to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
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", by Ian Carpenter.
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: AB 2100, California State Assembly, Eddie Goldman, Luis Alejo, MMA, No Holds Barred, Professional Bill of Rights
