NO HOLDS BARRED

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman reports from Tuesday's Bellator MMA news conference at Madison Square Garden previewing the June 24 Bellator pay-per-view at MSG in New York. We also preview the main event of the Bellator 175 card, which takes place this Friday, March 31, at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, a rematch between "King" Mo Lawal and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, which will also be shown live in the U.S. on Spike TV.

At the news conference, we spoke with the legend, the greatest MMA fighter of all time, Fedor Emelianenko. He fights former UFC brawler Matt Mitrione in the co-main event. We spoke with the 40-year-old Fedor about this fight and his plans.

Also at the news conference was Spike SVP Sports & Specials Jon Slusser. Viacom is the parent company of both Spike and Bellator, and we spoke with him about the future of both Bellator and the PBC (Premier Boxing Champions) as Spike is rebranded and repositioned next year.

On the media conference call of March 22, we spoke with both "King" Mo and "Rampage" about their rematch this Friday.

And we open with a commentary on the state of MMA today, its history, and this Bellator pay-per-view.

(Photos by Kristal Hart.)

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Labels: Bellator, Eddie Goldman, Fedor Emelianenko, Jon Slusser, King Mo Lawal, MMA, No Holds Barred, pay-per-view, Quinton Rampage Jackson, Spike TV

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with MMA legend, actor, and Bellator fighter Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

Still fighting at age 36, with a 15-year MMA career including 46 fights and 35 wins, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson remains a headliner. His last fight was the main event of the Bellator pay-per-view of May 17, 2014, when he won a close and controversial three-round decision over "King" Mo Lawal, to win the Bellator season 10 light heavyweight tournament final.

We spoke with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson July 30 at a Bellator media day at Dave and Buster's in New York.

Asked about that fight, he said, "Yeah, I watched the replay. It's always going to be people saying different things when the fight is a close decision."

He continued, "It was a good fight. King Mo had a game plan that he thought that could make him victorious in the fight. And I fight the way I normally fight: I fight to excite the crowds, and I always try to knock my opponents out."

As for the decision, he said, "I think the judges did a good job in calling the fight. King Mo won the first one, I won the second one, and the third one was close, and I did just enough to win."

He also explained how he considers himself "a showman", that he plans to retire from fighting in about two years and continue working in the entertainment industry, what he expects from new Bellator president Scott Coker, why he would "love a rematch" with King Mo, why a title fight with Bellator light heavyweight champ Emanuel Newton is unlikely since they have "the same coach" and have trained with one another, 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 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.

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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: Bellator, Eddie Goldman, MMA, No Holds Barred, Quinton Rampage Jackson, UFC

(Photo credit of Canelo and Angulo: Esther Lin/Showtime)

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the issues of transgender athletes and concussions in combat sports, and previews the Canelo Alvarez-Alfredo Angulo fight and the return to Bellator of Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

The commentary begins with a brief examination of the issues in the ESPN Grantland article "Dr. V's Magical Putter" about a transgender woman who invented a controversial but popular golf putter. Recommended reading are two essential replies. ESPN writer Christina Kahrl wrote "What Grantland Got Wrong". MMA fighter Fallon Fox wrote, also in reply, "The Wrong Way To Write About Trans People".

Also noted are the different reactions in boxing and MMA to the issue of transgender athletes, and how the fight for rights for transgender people has become a major focus in the general battle for human rights.

Next is a discussion of the issues of concussions in contact and combat sports, the recent string of deaths in MMA, and recreational and performance-enhancing drugs.

Major fights are already being announced for 2014. In boxing, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, following the first loss of his professional career in September to Floyd Mayweather, returns March 8 to face slugger Alfredo Angulo, in Las Vegas, Nevada. This fight will headline a Showtime pay-per-view in the U.S.

We spoke with both Canelo Alvarez and Alfredo Angulo on a media conference call this week.

In MMA, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson will be entering the four-man Bellator light heavyweight tournament, beginning February 28 at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. He will face former Bellator light heavyweight champion Christian M'Pumbu in the opening round. The other bracket has "King" Mo Lawal facing Mikhail Zayats. These fights will be telecast live in the U.S. on Spike TV.

We spoke with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson on a media conference call this week.

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.

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Labels: Alfredo Angulo, Bellator, boxing, concussions, Eddie Goldman, Fallon Fox, MMA, No Holds Barred, Quinton Rampage Jackson, Saul Canelo Alvarez, transgender

(Photo of Rampage and Tito by Dr. Raul Ramirez)

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with our correspondent Dr. Raul Ramirez of Catch Wrestling Los Angeles.

He was in attendance at Monday's Bellator MMA news conference at the Bellator offices in Newport Beach, California, to announce their debut pay-per-view on November 2 featuring a fight between MMA veterans Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Tito Ortiz, with more fights to be announced. We discussed what happened there, and issues related to this fight, the pay-per-view, and Bellator's approach to MMA.

Both fighters had a lot to say at this news conference, insisting that they are not through as fighters. They praised the "positive environment" at Bellator, contrasting it to their rocky relations, especially in recent years, with UFC management.

"Actually, I really believe that this is the beginning of a possible change in labor relations in MMA, because that's basically what Rampage and Tito talked about the majority of the time," Raul Ramirez said in our interview, which was recorded by phone Tuesday.

"Hopefully other fighters, if they're feeling taken advantage of, so they also come out and speak up, and follow Rampage and Tito's examples."

We also play an excerpt from the media conference call part of this press conference, with questions for Rampage, Tito, and Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney.

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.

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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/.

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: catch, catch-as-catch-can, Eddie Goldman, Los Angeles. Bellator, MMA, No Holds Barred, pay-per-view, Quinton Rampage Jackson, Raul Ramirez, Tito Ortiz, UFC, wrestling

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the signing of Quinton "Rampage" Jackson with Bellator MMA, and the continuing problems with the new rules and organization of international wrestling.

From the June 5 media conference call featuring Rampage and Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney, we play the questions asked by Eddie Goldman, about the need for a fighters' union or association, and about Rampage's controversial online videos.

Besides the many problems with the new wrestling rules and international wrestling, also discussed are the controversial process by which sports and federations are added and removed from the Olympic program, the growing criticisms of this process, and the need for a stronger battle against corruption in international sport.

We open with congratulations to our colleague Kristal Hart, whose TV show on Manhattan Neighborhood Network in New York, the Kristal Hart Show, was awarded first place in the Hometown Media Awards in the category of government activities. The Hometown Media Awards, sponsored by the Alliance for Community Media, were presented in San Francisco at their national awards honor show on May 30.

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: Bellator, Bjorn Rebney, Eddie Goldman, FILA, IOC, Kristal Hart, MMA, No Holds Barred, Olympics, Quinton Rampage Jackson, rules, wrestling

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with the freestyle and collegiate wrestling champion, and now undefeated mixed martial arts fighter, "King" Mo Lawal.

After four straight victories in Japan in the Sengoku/World Victory Road organization, Mo makes his American mixed martial arts debut August 28 when he fights the mixed martial arts legend and veteran, and also a former college wrestler, Don Frye. This will be the main event on the debut show of the M-1 Breakthrough fight series, to be held in Los Angeles, Calif. This show will be televised in the U.S. live on HDNet.

We spoke with Mo at length about numerous topics Sunday afternoon, July 26, but our discussion had to start with a tribute to Vernon Forrest, the great boxing champion who was murdered during an attempted carjacking in Atlanta Saturday night, July 25. Mo is also a serious boxing fan, so we opened with our comments on the life and contributions of Vernon Forrest.

The many hot topics we discussed with Mo included his thoughts on facing Don Frye and what to expect in that fight; his King Mo persona; his recovery from his recent injuries; how he views the top heavyweight and pound-for-pound mixed martial arts fighter Fedor Emelianenko; why he likes the 1997 fight between Pernell Whitaker and Diosbelys Hurtado so much; his views on UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar; his status as a free agent and why he signed to fight on this M-1 Breakthrough card; his thoughts on Sengoku; his training in the many different techniques of combat sports; whether or not there is a double standard in the treatment of Black fighters in mixed martial arts; the real story of his dispute with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and his criticisms of him; his plans to return to competing in wrestling as well as starting pro boxing; the entrance into mixed martial arts of U.S. Olympic freestyle wrestler Daniel Cormier; his own use of the Internet and sites like Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace; 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.

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

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Labels: boxing, Breakthrough, Don Frye, Eddie Goldman, Fedor Emelianenko, King Mo Lawal, M-1 Global, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Quinton Rampage Jackson, Sengoku, UFC, Vernon Forrest, wrestling