Saturday, September 10, 2016
The Fighters' Rebellion
(Note: This article was originally written on May 23, 2008, for ADCC News. It is reposted here in full.)
When the owners of the Ultimate Fighting Championship bought the assets of the now-defunct Pride Fighting Championships of Japan last year, they thought that it was the start of a new era in the mixed martial arts. They believed that now almost all the best MMA fighters in the world would be promoted exclusively by them, and that they would have a virtual monopoly on the top fights and fighters not seen in a combat sport since the days of the notorious International Boxing Club in the 1950's, which was later broken up by the U.S. government.
The Pride purchase did mark the dawn of a new era, but not the one envisioned by the billionaire Fertitta brothers, who are the majority owners of the UFC.
The top heavyweight and pound-for-pound MMA fighter in the world was, until recently anyway, almost universally regarded as Fedor Emelianenko, who had fought for Pride until that company folded. While Pride's contractual complexities meant that Fedor's contract was not automatically transferred to the UFC as a result of the sale, the UFC bosses did try to sign him to a new contract. Fedor refused, citing "disrespect" and their onerous exclusivity clauses. He even called this type of contract "disgusting."
Fedor's rejection of the UFC led their then-heavyweight champion, Randy Couture, to resign from that company in October. The reason was that Couture, who turns 45 this June, wanted to defend his belt against the best heavyweight in the world, Fedor, and that fight was now impossible unless Fedor signed an exclusive contract to be promoted by the UFC. So Couture quit in hopes of having that fight promoted by another entity.
The UFC-Couture contract dispute is still tied up in court, but it appears obvious that there is no way that Couture will ever fight for the UFC again.
Now UFC's former top star, Tito Ortiz, has said that he will leave after the final fight on his contract, which is this weekend against Lyoto Machida. UFC president Dana White has responded with torrents of profanity-filled insults directed at Ortiz, who wasn't even invited to the event's final prefight press conference.
On top of this, former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia has left the company, and is scheduled to fight Fedor on the July 19 Affliction card in Anaheim, Calif. Sylvia is enjoying his free agency, noting at the Affliction news conference in New York Thursday, "No one wants to do exclusive contracts anymore." He said that he will fight this year for both the Affliction and Adrenaline promotions, and hopes to fight in Japan this year as well.
Even some in the mainstream media are beginning to lose their patience with Dana White. Ed Graney in the Las Vegas Review-Journal recounted some of this history, and wrote of a "dictatorship, which is what happened with the growth of UFC under the leadership of its president, who a friend of mine fittingly described Wednesday as 'the white Don King who happens to be bald.'" He also talked of fighters "who exist under White's authoritative thumb." (http://www.lvrj.com/sports/19169329.html)
While White continues to attack the upcoming EliteXC May 31 card, which will be telecast for free to over 100 million homes in the U.S. on CBS, UFC events are only available on the relatively small Spike TV network and on pay-per-view, for those willing to fork over a one-time fee to watch those shows. At the same time, these pay-per-views are more and more widely available for free on pirate sites, such as SopCast, which are committing copyright violations but are nonetheless reaching growing audiences. So the entire pay-per-view business model, which has been a key source of revenue for companies which have relied on it, is now in danger of being wrecked by the advance of technology.
With fighters jumping ship and their business model in question, we now also see more and more people discussing the very legality of the UFC's contracts. This may be decided, at least in part, by the courts hearing the Zuffa-Couture case.
I raised this issue in December 2007 in the article "It's Time for Federal and State Investigations of UFC Contracts." (http://www.adcombat.com/Article.asp?Article_ID=14555 - New link: http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/2016/01/from-december-2007-its-time-for-federal.html) Now it is more common for the issue of whether or not these contracts violate either the letter or spirit of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act to be discussed.
So yes, we are indeed entering a new era. It is not, however, the era of an unchallenged monopoly, but of a fighters' rebellion. Unlike failed attempts to rally athletes in other sports such as boxing, the key players in this loose but growing rebellion are some of the sport's top stars and fighters.
And in Japan, where just a year ago UFC seemed to be in a position of dominance, UFC is running no shows, either under the Pride name or their own name. At the same time, various forces in the mixed martial arts world in Japan have regrouped to form companies such as Dream and World Victory Road, and are attempting (with mixed results) to fill the void left by the collapse of Pride.
Ah, the perils of dictatorship. If you study history, you know the eventual fate of all tyrannies. This one may be in an eight-sided cage, but the signs are all there that it getting ready to be overthrown.
0 comments
Tweet
When the owners of the Ultimate Fighting Championship bought the assets of the now-defunct Pride Fighting Championships of Japan last year, they thought that it was the start of a new era in the mixed martial arts. They believed that now almost all the best MMA fighters in the world would be promoted exclusively by them, and that they would have a virtual monopoly on the top fights and fighters not seen in a combat sport since the days of the notorious International Boxing Club in the 1950's, which was later broken up by the U.S. government.
The Pride purchase did mark the dawn of a new era, but not the one envisioned by the billionaire Fertitta brothers, who are the majority owners of the UFC.
The top heavyweight and pound-for-pound MMA fighter in the world was, until recently anyway, almost universally regarded as Fedor Emelianenko, who had fought for Pride until that company folded. While Pride's contractual complexities meant that Fedor's contract was not automatically transferred to the UFC as a result of the sale, the UFC bosses did try to sign him to a new contract. Fedor refused, citing "disrespect" and their onerous exclusivity clauses. He even called this type of contract "disgusting."
Fedor's rejection of the UFC led their then-heavyweight champion, Randy Couture, to resign from that company in October. The reason was that Couture, who turns 45 this June, wanted to defend his belt against the best heavyweight in the world, Fedor, and that fight was now impossible unless Fedor signed an exclusive contract to be promoted by the UFC. So Couture quit in hopes of having that fight promoted by another entity.
The UFC-Couture contract dispute is still tied up in court, but it appears obvious that there is no way that Couture will ever fight for the UFC again.
Now UFC's former top star, Tito Ortiz, has said that he will leave after the final fight on his contract, which is this weekend against Lyoto Machida. UFC president Dana White has responded with torrents of profanity-filled insults directed at Ortiz, who wasn't even invited to the event's final prefight press conference.
On top of this, former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia has left the company, and is scheduled to fight Fedor on the July 19 Affliction card in Anaheim, Calif. Sylvia is enjoying his free agency, noting at the Affliction news conference in New York Thursday, "No one wants to do exclusive contracts anymore." He said that he will fight this year for both the Affliction and Adrenaline promotions, and hopes to fight in Japan this year as well.
Even some in the mainstream media are beginning to lose their patience with Dana White. Ed Graney in the Las Vegas Review-Journal recounted some of this history, and wrote of a "dictatorship, which is what happened with the growth of UFC under the leadership of its president, who a friend of mine fittingly described Wednesday as 'the white Don King who happens to be bald.'" He also talked of fighters "who exist under White's authoritative thumb." (http://www.lvrj.com/sports/19169329.html)
While White continues to attack the upcoming EliteXC May 31 card, which will be telecast for free to over 100 million homes in the U.S. on CBS, UFC events are only available on the relatively small Spike TV network and on pay-per-view, for those willing to fork over a one-time fee to watch those shows. At the same time, these pay-per-views are more and more widely available for free on pirate sites, such as SopCast, which are committing copyright violations but are nonetheless reaching growing audiences. So the entire pay-per-view business model, which has been a key source of revenue for companies which have relied on it, is now in danger of being wrecked by the advance of technology.
With fighters jumping ship and their business model in question, we now also see more and more people discussing the very legality of the UFC's contracts. This may be decided, at least in part, by the courts hearing the Zuffa-Couture case.
I raised this issue in December 2007 in the article "It's Time for Federal and State Investigations of UFC Contracts." (http://www.adcombat.com/Article.asp?Article_ID=14555 - New link: http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/2016/01/from-december-2007-its-time-for-federal.html) Now it is more common for the issue of whether or not these contracts violate either the letter or spirit of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act to be discussed.
So yes, we are indeed entering a new era. It is not, however, the era of an unchallenged monopoly, but of a fighters' rebellion. Unlike failed attempts to rally athletes in other sports such as boxing, the key players in this loose but growing rebellion are some of the sport's top stars and fighters.
And in Japan, where just a year ago UFC seemed to be in a position of dominance, UFC is running no shows, either under the Pride name or their own name. At the same time, various forces in the mixed martial arts world in Japan have regrouped to form companies such as Dream and World Victory Road, and are attempting (with mixed results) to fill the void left by the collapse of Pride.
Ah, the perils of dictatorship. If you study history, you know the eventual fate of all tyrannies. This one may be in an eight-sided cage, but the signs are all there that it getting ready to be overthrown.
Labels: Eddie Goldman, Fedor Emelianenko, Fighters Rebellion, MMA, Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, UFC
Sunday, April 27, 2014
No Holds Barred: Curran Jacobs, from College Wrestling to Catch Wrestling
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with wrestler and former Michigan State Spartans' team captain Curran Jacobs.
He will be wrestling on the card of the Catch Wrestling Alliance International Invitational: The Rebirth.
This event will take place Saturday, June 7, in Collins Court in the John Wooden Center on the campus of UCLA, at 221 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, California 90095-1612.
This invitational event will be held under catch wrestling rules, where you can only win by pin or submission. His opponent will be U.K. catch wrestler Ian Bromley.
We spoke with Curran Jacobs by phone Friday.
After finishing his college wrestling career in 2012 and moving to California to pursue an acting career, Curran Jacobs, like many former college wrestlers, thought that he had "hung up my shoes for good." Then he had dinner with MMA and wrestling legend Randy Couture and wrestling historian and author Mike Chapman.
Discussing his decision to compete in catch wrestling, he said, "Well, it was a pleasant surprise, and it came by me completely by chance. I had dinner with Randy Couture and Mike Chapman in Malibu about a month ago. And Mike was talking about Frank Gotch, one of the greatest American wrestlers of all time, way back in the day. Not too many people are familiar with him, which is unfortunate because he played a huge role in what wrestling is today."
He continued, "I myself wasn't really aware of him until Mike brought him to my attention. I did a little research and was just completely blown away. And I got excited about this catch wrestling ordeal. And Mike told me about Coach Raul Ramirez putting on this tournament, this event on June 7th. And as he was talking about it, I kind of got a little excited and said, 'Where can I sign up?'"
After that, he began training in catch wrestling with Raul Ramirez of the Catch Wrestling Alliance.
We discussed his training in catch wrestling and his transition from American folkstyle wrestling to this discipline, where you can only win by pin or submission. Like many people, he believes that catch wrestling could be successfully revived as a major professional spectator sport.
"I think that it has all the potential in the world," he said. "What's wonderful about it is, it's not complex."
We also discussed how he is encouraging his former teammates at Michigan State to become involved in catch wrestling, how impressed he is with the training he is getting with Raul Ramirez, and much more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here and here. If one link doesn't work, please try another.
No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.
Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", which is also available on iTunes by composer Ian Snow.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City July 26 and 27, 2014, for the fifth annual MMA World Expo, featuring the Fighters Source U.S. Nationals amateur MMA tournament, two days of ADCC no-gi and gi grappling tournaments, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, catch wrestling competition, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, July 26, and Sunday, July 27, 2014, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.
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: catch wrestling, college, Curran Jacobs, Eddie Goldman, Michigan State Spartans, Mike Chapman, No Holds Barred, Randy Couture, Raul Ramirez
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Honor the Legends of MMA
Below are some photos I was able to find of some of the legends of MMA and myself. This is NOT a complete or exhaustive list of these legends, just the photos of some of them with me which I could dig out. But they all deserve to be honored, despite what some non-fighter parasites currently running some of the MMA companies want you to believe.
0 comments
Tweet
Fedor Emelianenko
Royce Gracie
Frank Shamrock
Randy Couture
Mike Thomas
Renzo Gracie
Mark Coleman
Gina Carano
Conan Silveira
Labels: Conan Silveira, Eddie Goldman, Fedor Emelianenko, Frank Shamrock, Gina Carano, honor, legends, Mark Coleman, Mike Thomas, MMA, No Holds Barred, Randy Couture, Renzo Gracie, Royce Gracie
Wednesday, February 06, 2013
No Holds Barred: Bellator and Spike Conference Call on New Fight Master Show
Participating in both the press conference and the conference call were the four coaches slated for "Fight Master": MMA legends Randy Couture and Frank Shamrock, well-respected trainer and coach Greg Jackson, and former Greco-Roman wrestling world champion and former Bellator featherweight champion Joe Warren. Also participating were Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney, Spike TV president Kevin Kay, and Sharon Levy, the Executive Vice President, Original Series, Spike TV.
Also announced was a multi-year partnership between Spike TV and Randy Couture. This includes his participation on "Fight Master," as well as another series called "MMA Rescue," where he tries to save failing gyms, and other projects still to be developed.
On the surface, the format of "Fight Master: Bellator MMA" seems similar to that of other MMA reality shows. 32 fighters, all welterweights (170 pounds), will be divided into four camps, each led by one of these four coaches. The fighters will then compete in a tournament to win a $100,000 cash prize and to earn a slot in a regular season Bellator tournament. The show will also focus on the backgrounds, personalities, and training of these fighters.
All this will unfold over 10 one-hour, pre-recorded episodes, all shot in Louisiana. The executive producers are Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri, whom the Spike TV press release call "the visionaries behind 'The Amazing Race.'"
What will set this show apart from other reality shows, however, is that it is not positioned as a spectacle with all sorts of antics and absurd behavior, but rather as a springboard for developing real future stars in the sport of MMA.
Speaking on the conference call and at the press conference, Spike TV's Sharon Levy said the show will aim at both diehard and new MMA fans.
"Strategy, technique, when these guys size up these fighters and really pinpoint what's missing in their game, and what they can bring to improve their game," will be a focus of this show, she said.
"It's not going to be a bunch of drunk guys running around and acting like idiots. That's not how we're looking at the show."
Besides the speakers, there were numerous questions taken and answered, both from those in attendance at the press conference and those listening in on the conference call.
We also open with some commentary on the significance of the positioning of this new show and what it means for MMA.
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.
"The Martist" with John Perretti. A "martist" is an artist as well as a martial artist. This is a blog for those who think about fighting, published by John Perretti, the lifelong martial artist and former UFC and Battlecade Extreme Fighting matchmaker. Check out John's writings at http://johnperretti.com.
MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City February 16 and 17, 2013, for the fourth annual MMA World Expo, featuring an amateur MMA tournament, grappling, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, February 16, and Sunday, February 17, 2013, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.
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, Fight Master, Frank Shamrock, Greg Jackson, Joe Warren, Kevin Kay, MMA, No Holds Barred, Randy Couture, Sharon Levy, Spike TV
Sunday, December 18, 2011
No Holds Barred: Randy Couture on College, Catch, and Greco-Roman Wrestling
(Photo by Paula Romero)
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Randy "The Natural" Couture.
Randy has just put out a new book, along with photographer Sara Levin, called "The Last Round". The book chronicles the final fight in his career, and includes numerous observations on his many years of competition in both wrestling and MMA.
In the book, despite indicating that he will likely devote a large part of his time to working in a new position in MMA, he wrote, "I will always be a wrestler."
So when we spoke with Randy right after the news conference for the MMA World Expo on Friday in New York, we focused on the implications of that statement. As a four-time U.S national champion in Greco-Roman wrestling and a two-time runner-up in the NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championships, he still wants to help the sport which laid the basis for his success in mixed martial arts.
We thus discussed some of the problems facing college wrestling, the recent revival of catch wrestling including the holding of catch tournaments at his Xtreme Couture training facility in Las Vegas, the recent rule changes in Greco-Roman wrestling, and much more.
In addition, that news conference at which Randy Couture spoke included discussion about why MMA is still illegal in New York and other issues. We begin this show by commenting upon these issues.
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:
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 American Sambo Association, which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com.
Labels: catch, college, Eddie Goldman, Greco-Roman wrestling, MMA, No Holds Barred, Randy Couture, UFC
Monday, August 10, 2009
No Holds Barred: Fedor Emelianenko, Vadim Finkelchtein, and Strikeforce
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman returns after an unplanned hiatus due to a major computer problem, but that is all repaired now and we are back bigger, faster, stronger, and more No Holds Barred than ever.
We start by catching up on some recent developments in mixed martial arts, most notably the signing of the top heavyweight and pound-for-pound fighter in that sport, Fedor Emelianenko, with Strikeforce. We explain why he made the correct choice for him, and why this is also a good move for the sport. We counter the double standard many fans and supposed members of the media have taken to Fedor, as opposed to their attitudes to Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar.
This past week, Fedor Emelianenko and Vadim Finkelchtein, the president of M-1 Global, of which Fedor is also part, participated in a media conference call to discuss this historic signing with Strikeforce. We had a chance to ask questions of both men, and you can hear that unedited on this edition of No Holds Barred.
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.
Make sure to visit the official boxing forum for No Holds Barred, the MySpace Boxing Forum.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.
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/.
Gracie Magazine, with news, commentaries, analysis, and photographs from around the world, from the masters of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and grappling. Gracie Magazine is published in English and Portuguese, and is also online at GracieMag.com.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Wrestling 411, providing coverage of the sport of wrestling on TV, the Internet, and radio. Wrestling 411 is produced by Media Sports Productions, whose sole mission is the marketing and promotion of the sport of wrestling.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
0 comments
Tweet
We start by catching up on some recent developments in mixed martial arts, most notably the signing of the top heavyweight and pound-for-pound fighter in that sport, Fedor Emelianenko, with Strikeforce. We explain why he made the correct choice for him, and why this is also a good move for the sport. We counter the double standard many fans and supposed members of the media have taken to Fedor, as opposed to their attitudes to Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar.
This past week, Fedor Emelianenko and Vadim Finkelchtein, the president of M-1 Global, of which Fedor is also part, participated in a media conference call to discuss this historic signing with Strikeforce. We had a chance to ask questions of both men, and you can hear that unedited on this edition of No Holds Barred.
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.
Make sure to visit the official boxing forum for No Holds Barred, the MySpace Boxing Forum.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.
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/.
Gracie Magazine, with news, commentaries, analysis, and photographs from around the world, from the masters of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and grappling. Gracie Magazine is published in English and Portuguese, and is also online at GracieMag.com.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Wrestling 411, providing coverage of the sport of wrestling on TV, the Internet, and radio. Wrestling 411 is produced by Media Sports Productions, whose sole mission is the marketing and promotion of the sport of wrestling.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Labels: Brock Lesnar, Eddie Goldman, Fedor Emelianenko, Ken Hershman, M-1 Global, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Randy Couture, Scott Coker, Showtime, Strikeforce, UFC, Vadim Finkelchtein, Zuffa
Saturday, December 06, 2008
No Holds Barred: John Perretti on the Devolution of Mixed Martial Arts
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins with some comments on the new college wrestling season, and the important development of the formation of the College Wrestling Network, a joint effort of several wrestling media outlets designed to expand the coverage of college wrestling on the Internet and to promote the sport.
In the main segment of this show, we speak with the legendary mixed martial arts matchmaker, promoter, and commentator, John Perretti.
Among the many topics covered in this spirited and frank discussion were why the Brock Lesnar-Randy Couture fight at UFC 91 was a "debacle", why UFC is a "fossil" in terms of what is once was, the devolution of mixed martial arts, the importance of people like Wallid Ismail to the sport, the recent controversy over the promotion by UFC of anti-social behavior on "The Ultimate Fighter" television series, the issue of sportsmanship, and what the combat sports ought to be about.
In addition, we both openly and enthusiastically endorsed the need for the formation of a fighters' union for mixed martial arts.
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 musician Ian Carpenter.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Wrestling 411, providing coverage of the sport of wrestling on TV, the Internet, and radio. Wrestling 411 is produced by Media Sports Productions, whose sole mission is the marketing and promotion of the sport of wrestling.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts
Labels: BJJ, Brock Lesnar, college wrestling, Eddie Goldman, Extreme Fighting, fighters union, grappling, jiu-jitsu, John Perretti, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Randy Couture, UFC, Wallid Ismail
Monday, November 24, 2008
No Holds Barred: Todd Hester of Gladiator Magazine Names Eddie Goldman "Conscience of the Combat Sports"
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by commenting on the controversy around the November 15 mixed martial arts fight between Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture at UFC 91. We go to the No Holds Barred e-mail bag for an insightful analysis by a listener about how this fight may have symbolized "The Day That MMA Died", and then critique a number of so-called "experts" writing in the mainstream media defending the UFC promoters for handing the inexperienced Lesnar this title shot and inflating what his real athletic credentials are.
In the main part of this show, we speak with our long-time colleague, Todd Hester, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Gladiator Magazine. Todd is also a correspondent on this show.
In its November 2008 edition, Gladiator Magazine announced that it has presented its first-ever Lifetime Journalism Achievement Award to Eddie Goldman. In an article in its November 2008 issue, Eddie Goldman was also named the "Conscience of the Combat Sports".
In a lengthy interview, we discuss why this award was given, and then, as is befitting on a show called No Holds Barred, jump into explaining and analyzing some of the pressing problems in the combat sports of mixed martial arts, boxing, and wrestling.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here or 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 musician Ian Carpenter.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Wrestling 411, providing coverage of the sport of wrestling on TV, the Internet, and radio. Wrestling 411 is produced by Media Sports Productions, whose sole mission is the marketing and promotion of the sport of wrestling.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Labels: boxing, Brock Lesnar, conscience of combat sports, Eddie Goldman, Gladiator Magazine, grappling, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Randy Couture, Todd Hester, UFC, wrestling
Thursday, September 04, 2008
No Holds Barred: Henry Cejudo, Randi Miller, Couture-UFC Mess
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins the first part of this show by commenting on the return of Randy Couture to the UFC and how this is a major setback for the battle for the rights of fighters in the mixed martial arts. We also discuss the further devolution of the UFC, some of the main reasons for the continuing failures of their rival mixed martial arts promotions, and the need for a grassroots coalition to advance the struggle for fighters' rights.
In the second part of the show, we turn to the sport of wrestling.
Two of the more pleasant stories coming out of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games were the gold medal victory in men's freestyle wrestling at 55kg by Henry Cejudo, and the bronze medal victory in women's freestyle wrestling at 63kg by Randi Miller. Both were in New York for a series of media appearances this week, and we caught up with them.
Henry Cejudo discusses his Olympic victory, how he views both freestyle and folkstyle, wrestling in comparison to boxing and mixed martial arts, and his plans.
Randi Miller discusses her Olympic victory, her style of wrestling, women's wrestling and the importance of girl's high school wrestling programs, and her plans.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here or here. You can also download it 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 musician Ian Carpenter.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.
Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Labels: Beijing, boxing, Eddie Goldman, freestyle wrestling, Henry Cejudo, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Olympic Games, Olympics, Randi Miller, Randy Couture, UFC, wrestling
Saturday, May 24, 2008
"The Fighters' Rebellion" on ADCC News
Just posted is the latest essay on a key issue facing the mixed martial arts, the growing and more vocal opposition of many fighters to the treatment they have been accorded by their promoters, and in particular the UFC.
It is called "The Fighters' Rebellion" and is posted on the ADCC News. You can read it here.
0 comments
Tweet
It is called "The Fighters' Rebellion" and is posted on the ADCC News. You can read it here.
Labels: ADCC News, boxing, combat sports, Eddie Goldman, Fedor Emelianenko, Fighters Rebellion, mixed martial arts, MMA, Pride, Randy Couture, Tim Sylvia, Tito Ortiz, UFC, ultimate fighting, wrestling
Monday, January 21, 2008
NO HOLDS BARRED: Fedor Emelianenko
On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman plays an exclusive interview conducted Saturday, Jan. 19, in Los Angeles by Todd Hester, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Gladiator Magazine, and our correspondent on this show, with Fedor Emelianenko, the top pound-for-pound mixed martial arts fighter in the world.
Fedor discussed his background, how and why he started training in the combat sports, the advantages of his sombo background for MMA, his thoughts on some of his past fights, the fighters he admires, his thoughts on Pride, why he didn't sign with UFC, why he did sign with M-1, and more.
To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click here and just press the play button on the player.
You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).
You can also listen to it through the player on this blog and the NO HOLDS BARRED MySpace page, also by pressing the play button on the player.
Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.
NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Art of War, the undisputed arena fighting championship, promoted by SUN Sports and Entertainment, producing world class mixed martial arts events. For more information, check out their web site, ArtOfWarLive.com.
IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.
Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Labels: boxing, Eddie Goldman, Fedor Emelianenko, Gladiator Magazine, IFL, International Fight League, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Randy Couture, Todd Hester, UFC, ultimate fighting, Zuffa
Thursday, January 17, 2008
NO HOLDS BARRED: Roy Jones, Don King, Tank Abbott, Kimbo Slice, Gary Shaw, Devon Alexander, Zuffa-Couture Lawsuit
On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman begins by discussing the disgraceful lawsuit filed Monday in Clark County District Court in Nevada by Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC, against their most popular fighter, Randy Couture. As usual, this commentary is no-holds-barred.
We next discuss the card scheduled for this coming Saturday, January 19, at Madison Square Garden in New York, headlined by the clash between boxing legends Roy Jones. Jr. (51-4, 38 KOs) and Felix "Tito" Trinidad Jr. (42-2, 35 KOs). This card will be telecast in the U.S. on HBO Pay-Per-View.
We got comments from Roy Jones. Jr. about why he is so confident that he will win this fight. We spoke with promoter Don King to get his response to criticisms by some in the media of this card. And we spoke with 20-year-old rising junior welterweight prospect Devon Alexander (13-0, 8 KOs), who has the toughest assignment of his young pro career when he faces former world champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley (31-7-1, 17 KOs).
We also begin to preview the EliteXC mixed martial arts card scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 16, at the BankUnited Center on the University of Miami campus in Coral Gables, FL. That card will be shown live in the U.S. on Showtime. The main event of that card pits Internet street fighter Kimbo Slice, who is now a professional MMA fighter training with Bas Rutten, against the MMA veteran David "Tank" Abbott.
We spoke with both Tank Abbott and Kimbo Slice about this fight on a media teleconference call Wednesday. We also spoke with promoter Gary Shaw, the EliteXC Live Events President, about how his view on what EliteXC is and will do, and about how they treat their fighters.
To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click here and just press the play button on the player.
You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).
You can also listen to it through the player on this blog and the NO HOLDS BARRED MySpace page, also by pressing the play button on the player.
Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.
NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Art of War, the undisputed arena fighting championship, promoted by SUN Sports and Entertainment, producing world class mixed martial arts events. For more information, check out their web site, ArtOfWarLive.com.
IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.
Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Labels: boxing, Devon Alexander, Don King, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, Felix Tito Trinidad, Gary Shaw, Kimbo Slice, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Randy Couture, Roy Jones, Tank Abbott, UFC, Zuffa
Monday, December 31, 2007
NO HOLDS BARRED: IFL Grand Prix Champions, Couture, Shamrock, Mezger, Kennedy, Adkins, Khorolinsky
NO HOLDS BARRED: Randy Couture, Ken Shamrock, Guy Mezger, Ryan Schultz, Wagnney Fabiano, Jay Hieron, Matt Horwich, Vladimir Matyushenko, Tim Kennedy, Trace Adkins, Leo Khorolinsky, IFL Grand Prix
NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic
On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman reviews the Dec. 29 IFL Grand Prix Finals, which was held Saturday, Dec. 29, 2007, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
We spoke with five of the IFL individual champions about their victorious fights and what their plans are: lightweight (155 lbs.) champion Ryan Schultz, featherweight (145 lbs.) champion Wagnney Fabiano, welterweight (170 lbs.) champion Jay Hieron, middleweight (185 lbs.) champion Matt Horwich, and light heavyweight (205 lbs.) champion Vladimir Matyushenko. We also spoke with middleweight Tim Kennedy, who was victorious on this card.
At this event, we once again spoke with "The Natural," Randy Couture, the now-former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion who recently resigned from that promotion. Randy told us which former wrestling champion has said that he would like to compete against him in a grappling match. He also updated us on what his other plans were and the latest in his dispute with the UFC promoters.
We spoke with mixed martial arts legend Ken Shamrock at this event. He discussed his plans for next year as a coach in the IFL, commented on the historical role of the original Lion’s Den in MMA, told us about his coaching a victorious MMA team in Manila, revealed whom he may fight next in MMA, and explained the need for non-exclusive contracts and a fighters' union in MMA.
We also spoke with Guy Mezger, president and matchmaker for the HDNet Fights promotion. HDNet telecast the IFL Grand Prix live in the U.S. on their television network. We discussed with Guy when and where the next HDNet Fights show is likely to take place, who might fight on it, how HDNet Fights is working with other promotions as partners, how HDNet Fights has become the primary sporting event on HDNet, and how HDNet Fights differs from the UFC.
In addition, we spoke with country music star Trace Adkins, who attended this event. And we spoke with Leo Khorolinsky, the manager of former UFC heavyweight champion and current top contender Andrei Arlovski about what is next for his fighter.
To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click here and just press the play button on the player.
You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).
You can also listen to it through the player on this blog and the NO HOLDS BARRED MySpace page, also by pressing the play button on the player.
Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
If you want to leave a comment on the show, you can do so on this blog.
The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.
NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Art of War, the undisputed arena fighting championship, promoted by SUN Sports and Entertainment, producing world class mixed martial arts events. For more information, check out their web site, ArtOfWarLive.com.
IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.
Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
0 comments
Tweet
On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman reviews the Dec. 29 IFL Grand Prix Finals, which was held Saturday, Dec. 29, 2007, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
We spoke with five of the IFL individual champions about their victorious fights and what their plans are: lightweight (155 lbs.) champion Ryan Schultz, featherweight (145 lbs.) champion Wagnney Fabiano, welterweight (170 lbs.) champion Jay Hieron, middleweight (185 lbs.) champion Matt Horwich, and light heavyweight (205 lbs.) champion Vladimir Matyushenko. We also spoke with middleweight Tim Kennedy, who was victorious on this card.
At this event, we once again spoke with "The Natural," Randy Couture, the now-former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion who recently resigned from that promotion. Randy told us which former wrestling champion has said that he would like to compete against him in a grappling match. He also updated us on what his other plans were and the latest in his dispute with the UFC promoters.
We spoke with mixed martial arts legend Ken Shamrock at this event. He discussed his plans for next year as a coach in the IFL, commented on the historical role of the original Lion’s Den in MMA, told us about his coaching a victorious MMA team in Manila, revealed whom he may fight next in MMA, and explained the need for non-exclusive contracts and a fighters' union in MMA.
We also spoke with Guy Mezger, president and matchmaker for the HDNet Fights promotion. HDNet telecast the IFL Grand Prix live in the U.S. on their television network. We discussed with Guy when and where the next HDNet Fights show is likely to take place, who might fight on it, how HDNet Fights is working with other promotions as partners, how HDNet Fights has become the primary sporting event on HDNet, and how HDNet Fights differs from the UFC.
In addition, we spoke with country music star Trace Adkins, who attended this event. And we spoke with Leo Khorolinsky, the manager of former UFC heavyweight champion and current top contender Andrei Arlovski about what is next for his fighter.
To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click here and just press the play button on the player.
You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).
You can also listen to it through the player on this blog and the NO HOLDS BARRED MySpace page, also by pressing the play button on the player.
Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
If you want to leave a comment on the show, you can do so on this blog.
The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.
NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Art of War, the undisputed arena fighting championship, promoted by SUN Sports and Entertainment, producing world class mixed martial arts events. For more information, check out their web site, ArtOfWarLive.com.
IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.
Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Labels: Eddie Goldman, Guy Mezger, IFL Grand Prix, Jay Hieron, Ken Shamrock, Matt Horwich, No Holds Barred, Randy Couture, Ryan Schultz, Tim Kennedy, Trace Adkins, UFC, Vladimir Matyushenko, Wagnney Fabiano
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
NO HOLDS BARRED: Randy Couture, Frank Trigg, Jason Miller, Rico Chiapparelli, Guy Mezger, Jay White, HDNet Fights
On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman reviews the HDNet Fights mixed martial arts show, held Dec. 15 in Dallas, Texas, and plays a series of interviews recorded there.
We start with a commentary on the show itself and an evaluation of the prospects for the success of HDNet Fights, which is owned by Mark Cuban, the wealthy owner of the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA. One thing, however, is certain: Mark Cuban has succeeded in buying his way into becoming a major player in mixed martial arts.
First up is "The Natural," Randy Couture, the now-former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion who recently resigned from that promotion. Randy was at this event to corner fighters Frank Trigg and Jay White. We spoke about Randy's plans for future, his desire to fight top heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, his status with UFC, the problems with the structure of mixed martial arts, his desire to compete in grappling, and his continuing relations with the wrestling community.
Wrestling and grappling legend Rico Chiapparelli was also there with Frank Trigg. Rico discusses his plans for 2008 for running shows of the Professional Submission League, which features submission wrestling. We also discuss the need for developing an amateur level for mixed martial arts, and the role of FILA, the international wrestling federation, which is entering the world of grappling.
We next spoke with the always-colorful middleweight Jason "Mayhem" Miller, who defeated Tim Kennedy by unanimous decision on this card. We spoke about his fight and, as usual, Jason offers some prize comments.
Heavyweight fighter Jay White entered his fight Saturday night with Patrick Castillo with an unimpressive 1-5-1 record. But now he is training with Randy Couture, who cornered him in this fight. One quick result already: Jay won this fight in just 50 seconds of the first round with an arm bar. Jay explained his development from a grappler to a mixed martial arts fighter, his prospects for improving as a fighter, and his plans.
Guy Mezger, the former UFC and Pancrase fighter from the Lion's Den, now runs fight operations and is the matchmaker for the HDNet Fights promotion. After this event, we discussed with him how it went, the fights themselves, and the plans for this promotion.
The morning after the show, we spoke with middleweight Frank Trigg, who won his fight over Edwin Dewees with a kimura arm lock in 1:40 of the first round. We discussed this fight, the possibility of him next fighting Jason Miller in a rematch, his plans for fighting with HDNet Fights, the prospects for this promotion.
You can also listen to a recap of this event I did on the Internet radio show Carson's Corner with its host, Bob Carson, who also covered this event from cageside.
To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click here and just press the play button on the player.
You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).
You can also listen to it through the player on this blog and the NO HOLDS BARRED MySpace page, also by pressing the play button on the player.
Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
If you want to leave a comment on the show, you can do so at on this blog.
The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.
NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Art of War, the undisputed arena fighting championship, promoted by SUN Sports and Entertainment, producing world class mixed martial arts events. For more information, check out their web site, ArtOfWarLive.com.
IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. You can also catch IFL Battleground on MyNetworkTV. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.
Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Labels: Eddie Goldman, Frank Trigg, Guy Mezger, HDNet Fights, Jason Miller, Jay White, Mark Cuban, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Randy Couture, Rico Chiapparelli, UFC, ultimate fighting
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
NO HOLDS BARRED: IFL Grand Prix; UFC vs. Couture; MMA vs. Boxing; EliteXC Preview
NO HOLDS BARRED: IFL Grand Prix TV Commentary; UFC-Couture Dispute; MMA vs. Boxing; EliteXC Preview with Kimbo Slice, Jake Shields, KJ Noons, Gary Shaw; Jay Larkin
NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic
On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldmano offers a no-holds-barred commentary on this past Saturday's live telecast of the semifinals of the IFL Grand Prix on MyNetworkTV; the UFC-Randy Couture dispute; and a comparison of the major defects in mixed martial arts and boxing.
We next preview this coming Saturday's EliteXC card, which will take place Nov. 10 at the American Bank Center Arena in Corpus Christi, Texas. This show will be telecast live in the U.S. on Showtime. We spoke on a media teleconference call with fighters Kimbo Slice, Jake Shields, and KJ Noons, who will each be in separate bouts on this card. We also spoke with EliteXC promoter Gary Shaw about the organizational structure of mixed martial arts.
We also spoke with Jay Larkin, the new president and COO of the International Fight League, about their anti-doping policy.
To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click here and just press the play button on the player.
You can also listen to it through this blog and my MySpace page, also by pressing the play button on the player.
Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
If you want to leave a comment on the show, you can do so on this blog.
The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.
NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Art of War, the undisputed arena fighting championship, promoted by SUN Sports and Entertainment, producing world class mixed martial arts events. For more information, check out their web site, ArtOfWarLive.com.
IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. You can also catch IFL Battleground on MyNetworkTV. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.
Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
0 comments
Tweet
On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldmano offers a no-holds-barred commentary on this past Saturday's live telecast of the semifinals of the IFL Grand Prix on MyNetworkTV; the UFC-Randy Couture dispute; and a comparison of the major defects in mixed martial arts and boxing.
We next preview this coming Saturday's EliteXC card, which will take place Nov. 10 at the American Bank Center Arena in Corpus Christi, Texas. This show will be telecast live in the U.S. on Showtime. We spoke on a media teleconference call with fighters Kimbo Slice, Jake Shields, and KJ Noons, who will each be in separate bouts on this card. We also spoke with EliteXC promoter Gary Shaw about the organizational structure of mixed martial arts.
We also spoke with Jay Larkin, the new president and COO of the International Fight League, about their anti-doping policy.
To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click here and just press the play button on the player.
You can also listen to it through this blog and my MySpace page, also by pressing the play button on the player.
Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
If you want to leave a comment on the show, you can do so on this blog.
The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.
NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Art of War, the undisputed arena fighting championship, promoted by SUN Sports and Entertainment, producing world class mixed martial arts events. For more information, check out their web site, ArtOfWarLive.com.
IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. You can also catch IFL Battleground on MyNetworkTV. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.
Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Labels: boxing, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, IFL, International Fight League, Jake Shields, Jay Larkin, Kimbo Slice, KJ Noons, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Randy Couture, UFC, ultimate fighting
Monday, October 15, 2007
NO HOLDS BARRED: A Tale of Two 44-Year-Old Heavyweights
On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman discusses the recent controversies involving two 44-year-old heavyweight fighters and former world champions: boxer Evander Holyfield and mixed martial arts fighter Randy Couture.
Holyfield just dropped a lopsided unanimous decision to WBO heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov in Moscow, Russia, this past Saturday, October 13. Many are now calling for the obvious, for Holyfield, who turns 45 this coming Friday, to retire. But many in the American boxing media were just this past week telling us that Holyfield actually stood a real chance to win in this fight.
Couture announced last week that he was quitting the UFC and vacating his heavyweight title there. His main beefs were that top heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko had just signed with another promotion, M-1 of Russia, and that he was not being compensated fairly and had been told he was the second-highest paid fighter in that company when he had heard directly from other fighters that he was not.
In another no-holds-barred commentary, we discuss what all this says about the sycophantic media which covers both sports, the future of boxing and its beleaguered heavyweight division, and the future of UFC now that it has abruptly lost perhaps its most popular fighter of all time.
(Note: This edition of NO HOLDS BARRED includes some explicit language.)
To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click here or here and just press the play button on the player.
You can also listen to it through this blog and my MySpace page, also by pressing the play button on the player.
Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
If you want to leave a comment on the show, you can do so on this blog.
The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.
NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
Art of War, the undisputed arena fighting championship, promoted by SUN Sports and Entertainment, producing world class mixed martial arts events. For more information, check out their web site, ArtOfWarLive.com.
IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S. and to check your local listings for dates and times. You can also catch IFL Battleground on MyNetworkTV. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule.
Gladiator Challenge, shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine, for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Labels: BJJ, boxing, combat sports, Eddie Goldman, Evander Holyfield, grappling, jiu-jitsu, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Randy Couture, Sultan Ibragimov, UFC, ultimate fighting, wrestling
