NO HOLDS BARRED

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

He has just returned from Wigan, England, where on November 9 he won both his matches at the second annual International Catch Wrestling Tournament, organized by the Snake Pit Wigan. He won his first match by hammerlock over Stephen Greenfield of Wales, and his second by pin over Ulli Koch of Germany. For these efforts, he also was awarded three trophies: the Alan Latham AKA Francis Sullivan Trophy presented by his daughter Karen Latham, the Billy Chambers AKA Jack Fallon Trophy, and the Roy Wood Trophy for Most Improved Wrestler of the Year, presented by Wigan head coach Roy Wood himself.

In addition, it was announced that Catch Wrestling Los Angeles is now an official Snake Pit Wigan Training Group.

We spoke with Raul Ramirez by phone Sunday.

We discussed the opportunity wrestling has with the void being created by all the problems in many combat and contact sports, especially those where evidence of head injuries and brain damage are mounting. In the U.S., there is a slow but steady rebirth of real professional wrestling events, with some using a mix of freestyle and American folkstyle rules, and others international freestyle rules.

"With the history of catch wrestling, ours is the granddaddy of them all," he said. "If everyone from Wigan and everyone in the United States works together, we can really try to get something going that's global and really exciting."

He noted that international participation in this Wigan event increased this year, as well as the quality of the wrestling. There are many freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers who are "really interested and really wanting to do catch wrestling." At this event alone, freestyle and Greco wrestler Muhammad Ali of Pakistan, a two-time South Asian Games champion, traveled all the way to England to train and wrestle, winning both of his matches by pin. Other international wrestlers included Osamu Matsunami of Japan and Ulli Koch of Germany, with, of course, Raul Ramirez from the U.S. and numerous wrestlers from the U.K.

"This can be global again," he said, as we discussed some of the plans to continue this revival of catch wrestling.

We also discussed plans to hold an international catch wrestling tournament in the Los Angeles area next year, the need for those in catch wrestling to be connected to the broader wrestling community, 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:

LenneHardt.com, the web site of the world's greatest ring announcer, Lenne Hardt. Need a unique and cool combat sports-related gift? At LenneHardt.com, you can order personalized messages, wedding calls, ringtones, phone answering messages, and more, all recorded by Lenne herself, in the style of your choice. For more information, go to LenneHardt.com.

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

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

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

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

Labels: Billy Robinson, catch-as-catch-can, Eddie Goldman. Raul Ramirez, freestyle, International Catch Wrestling Tournament, Los Angeles, No Holds Barred, Roy Wood, Snake Pit Wigan

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with Stephen Greenfield of the Snake Pit Wigan and our correspondent Raul Ramirez of Catch Wrestling Los Angeles.

They are both now in Wigan, England, the home of catch wrestling, for the second annual International Catch Wrestling Tournament, hosted by the historic Snake Pit Wigan. Several wrestlers from around the world have come to Wigan for this tournament and the annual International Week of training and seminars.

Catch wrestling is in the process of being revived, and this is the most important catch wrestling tournament in the world.

This event, alongside the 36th annual Aspull Freestyle Wrestling Competition, will be held this Saturday, November 9, at the Robin Park Sports Centre in Wigan. As was done last year, videos of the matches are expected to be posted online shortly.

We spoke with both Stephen Greenfield and Raul Ramirez by Skype Wednesday.

"The plan is, this year there's going to be a larger number of matches" than last year, said Stephen Greenfield. "I think currently it's anywhere between 10 and 15, depending on how many people we've got at the time."

He added, "It's not quite an open tournament yet. It's mostly populated by people who have sort of trained at the Snake Pit, and also some of the people that have come for the International Week.... Hopefully it will be interesting for people to watch." Next year, however, the plan is to hold an open tournament.

The influence of the Snake Pit Wigan has already spread far beyond the U.K., and there are plans for more similar catch wrestling tournaments internationally.

"Our mission," said Raul Ramirez, is "try to create that bridge, or outreach or education, on basically letting the American wrestlers - collegiate, folkstyle, freestyle wrestlers - know that we in the United States do have such a rich catch wrestling tradition as well, that they most likely don't know about."

Towards that end, discussions are now under way to plan a catch wrestling tournament in the Los Angeles area for sometime in the first half of 2014.

We also discussed the catch wrestling rules used by the Snake Pit Wigan, which are based on the original rules of Billy Riley of Riley's Gym. Under those rules, there are no points or judges, and a match can only be won by pin or submission. However, the Snake Pit Wigan rules do not allow chokes. Current Snake Pit and Aspull head coach Roy Wood, who was trained by Billy Riley, has argued, according to Stephen Greenfield, "The choke kills the wrestling."

In addition, we discussed the appeal of catch wrestling, the need for those involved in catch wrestling to have ties to the broader wrestling community, what is needed for the revival of catch wrestling to be successful, and much, much more.

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

LenneHardt.com, the web site of the world's greatest ring announcer, Lenne Hardt. Need a unique and cool combat sports-related gift? At LenneHardt.com, you can order personalized messages, wedding calls, ringtones, phone answering messages, and more, all recorded by Lenne herself, in the style of your choice. For more information, go to LenneHardt.com.

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

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

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

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

Labels: Aspull, Billy Robinson, catch-as-catch-can, Eddie Goldman, freestyle, International Catch Wrestling Tournament, No Holds Barred, Roy Wood, Snake Pit Wigan, Stephen Greenfield. Raul Ramirez

(Sumo photos by Raul Ramirez)

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

He was in attendance at the 13th annual US Sumo Open, held Sunday, September 15, in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. We discussed that event and the appeal and popularity of sumo.

On November 9, he will also be competing in the second annual international catch wrestling tournament in Wigan, England, the home of catch wrestling, and hosted by the historic Snake Pit Wigan.

We spoke with him by phone Wednesday about these events, and the next steps in the revival of catch wrestling.

"I think what we need to do is put on some good shows," he said about what is needed for catch wrestling. The people running the Snake Pit Wigan tournament "have a good idea with regards to having some invitational events at first," he said. Only competitors who are doing high level catch wrestling are selected, "so that all the people in attendance can see the excitement of catch wrestling." Thus, the spectators "can see what it is and they can know that it is different from other grappling styles."

We also discussed the need for proper marketing and promotion of catch wrestling, using media to its fullest, good organization and quality governance, learning the lessons from the corruption that destroyed catch wrestling as a real sport last century, and much more.

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

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

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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/.

Labels: Billy Robinson, catch, Eddie Goldman, grappling, Los Angeles. catch-as-catch-can, No Holds Barred, Raul Ramirez, Roy Wood, Snake Pit Wigan, sumo, wrestling

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

On November 10, 2012, the first catch wrestling tournament in over 50 years in Wigan, England, the home of catch wrestling, was hosted by the historic Snake Pit Wigan.

In that event, Raul Ramirez wrestled, defeating Stephen Greenfield of Wales by crossface submission. This year, he plans to compete again, in what promises to be an even bigger event.

"Last year we had the event, the international catch wrestling tournament for the Snake Pit Wigan," he said in this interview, which was recorded by phone Monday.

"It was apparently a huge success, because there is such a demand now in England, the students there training with [Coach] Roy [Wood] at the Snake Pit Wigan have just ballooned."

He continued, "Last year since we had five matches, this year they're going to have 15 matches. This is going to be on November 9 in Wigan."

This year's tournament will also take place along with a major freestyle wrestling tournament, which is one reason many more participants are expected in the catch tournament.

He also talked about the plans for Catch Wrestling Los Angeles to become an official training camp for the Snake Pit Wigan. And we discussed the ongoing worldwide revival of catch wrestling, the different rules for catch wrestling used in different events, the future of catch wrestling and the many styles of grappling, and much more.

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Labels: Billy Robinson, catch, Eddie Goldman, freestyle, grappling, Los Angeles. catch-as-catch-can, No Holds Barred, Raul Ramirez, Roy Wood, Snake Pit Wigan, wrestling

Labels: catch wrestling, Eddie Goldman, Fedor, Margarito, Monson, No Holds Barred, Roy Wood, sambo, Snake Pit, Wigan