Sunday, March 11, 2012
No Holds Barred: Stephen Koepfer on Rally and Next Steps in Fight to End MMA Ban in New York
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again speaks with Stephen Koepfer of the Coalition to Legalize Mixed Martial Arts in New York.
On March 6, the Coalition held a rousing demonstration in front of the Manhattan office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has not taken a public position on the issue of ending the ban on MMA. This was followed by the first-ever Mixed Martial Arts Documentary Film Festival, which took place at the world-famous Madison Square Garden.
We spoke by phone Friday with Stephen Koepfer about how this rally, the second annual one held by the Coalition, represented a step forward in this battle to legalize MMA in New York. Many more New Yorkers seemed both aware of this issue and supportive of ending the MMA ban than even last year, he said. We discussed the attempt by UFC to counter this rally by holding a news conference in New York at the same time as it for a show two months away in New Jersey. We also discussed many ideas for continuing and broadening this struggle as this onerous ban on MMA is now in its fifteenth year, and much more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.
Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by Ian Carpenter.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
ONE Fighting Championship. ONE FC is Asia's largest and most prestigious mixed martial arts event. ONE FC features the best Asian fighters and has initiated the ONE Asia Partnership Network, which includes most of the major MMA promotions and MMA gyms in Asia. For more information, go to their web site, at ONEFC.com.
DARE Championship. Based in Thailand, DARE is a mixed martial arts event where fighters from all over the world compete to become the DARE Champion. DARE is one of the first MMA promotions in Thailand, and has been televised in many countries and online. For more information, go to their web site, at DareFightSports.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 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: Coalition, Cuomo, Eddie Goldman, Film Festival, Legalize MMA, March 6 Rally, New York, No Holds Barred, Stephen Koepfer
Saturday, March 03, 2012
No Holds Barred: Stephen Koepfer on March 6 Rally to Legalize MMA in New York and MMA Film Festival
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Stephen Koepfer of the Coalition to Legalize Mixed Martial Arts in New York.
It is now 15 years since the state of New York passed a draconian law banning what it calls "combative sports", including mixed martial arts. The 1997 law overturned a law passed just months earlier legalizing and regulating the sport. While MMA has since grown around the world, from Sao Paulo to St. Petersburg, from Beijing to Boston, and from Atlantic City to Abu Dhabi, the sport remains illegal in New York.
The Coalition to Legalize Mixed Martial Arts in New York, an independent, grassroots organization, aims to change all that. After a successful rally last year in front of the office of New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, an opponent of MMA, this year the Coalition will be holding a rally in front of the Manhattan office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has not taken a public position on this issue.
The rally will be held Tuesday, March 6, from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, outside Cuomo's Manhattan office at 633 Third Avenue, New York, NY, 10017, between 40th and 41st Streets.
After the rally, there will be the first-ever Mixed Martial Arts Documentary Film Festival. This will take place from 4 PM to 8 PM at the world-famous Madison Square Garden, in The Theater Lobby at 7th Avenue at 32nd Street. It is free to attend.
Three films will be featured, including the world premiere of "In Her Corner: The Inside Story of Women’s MMA", the Manhattan premiere of "New York Mixed Martial Arts", and the New York premiere of "Fight Life". This will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the filmmakers, as well as a mixed martial arts trivia challenge.
We spoke with Stephen Koepfer by phone Thursday about the rally, the film festival, and the ongoing battle to legalize MMA in New York. We discussed the need to continue to educate the public about the sport, how MMA is actually much larger than just one promotion, and much more.
You can play or download No Holds Barred here. You can also download No Holds Barred here. If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
No Holds Barred is also available on mobile phones and iPads through Stitcher.
Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by Ian Carpenter.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
ONE Fighting Championship. ONE FC is Asia's largest and most prestigious mixed martial arts event. ONE FC features the best Asian fighters and has initiated the ONE Asia Partnership Network, which includes most of the major MMA promotions and MMA gyms in Asia. For more information, go to their web site, at ONEFC.com.
DARE Championship. Based in Thailand, DARE is a mixed martial arts event where fighters from all over the world compete to become the DARE Champion. DARE is one of the first MMA promotions in Thailand, and has been televised in many countries and online. For more information, go to their web site, at DareFightSports.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 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: Coalition, Cuomo, Eddie Goldman, Film Festival, Legalize MMA, March 6 Rally, New York, No Holds Barred, Stephen Koepfer
Sunday, June 26, 2011
No Holds Barred: Stephen Koepfer on Sambo, Physical Culture, and Battle to Legalize MMA in New York
On this audio edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Stephen Koepfer, the head coach at New York Combat Sambo and the co-founder of the Coalition to Legalize Mixed Martial Arts in New York.
Having recently returned from the Spartak Olympic Training Center in Ukraine, we spoke with him about why sambo continues to be such an important discipline and combat sport in Eastern Europe. Training in sambo is also seen as a way of promoting health and physical culture among the population.
We also gave a post-mortem on the attempts this year to get the New York legislature to re-legalize mixed martial arts. After once again being passed in the Senate, the bill was bottled up in committee in the Assembly and never reached the floor for a vote. We thus discuss why we must continue our efforts, the strengths and weaknesses of the battle for MMA in New York, why MMA fighters should be provided the same legal protections as boxers have under the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, and much 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.
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:
M-1 Global. Founded in 1998, M-1 Global has staged over 100 mixed martial arts events worldwide including the M-1 Selection tournaments and M-1 Challenge events, in Eastern and Western Europe, North America, and Asia. While discovering and developing the world's next generation of superstar fighters, M-1 Global's greatest asset is the number one heavyweight in mixed martial arts history, Fedor Emelianenko. Make sure to catch their shows from around the world, including on Showtime in the U.S., and visit their web site, M-1Global.com, and the M-1 Facebook page for news, videos, and live streaming events.
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: Eddie Goldman, Legalize, MMA, New York, No Holds Barred, sambo, Stephen Koepfer
Saturday, April 02, 2011
No Holds Barred: Stephen Koepfer on Legalizing MMA in New York, and Sambo and MMA
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Stephen Koepfer, the co-founder of the Coalition to Legalize Mixed Martial Arts in New York, and the head coach at New York Combat Sambo.
We spoke on Friday afternoon, beginning by noting the growing public support for the legalization of mixed martial arts in New York. We discussed some of what has been done and still needs to be done to win this battle in the New York State legislature.
The sport of sambo is growing in stature internationally, and we discussed some of the recent successes by American athletes in international sambo competition. We also noted how more people are realizing the effectiveness of sambo as one of the many disciplines which are essential for mixed martial arts, and how many athletes with success in both sport and combat sambo are now achieving success in mixed martial arts as well.
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 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: Eddie Goldman, legalizing MMA, No Holds Barred, sambo, Stephen Koepfer
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Coalition to Legalize MMA in New York Co-Founders on "All Night with Joey Reynolds" Late February 3
Co-founders of the Coalition to Legalize Mixed Martial Arts in New York Eddie Goldman (Journalist/No Holds Barred) and Stephen Koepfer (Head Coach/New York Combat Sambo) will be appearing on "All Night with Joey Reynolds" on NBC New York Nonstop. Also appearing with Eddie and Stephen will be Bradley Desir (New York Combat Sambo/MMA fighter) and Tyga Maclin (New York Combat Sambo's wrestling coach).
The show airs on Thursday, February 3, at midnight (Thursday night/Friday morning) and MMA discussion will take place in the second hour. Topics of discussion will include mixed martial arts, legalization, what the sport is and is not, and the future of the sport in New York. Brad and Tyga will be demonstrating some techniques live!
NBC New York Nonstop airs on the following channels in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut:
Cablevision NY/NJ 109
Time Warner Cable 161
Comcast 248
Cablevision CT 118
Verizon FiOS 460
RCN 28
DTV 4.2
For more information on the Coalition to Legalize Mixed Martial Arts in New York, go to http://nymmanow.blogspot.com.
For more information on "All Night with Joey Reynolds", go to http://allnightwithjoeyreynolds.com.
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The show airs on Thursday, February 3, at midnight (Thursday night/Friday morning) and MMA discussion will take place in the second hour. Topics of discussion will include mixed martial arts, legalization, what the sport is and is not, and the future of the sport in New York. Brad and Tyga will be demonstrating some techniques live!
NBC New York Nonstop airs on the following channels in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut:
Cablevision NY/NJ 109
Time Warner Cable 161
Comcast 248
Cablevision CT 118
Verizon FiOS 460
RCN 28
DTV 4.2
For more information on the Coalition to Legalize Mixed Martial Arts in New York, go to http://nymmanow.blogspot.com.
For more information on "All Night with Joey Reynolds", go to http://allnightwithjoeyreynolds.com.
Labels: Eddie Goldman, Joey Reynolds, MMA, New York, sambo, Stephen Koepfer
Thursday, December 23, 2010
No Holds Barred: Stephen Koepfer on Advancing Sambo and Legalizing MMA in New York
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Stephen Koepfer, the president of the American Sambo Association and the head coach at New York Combat Sambo.
In an interview conducted at the New York Combat Sambo school in midtown Manhattan on Thursday, we discussed the history and development of the different types of sambo, including sport sambo and combat sambo. Since sambo was originally developed in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century, Russia and Eastern Europe remain the current strongholds of sambo. We discussed what techniques and types of submissions are allowed in both sport and combat sambo, why sambo is very useful for mixed martial arts, the history of the major international organizations which have governed sambo, and more.
We also discussed the newly-formed Coalition to Legalize Mixed Martial Arts in New York. This is a non-partisan volunteer group of organizations, gyms, business owners, and individuals who support the legalization and regulation of mixed martial arts in the state of New York.
The Coalition to Legalize Mixed Martial Arts in New York will be holding a rally on Tuesday, February 8, 2011, at 12 noon, in support of legalized and regulated mixed martial arts in New York State, at 250 Broadway, Manhattan, New York, 10007 (across the street from City Hall). We discussed this rally and why all those in the combat sports should support it.
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.
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 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.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
In an interview conducted at the New York Combat Sambo school in midtown Manhattan on Thursday, we discussed the history and development of the different types of sambo, including sport sambo and combat sambo. Since sambo was originally developed in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century, Russia and Eastern Europe remain the current strongholds of sambo. We discussed what techniques and types of submissions are allowed in both sport and combat sambo, why sambo is very useful for mixed martial arts, the history of the major international organizations which have governed sambo, and more.
We also discussed the newly-formed Coalition to Legalize Mixed Martial Arts in New York. This is a non-partisan volunteer group of organizations, gyms, business owners, and individuals who support the legalization and regulation of mixed martial arts in the state of New York.
The Coalition to Legalize Mixed Martial Arts in New York will be holding a rally on Tuesday, February 8, 2011, at 12 noon, in support of legalized and regulated mixed martial arts in New York State, at 250 Broadway, Manhattan, New York, 10007 (across the street from City Hall). We discussed this rally and why all those in the combat sports should support it.
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.
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 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.
BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Labels: Eddie Goldman, MMA, No Holds Barred, NY, sambo, Stephen Koepfer
