NO HOLDS BARRED

Bob Meyrowitz. Photo by Eddie Goldman, Feb. 1, 2008.

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman reposts an interview with Bob Meyrowitz which was originally posted on July 19, 2006. This is the original description of this show:

On this week's edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Bob Meyrowitz, former CEO of eYada.com and Semaphore Entertainment Group (SEG), which started and produced the original Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) shows from 1993 to 2000.

Bob offers his take on what he thinks of the current UFC product and the level of talent in it under its present owner, Zuffa. He also refutes the many factually incorrect articles that have appeared mainly in newspapers claiming that when SEG put on UFC shows, there were no rules, that the company ran from sanctioning by state athletic commissions, and that the level of athlete in the early UFC's was low. He recounts how UFC was sanctioned by the New York State Athletic Commission in late 1996, but how the commission double-crossed UFC at the last moment. He discusses UFC's attempt in 1999 to get sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and who on that commission opposed its sanctioning. Plus, he tells us who among the mainstream media and numerous boxing writers now commenting on UFC and its history have actually bothered to contact him to find out his views and what occurred.

Plus, Bob talks about his plans to run a new mixed martial arts event in the very near future, plans which have not been completely finalized yet but are expected to be so in a very short time. And he tells us what his attitude is towards the mixed martial arts and fight media, as well as other promoters, an issue which has again come to the fore.

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.

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: Bob Meyrowitz, boxing, Eddie Goldman, eYada.com, media, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, SEG, Semaphore Entertainment Group, UFC, ultimate fighting, wrestling, Zuffa

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On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Rob Maysey, the founder of the Mixed Martial Arts Fighters Association (MMAFA). This organization seeks to establish an association of mixed martial artists and their trainers, similar to other such organizations which already exist in many professional sports.

We spoke at length with Rob Maysey about the goals of the MMAFA, its progress so far, what impact it has already had on mixed martial arts, how fighters can become involved with MMAFA, how this organization has been received by those calling themselves members of the mixed martial arts media, 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.

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.

Labels: combat sports, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, Extreme Fighting, mixed martial arts, Mixed Martial Arts Fighters Association, MMA, MMAFA, No Holds Barred, Rob Maysey, Strikeforce, UFC, ultimate fighting

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On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Art Davie, a co-founder of the UFC who is now the CEO of XARM.

XARM is a new, hybrid combat sport, which combines kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, and arm wrestling.

While some of the commentaries on XARM have been quite superficial, in a lengthy interview, we discuss with Art Davie the concept behind XARM, how it plans to fit into the combat sports world, what the criticisms of it have been, how it has already evolved and will likely continue to evolve, what are the plans to develop the sport, how it is related to the growth of both the Internet and mobile technology, and more. We also touch on some of the many problems facing mixed martial arts, from its formative days to the present.

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: arm wrestling, BJJ, Eddie Goldman Art Davie, Extreme Fighting, jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Rorion, Royce Gracie, UFC, ultimate fighting, wrestling, XARM

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On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with the legendary mixed martial arts fighter Frank Shamrock.

Frank has just revamped his web site, FrankShamrock.com, and added numerous user-friendly, social networking features, where one can sign up for free as a member.

We had a wide-ranging discussion beginning with the web site, and covering his view of his fight with Cung Le this past March, what his next fight may be, the prospects of a mixed martial arts fight with his brother Ken Shamrock, what has happened to EliteXC, his role in that company, the state of mixed martial arts, the need for a fighters' union in MMA, and more.

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: CBS, Cung Le, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, Frank Shamrock, grappling, Ken Shamrock, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Pro Elite, Showtime, UFC, ultimate fighting

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On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by commenting on the election of Barack Obama as the first African-American president of the United States. Discussed are both the significance of this for the combat sports of boxing, wrestling, and mixed martial arts, and, of course more importantly, the people.

On Election Day in the U.S., November 4, we conducted an interview with three-time U.S. national freestyle wrestling champion and mixed martial arts fighter, King Mo Lawal. Mo just had his second TKO victory in as many fights in his new MMA career, stopping Chute Boxe fighter Fabio Silva in the third round at the Sengoku 6 card in Japan on Saturday, November 1.

Our lengthy discussion with Mo Lawal focused on his latest victory in the ring, his training in technique, his plans, his views on the worsening problems facing USA Wrestling, and much more.

His latest victory can be seen here.

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:

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: Barack Obama, boxing, Eddie Goldman, Extreme Fighting, Fabio Silva, John McCain, mixed martial arts, MMA, Mo Lawal, No Holds Barred, Sengoku, UFC, ultimate fighting, USA Wrestling, wrestling

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On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with the legendary mixed martial arts matchmaker John Perretti.

In a lengthy interview, we discuss his recent trip to Japan where he watched a sumo tournament, wrestling and grappling and mixed martial arts, the art of matchmaking, boxing commentators, UFC commentators, the decline of technique and striking in mixed martial arts today, the sport of roller derby, the prospects for his new sport based on Florentine football, and more.

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.

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, Eddie Goldman, Extreme Fighting, Florentine football, grappling, John Perretti, matchmaking, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, roller derby, sumo, UFC, ultimate fighting, wrestling

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NO HOLDS BARRED on DojoRadio.com

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Turi Altavilla, a vice president of EliteXC until the very recent demise of that mixed martial arts company. Turi also was formerly a vice president of the Pride Fighting Championships.

In a lengthy interview, we get a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how EliteXC operated, and discuss what led to EliteXC closing its operations, the controversy stemming from the Kimbo Slice-Seth Petruzelli fight, what direction mixed martial arts should take, what his plans are now, and much, much more.

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.

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, CBS. Showtime, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, Kimbo Slice, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Pride, Pro Elite, Seth Petruzelli, Turi Altavilla, UFC, ultimate fighting, wrestling

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On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the devolution of mixed martial arts into becoming one of the dumbest, if not the dumbest, sports in America.

Among the issues raised in this no holds barred commentary are how this sport was once a brilliant laboratory and school where discussion of technique was the order of the day, the imitation of the vulgar fake pro "wrestling" by UFC, the hatred of grappling by EliteXC which eventually led to the self-destruction of that company, the preposterous idea by Affliction of a creating a "reality" show to find an opponent for top heavyweight and pound-for-pound MMA fighter Fedor Emelianenko, the continued reliance on the technologically obsolete pay-per-view television model, and more.

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.

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: Affliction, boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, Extreme Fighting, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Pro Elite, UFC, ultimate fighting, wrestling

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NO HOLDS BARRED on DojoRadio.com

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with our colleague and correspondent, Todd Hester, who is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Gladiator Magazine.

The tables are turned, however, as Todd conducts an in-depth interview with Eddie about Eddie's background, how he got into covering the combat sports, what they represent to him philosophically and historically, what his plans are now, and more.

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.

FightBeat.com, for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Labels: BJJ, boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, combat sports, Eddie Goldman, Gladiator Magazine, grappling, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, submission, Todd Hester, UFC, ultimate fighting, wrestling

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NO HOLDS BARRED on DojoRadio.com

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by noting the untimely passing of mixed martial arts fighter Evan Tanner. We also discuss the rescheduling of the Affliction mixed martial arts card and what this says about their marketing, advertising, and pay-per-view strategies. And we comment upon the possible entry into mixed martial arts of boxing promoter Don King.

This coming weekend, September 13-14, the USA Grappling World Team Trials will take place at Sierra College in Rocklin, Calif. This event is organized by USA Wrestling, the national governing body for the sport of wrestling. This is a qualifying event for the 2008 Grappling World Championships, which will be held in Lucerne, Switzerland, December 20-21.

Jeff Monson is an athlete known for his success in both grappling and mixed martial arts. A former ADCC submission wrestling world champion, and Pride and UFC veteran, he was both a world and U.S. champion in grappling in 2007. He will be competing at the Grappling World Team Trials this weekend in hopes of repeating.

We conducted a lengthy interview this Wednesday with Jeff Monson, discussing grappling, its future, how he compares grappling and fighting, his career, and more.

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: ADCC, Affliction, boxing, Don King, Eddie Goldman, Evan Tanner, grappling, Jeff Monson, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, submission wrestling, UFC, ultimate fighting, USWF, wrestling

On this edition of No Holds Barred, we focus on discussing the article "Punch Drunk Love. How boxing explains John McCain" by Michael Crowley in The New Republic, which quotes me extensively about McCain's obsessive campaign against mixed martial arts in the 1990's. We also discuss the significance of those views of McCain for today.

In addition, we also discuss the EliteXC show on CBS this past Saturday, the monumental drop in ratings from their May 31 show, and other issues including the future of the IFL, MMA coming to New York, and the flawed pay-per-view model for combat sports.

You can download No Holds Barred here or here. You can also listen to 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:

IFL, the International Fight 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: Affliction, boxing, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, John McCain, Michael Crowley, mixed martial arts, MMA, New Republic, No Holds Barred, pay-per-view, UFC, ultimate fighting

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with our correspondent Matthew Kaplowitz about the debut Affliction "Banned" mixed martial arts card, which was held Saturday, July 19, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Matthew was in the arena covering it live.

In a lengthy discussion, we present a very nuanced analysis of the positives and negatives of the Affliction show, including the lessons of the 36-second blowout by Fedor Emelianenko, the top heavyweight and pound-for-pound MMA fighter in the world, over former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia.

Eddie also opens the show with another commentary on the problems facing those promoters reliant on the pay-per-view TV model, the growing availability of fights from around the world online and for free, and the inconclusive ending of the Dream lightweight MMA tournament in Japan.

You can listen to No Holds Barred here. Just press the play button on the player. You can also download it here or here.

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:

IFL, the International Fight 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: Affliction, Banned, Dream, Eddie Goldman, Fedor Emelianenko, FEG, Matthew Kaplowitz, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, pay-per-view, Tim Sylvia, UFC, ultimate fighting

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by explaining, once again, how the pay-per-view business model of many boxing and mixed martial arts companies is flawed due to numerous factors, including the growth of streaming on peer-to-peer networks, the declining economy, and more. In particular, the pay-per-view model of the Affliction MMA promotion is critiqued.

In our main interview, which was originally played on SecondsOut Radio, we spoke with the award-winning boxing writer and author, Thomas Hauser of SecondsOut.com.

Recently he wrote a lengthy and sharp critique called "HBO: 2008", which called into question the direction being taken by HBO, the most important television network in boxing.

That article has been widely discussed, and we continued that discussion, both about HBO and the state and future of boxing, on our show this week.

You can listen to No Holds Barred here. Just press the play button on the player. You can also download it here or here.

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:

IFL, the International Fight 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: Affliction, Banned, boxing, Eddie Goldman, HBO, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, P2P, pay-per-view, peer-to-peer, SecondsOut Radio, streaming, UFC, ultimate fighting, video

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with our colleague Todd Hester, who is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Gladiator Magazine.

Todd is someone who has been immersed in the combat sports for many years. He started training with the Gracies in the late 1980's, covered the first UFC in 1993, and has been ringside or cageside for countless MMA events all around the world.

Now, in a provocative new editorial called "Redemption and Transformation", in the current edition of Gladiator Magazine, he argues that MMA has lost its soul.

Commenting on what grappling, jiu-jitsu, and mixed martial arts are really about, he wrote, "it isn't about the fighting." He also argued, "fighting for the sake of pure violence is basically immoral."

In a lengthy interview, we discuss the transformation of mixed martial arts from, as he called it, the "cerebral" sport it once was, to its current state which celebrates "mindless, juvenile violence." We also discuss what can be done to change the sport of mixed martial arts into something which plays a more positive role.

You can listen to No Holds Barred here. Just press the play button on the player. You can also download it here or here.

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:

IFL, the International Fight 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: BJJ, boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Eddie Goldman, Gladiator Magazine, grappling, judo, martial arts, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, submission, Todd Hester, UFC, ultimate fighting, wrestling

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with the award-winning boxing writer and author, Thomas Hauser of SecondsOut.com, about his views on UFC and mixed martial arts.

In a lengthy discussion, Thomas Hauser explains why he does not like mixed martial arts, why he finds it debasing, why he thinks that society should not be encouraging it, and why he thinks New York State should not legalize and sanction it.

This is a must-hear interview, for both supporters and opponents of UFC and mixed martial arts.

To listen to No Holds Barred, click here or here and just press the play button on the player.

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:

IFL, the International Fight 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, CBS, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, IFL, International Fight League, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Pro Elite, SecondsOut.com, Thomas Hauser, UFC, ultimate fighting

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins with another commentary on the poor level of striking in the mixed martial arts, especially as compared even to mid-level boxing, and the even worse reporting and analysis by many in the so-called MMA "media" regarding various key issues, in particular reflecting their bias in favor of the current UFC owners.

Mike Chapman, the founder of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa, has long been the top wrestling historian in America. Now that museum has been severely damaged by the storms and floods that have been recently ravaging Iowa and much of the Midwest.

We spoke with Mike about what physical damage has been done to the museum, what this means for its future, and what people can do to assist them.

We also spoke with Tom Atencio, vice president of Affliction, about the move by UFC to run a free cable show directly opposite their July 19 pay-per-view. We also discussed the news that their main event, involving top heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko and former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia, will be contested for the heavyweight championship of the new World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts (WAMMA), which is an independent sanctioning body.

To listen to No Holds Barred, click here or here and just press the play button on the player.

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:

IFL, the International Fight 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: Affliction, boxing, Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum, Eddie Goldman, Mike Chapman, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, Tom Atencio, UFC, ultimate fighting, wrestling

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by discussing the Pygmalion-like tale of Kimbo Slice and the reasons for his broad appeal and the Kimbo phenomenon.

Kimbo, of course, headlines the CBS and EliteXC Saturday Night Fights card, which takes place this Saturday, May 31, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and will be shown live in the U.S. on CBS. He faces fellow heavyweight mixed martial artist, James Thompson.

We spoke with Kimbo Slice along with other members of the media at the final prefight news conference this Thursday in New York.

We also spoke with another headliner on this card, the charismatic and undefeated Gina Carano, who faces Kaitlin Young in a women's 140-pound fight. And we spoke with EliteXC promoter Gary Shaw about his views on the reported hiring by the rival of EliteXC, UFC, of a Washington, D.C. lobbying firm to keep mixed martial arts out of federal regulatory legislation.

Eddie Goldman will also be a guest on the nationally-syndicated "Joey Reynolds Show" this Friday night/early Saturday morning, May 30/31. The topic will be the May 31 EliteXC show and Kimbo Slice, but expect anything to come up. The "Joey Reynolds Show" is a national radio broadcast in New York on WOR 710 AM and on 100 other stations via the WOR Network. The show airs live beginning at midnight EDT and runs to 5 AM EDT. We are presently scheduled to come on right after midnight EDT. You can also listen to the "Joey Reynolds Show" online at http://www.wor710.com/.

To listen to No Holds Barred, click here or here and just press the play button on the player.

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:

CBS and EliteXC Saturday Night Fights. On May 31st, watch the historic debut of "CBS and EliteXC Saturday Night Fights". The action is LIVE on CBS starting at 9 PM ET/PT. Kimbo Slice, Gina Carano, Robbie Lawler, Phil Baroni, and more will be bringing their A-games to primetime on the 31st. For more info, go to SaturdayNightFights.com.

ProElite.com, an MMA website built by and for the fans and fighters of this great sport. Watch action-packed fights, connect with others, and get exclusive MMA coverage all in one place. It's "All Combat All the Time" at ProElite.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, CBS, Eddie Goldman, EliteXC, Gary Shaw, Gina Carano, James Thompson, Joey Reynolds, Kaitlin Young, Kimbo Slice, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, UFC, ultimate fighting, WOR

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.

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

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman reviews the IFL mixed martial arts card held Friday, April 4, at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and previews the debut show of YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts this coming Friday, April 11, at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Right after their fights, we spoke with two of the IFL champions, 170-pounder Jay Hieron and 145-pounder Wagnney Fabiano, about their successful title defenses Friday night. Hieron, a former Div. I college wrestler at Hofstra, scored a TKO win over Mark Miller with a ground-and-pound attack, winning at just 2:10 of the first round. Fabiano, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and expert, scored a first-round knockout of Shad Lierley in just 37 seconds, landing a beautiful straight left-right hook combination that put him away.

This coming Friday, April 11, the much-anticipated and already controversial debut show of YAMMA Pit Fighting takes place at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This will be an all-heavyweight show, with two Masters’ Superfights and a one-night, eight-man tournament. This card will also be shown live on pay-per-view.

To get the latest on this card and clear up some of the mysteries about this show as well as some of the confusion being spread by some so-called media members, we spoke directly this past Thursday afternoon with Bob Meyrowitz, a co-founder of the UFC and now the man in charge of YAMMA Pit Fighting.

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:

YAMMA Pit Fighting. The producers of the original UFC and Live Nation, worldwide leaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts. On the streets, it's against the law. In the pit, it IS the law.

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: Bob Meyrowitz, Eddie Goldman, IFL, International Fight League, Jay Hieron, mixed martial arts, MMA, No Holds Barred, pit fighting, UFC, ultimate fighting, Wagnney Fabiano, YAMMA

Shawn Tompkins, coach of Team Tompkins of the International Fight League (IFL), and Eddie Goldman of No Holds Barred will be on the nationally-syndicated "Joey Reynolds Show" Wednesday night/Thursday morning, April 2/3. Eddie is also the boxing correspondent for the "Joey Reynolds Show".

On this segment, however, the subject will be mixed martial arts and the next major show by the IFL, which takes place this coming Friday, April 4, at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, popularly known as the Meadowlands. This card will be televised live on HDNet.

The "Joey Reynolds Show" is a national radio broadcast in New York on WOR 710 AM and on 100 other stations via the WOR Network. The show airs live beginning at midnight EDT and runs to 5 AM EDT. We are presently scheduled to come on towards the end of the show.

You can also listen to the "Joey Reynolds Show" online. For more information on the show's webcast, go to http://www.wor710.com/.

For more information on the "Joey Reynolds Show," go to http://wor710.com/pages/46370.php?contentType=4&contentId=157588.

For more information on show producer Myra Chanin, go to http://motherwonderful.com/.

Labels: boxing, Eddie Goldman, IFL, International Fight League, Izod Center, Joey Reynolds, mixed martial arts, MMA, radio, Shawn Tompkins, Team Tompkins, UFC, ultimate fighting, WOR