No Holds Barred Tenth Anniversary: Dr. Margaret Goodman on Boxing, MMA, and Doping

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Dr. Margaret Goodman, a neurologist, the former chair of the Medical Advisory Board of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and the president and board chairman of VADA, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.

This is another in a series of discussions celebrating the tenth anniversary of this No Holds Barred podcast, which began in March 2006. These interviews will focus both on the legacy and issues raised over the years on this show, as well as contemporary issues and the future of the combat sports and martial arts.

We spoke with Dr. Margaret Goodman by phone Monday.

There is hardly a day without a report, discussion, or analysis of doping in sports. Even a decade ago, this was not the case, particularly in the combat and contact sports. Yet today, issues like doping, as well as athlete safety, brain trauma, and CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), regularly appear in the headlines and are the main topics in the news and on discussion shows. It has taken time for public awareness of these issues and the crises for sport they entail to grow to a critical mass, but that is where we are today.

"I think that public awareness, and the public, the fans that watch these sports, asking questions, demanding answers to those questions, keeping on top of the sports, and even with the athletic commissions and the media asking questions, I think changes do come," said Dr. Goodman.

"The public is more and more aware of this," she said, and urged, "I think that it's really important for the average boxing fan and MMA fan to ask questions, to find out as much information as they can."

More and more transparency on these issues and more and more people asking questions, she said, "this is what really will evoke changes."

We discussed many specific issues, including that of the many suspensions of athletes for using the banned substance meldonium; why many of these suspensions have now been lifted; drug-testing in MMA including the UFC-USADA program; the World Boxing Council (WBC) working directly with VADA on testing fighters and the WBC Clean Boxing Program; the growing list of top-rated boxers who are part of VADA's anti-doping program; the lack of uniformity in drug and medical testing of fighters, both around the U.S. and the world; Bellator MMA's booking of Kimbo Slice for a fight in the U.K. right after he tested positive for using a steroid from his February fight and was suspended for three months and had his fighter's license revoked by the Texas commission; the dangers of brain injuries in. and the relative safety of, boxing and MMA; whether or not bare knuckle boxing can be safer than boxing with gloves; the ethics of watching and covering such dangerous sports as boxing and MMA; the need for a national commission for boxing and MMA, for MMA to be included in the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, and for international regulation of these sports; the importance of the recent film "Concussion" about Dr. Bennet Omalu; how repeated sub-concussive blows to the head must be examined and not just full concussions; an upcoming WBC webinar; and much, much more.

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No Holds Barred: Ken Shamrock, Bare-Knuckle Boxer

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with MMA pioneer and legend Ken Shamrock.

A veteran of the early days of MMA, the first King of Pancrase, and known especially for his skill with submissions, Ken Shamrock, now 50 years old, is embarking on yet another pioneering venture: to become a champion in bare-knuckle boxing.

His debut fight is slated to take place this April in the U.K. against bare-knuckle boxing legend James Quinn, at a date and location to be announced. It is also planned for this fight to be shown on pay-per-view, with details forthcoming.

We spoke with Ken Shamrock by phone Tuesday.

Just like he articulately defended MMA in its formative days against various detractors, Ken Shamrock is defending this latest incarnation of bare-knuckle boxing, both for its relative safety and as an art form.

Gloves in both boxing and MMA were introduced, he said, "under the same myth that I believe, is to try and make it safer. And I thought to myself, 'Safer for who?'"

He explained, "It's really not to protect the guy getting punched. It's really to protect the guy that's doing the punching and make it more exciting for the fans to get more knockouts and be able to have the fighters sustain their career longer without breaking their hands and having to retire."

Bare-knuckle boxing, he said, makes "fighters become more articulate and more accurate and more cautious about letting their hands fly, holding back some of the power that they may have, to be able to land strikes that are going to be perfect and not miss their target. Because if they do, the consequences are whether they could lose the fight because they broke their hand."

Similarly, he argued that when gloves were brought into MMA, "They took away the purity of submissions," and made it harder to win by submission.

We also discussed how he feels "rejuvenated" and "better than I have in the last 15 years", how bare-knuckle boxing is legal in the U.K. although unregulated, the development of the rules for this 21st century version of bare-knuckle boxing, why MMA today only has an "edge" in safety over gloved boxing, why history shows that bare-knuckle boxing is safer than gloved boxing, why bare-knuckle boxing will be "more exciting" than MMA, his views on the potential of submission wrestling and catch wrestling, his plans for training for this fight, and much more.

In addition, we commented on the passing of another MMA pioneer, Phyllis Lee, who was known as the "First Lady of NHB".

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

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

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 DefenseSoap.com.

Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.

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No Holds Barred: Dr. Margaret Goodman On Her Novel 'Death In Vegas'

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with the neurologist, the former chair of the Medical Advisory Board of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and the president and board chairman of VADA, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, Dr. Margaret Goodman.

Stepping into yet another role, she is the author of the new novel, "Death in Vegas". This fictional story combines drama, romance, and intrigue in an expose of the many real behind-the-scenes facets of corruption in boxing. Written to appeal to both men and women, it is a page-turner with twists and turns, but a message to tell as well. It is an entertaining and worthwhile read for anyone interested in the many issues facing boxing and the combat sports as a whole.

We spoke with Dr. Margaret Goodman by phone Sunday.

"I love the sport of boxing, as I think you can figure that out from this book," she said. "I do love the fighters. I hate the corruption that goes on in the sport. I hate the fact that not enough is not being done. You yourself are an advocate for combat sports, and so that's what I try to be at all times in my career in boxing and MMA."

Stating that it would be "impossible" for various reasons for her to write a successful non-fiction book, she said, "I wanted to use this opportunity to talk about all of the inadequacies in the sport, how the sport could be made so much better for the fighters, and I wanted to bring a new audience."

We discussed more about the particulars of this story, and how its aim is to "give respect to all the fighters out there."

But we also delved into many of the real issues raised in the book, including the need for some type of national commission to regulate combat sports like boxing and MMA, as well as the need for fighters to have their own union.

Her former role as a ringside physician and present role in VADA have made her particularly aware that, even today, performance-enhancing drugs are, she said, "rampant" in the combat sports. The issues of head trauma, concussions and sub-concussive trauma, brain damage, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy as well as what age youth should start participating in these sports, including tackle football, were also discussed.

One area that requires new attention is the level of damage caused by chokes in sports like MMA, jiu-jitsu, and various styles of grappling and wrestling. Dr. Goodman said much more study is needed, but suggested that just like medical suspensions are handed out for getting knocked out, perhaps it is time to start considering issuing medical suspensions for getting choked out. While short-term damage from chokes appears anecdotally to be relatively minor, asked whether it is scientifically known if there is long-term damage from repeatedly being choked out, she replied, we "don't have the answer yet.... We don't know."

We also discussed more on the characters in the book, how she would like to write a novel in a similar vein on MMA, 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:

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 AmericanTopTeam.com.

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 DefenseSoap.com.

Payleg.com, which gives you the tools to develop a full-time income by building a home-based business. Teaching success in the home-based business industry since 1988, Payleg.com is available in 190 countries. For more information, go to Payleg.com.

Takedown Wrestling Media, America's wrestling TV and radio shows, which are hosted by founder Scott Casber, and have been airing on radio and Internet for over 17 years. Takedown Media produces a weekly TV program seen in 54 million homes in the U.S. on DirecTV, Dish Network, and cable affiliates around the country, called Takedown TV. Takedown Media also produces the weekly USA Wrestling TV show for the governing body of the sport, USA Wrestling. For more information, go to TakedownRadio.com.

No Holds Barred: Canelo, Angulo, Rampage, Trans Athletes, Concussions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes.

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

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

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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/.

No Holds Barred: Bernard Hopkins, Tavoris Cloud, Don King, and Reflections on Real Steel

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman previews the fight between the unbeaten IBF champion Tavoris Cloud (24-0, 19 KOs) and the 48-year-old legend Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins (52-6, 32 KOs), and discusses its significance in the context of the lessons of the 2011 science fiction film "Real Steel".

The Cloud-Hopkins fight takes place Saturday, March 9, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and will be televised live in the U.S. on HBO.

In "Real Steel", set in the year 2020, robot boxing has replaced human boxing and, apparently, MMA. This film was just repeated on Showtime in the U.S. on Saturday, March 2 -- right before the live Showtime boxing card headlined by the wild Abril-Bogere fight.

The film "Real Steel" is loosely based on the 1956 short story "Steel" by Richard Matheson, which was made into a 1963 episode of "The Twilight Zone" TV series starring Lee Marvin. In both the short story and the TV show, boxing had been banned; the movie is more ambiguous about the future legal status of the human fighting sports. In the U.S., the debut show of the Robot Combat League on the Syfy network last Tuesday, February 26, featuring 12 eight-foot robot boxers in a tournament format, drew over 1.35 million viewers, with a total of nine weekly episodes already filmed.

Even before all this buzz about robot fighting, boxing has long been a largely tragic sport. It is a slowly dying sport that is killing its own people, but which we still sometimes love. Therein lies the degree of sadness with which we approach it, especially when a 48-year-old fighter is involved.

We spoke with Bernard Hopkins, Tavoris Cloud, Cloud's new trainer Abel Sanchez, and Cloud's promoter, the one and only Don King, about this fight on a media conference call this past Wednesday.

"It's going to be a barnburner on March the 9th," promised Don King on this conference call. "Get ready. We coming. We coming to Brooklyn. And no one could be prouder. And if you cannot hear us, we'll say it a little louder."

We shall see whose barn burns down Saturday night.

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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No Holds Barred: John Perretti on the Pacquiao-Bradley Debacle and Scandal

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with our senior correspondent and the veteran martial artist John Perretti.

This past Saturday, June 9, once again we saw an outrageous decision in a major boxing match held in Las Vegas, Nevada. With about 99 percent of those watching the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley fight agreeing that Pacquiao had clearly won the 12-round fight, two of the three judges incredibly gave it to Bradley, giving him a split decision victory, and again exposing the horrific governance in the sport of boxing.

We spoke with John Perretti Monday afternoon by phone about boxing's latest debacle and scandal. We discussed the issue of whether this absurd verdict was the result of incompetence or corruption, and what we actually know now. We examined the role of gambling in fixing results in sports in general. We discussed why having the Nevada authorities investigate this, as promoter Bob Arum has called for, is, in John Perretti's words, like having "Hitler investigate Mussolini."

We also discussed the role of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the need for the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate this matter, and the need for a U.S. National Combat Sports Commission to oversee professional boxing, mixed martial arts, and kickboxing. We noted the importance of social media in recording and mobilizing popular outrage about this scandal, why this will make it much harder for this debacle to be forgotten with time, and much more.

In addition, we open by presenting an update on the memorial activities for Grand Master Roger Clark, who passed last week at age 47 from a heart attack. In his honor, there will be a free memorial martial arts seminar this Saturday, June 16, at I.S. 292 at 301 Vermont Street in Brooklyn, New York.

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.

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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/.

No Holds Barred: Kirkland-Angulo and Quillin-McEwan Previews, MMA vs. Boxing

On this audio edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman previews the James Kirkland-Alfredo Angulo and Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin-Craig McEwan fights of November 5, and issues a challenge to MMA fans about the MMA vs. boxing debate.

On Saturday, November 5, there will be three televised boxing cards in the U.S., and none of them on pay-per-view. Besides the Showtime card headlined by unbeaten IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute facing Glen Johnson, and the WealthTV card promoted by Don King headlined by WBA cruiserweight champion Guillermo Jones fighting Mike Marrone, HBO will have a doubleheader coming from Cancun, Mexico.

Two sluggers who very much need a big victory will face each other in the main event of the HBO card, as James Kirkland (29-1, 26 KOs) faces Alfredo Angulo (20-1, 17 KOs) in a 12-round, 154-pound WBC title eliminator. The first-round knockout loss earlier this year of Kirkland by little-known Nobuhiro Ishida, and the 2009 decision loss of Angulo to Kermit Cintron, halted the title quests of both these highly-touted fighters, so an impressive victory is essential for both Kirkland and Angulo. Most observers expect this one to be a memorable shootout, and it is not to be missed.

Also on that televised card, the unbeaten Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin (25-0, 19 KOs) makes his HBO debut against Craig McEwan (19-1, 10 KOs) in a ten-round middleweight fight. McEwan is coming off the first loss of his career, a tenth-round TKO by Andy Lee in March.

On a media conference call Monday, Kirkland explained how he has become a different fighter since his loss to Ishida. We also spoke with both Peter Quillin and Craig McEwan to get their takes on their fight.

In addition, we issue a challenge to those MMA fans who watched the UFC pay-per-view this past Saturday headlined by the Nick Diaz-B.J. Penn fight. Our challenge: watch any or all of these three non-pay-per-view boxing cards this coming Saturday, November 5, and let us know whether or not they were better than the UFC pay-per-view.

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.

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

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No Holds Barred: Andre Berto, Jan Zaveck, Pediatricians Against Youth Boxing

On this audio edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman previews the September 3 fight between IBF welterweight champion Jan Zaveck and former WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto, and discusses the statement by Canadian and American pediatricians opposing youth and adolescent boxing.

Jan Zaveck (31-1, 18 KOs), based in Germany and born in Slovenia, will be coming to America to try to defend his IBF belt against an opponent, Andre Berto (27-1, 21 KOs), who is coming off the first loss of his professional career. This fight takes place Saturday, September 3, at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, and will be telecast live in the U.S. on HBO.

For the 27-year-old Berto, who lost his WBC belt to underdog Victor Ortiz in a wild fight in April, this fight against the lesser-known Zaveck is a must-win. Berto has already been involved in several action-packed fight-of-the-year candidates, and is expected to try to make a statement following his defeat by Ortiz. The 35-year-old Zaveck, who won his title against South African Isaac Hlatshwayo in South Africa in December 2009 with a third-round TKO and has successfully defended it three times, wants to make his own statement in his first fight in America.

We spoke with both Andre Berto and Jan Zaveck on a media conference call about what to expect in this fight.

We also comment on the policy statement issued this week by the Canadian Paediatric Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics entitled "Boxing participation by children and adolescents".

In this statement, published in the journal Pediatrics, these organizations "oppose boxing as a sport for children and adolescents" because of "the risk of head and facial injuries", including concussions and other neurologic injuries.

As more people and organizations are becoming aware of the health dangers caused by concussions, we examine this statement and assess what it might mean for the future of the combat sports.

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:

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.

No Holds Barred: Charles Farrell and Frank Lotierzo on Diaz-Malignaggi Robbery, and What It Means for Boxing

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with our colleague and correspondent Charles Farrell, and veteran boxing journalist and former fighter Frank Lotierzo.

We start by analyzing the August 22 junior welterweight fight between Paulie Malignaggi and Juan Diaz, won by Diaz by a unanimous decision which most observers have described as being unfair at best and a robbery at worst. Then, in a lengthy and lively discussion, we proceed to examine the repercussions of this hotly disputed decision for the sport of boxing, try to assess just how much damage it has caused to this already declining sport, and consider what, if anything, can be done to restore some credibility to boxing. Plus, we also discuss the rivalry between boxing and mixed martial arts. This is an unbiased and brutally frank discussion at the highest level, so make sure to check it out in its entirety.

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.

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Boxing vs. MMA

Yes, this may be a rather selective comparison, but I’m still in the mood these days for its message.

Fight Is Fight

In the early 1990’s, when no-holds-barred fighting was beginning to take hold in America, a lot of the Americans including myself who were covering this sport were introduced to a generation of fearless fighters from Brazil, mostly trained in the Gracie style of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This new sport was rapidly breaking down international barriers, as well as misconceptions about what fighting was and was not, but one barrier that took a while to break down was language. While few Americans understood Portuguese, these Brazilians were learning or improving their English, although sometimes imperfectly.

One of the favorite sayings of many of the Brazilian fighters of that day was, “Fight is fight.” What this meant, besides a matter-of-fact attitude to whatever fight happened to be next, was that in whichever style they might be competing, it would still be a fight. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, of course, was just grappling in a gi. NHB, as we affectionately called it then, had very few rules, and allowed punching, kicking, submissions, wrestling, etc.

The fact remains that all these styles of combat sports are in essence forms of fighting. Whether emphasizing grappling or striking, or some combination of both, they are still a fight.

Today I leave for St. Louis to cover the 2008 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship, which runs Thursday, March 20, through Saturday, March 22. These days, not many people recognize a sport like college wrestling as a form of fighting. Still, it is not some type of analogy for fighting, as team or ball sports can be, but it is actually using some of the key techniques of real fighting. Just think about how many street fights go to the ground when one fighter takes the other one down, and you will understand that all these techniques are, and must be, used in unarmed combat.

All these combat sports have their own rules, restrictions, traditions, techniques, histories, and cultures. They remain, however, forms of fighting, using specified fighting techniques.

Most of the people around NHB in the early days were big boxing fans. Many people in the wrestling world have been, too. Boxing’s documented problems have driven many of them away like so many others. But at heart, they still like the fights.

Yet the cultural and political disconnect between the combat sports has hit boxing and wrestling, two sports with exceptionally parochial cultures, particularly hard. There is only minor crossover, for example, between the media of these two sports. As far as I know, I remain the only member of both the Boxing Writers Association of America and the National Wrestling Media Association, and have had this unusual distinction for years.

The style vs. style angle of the early NHB fights respected all styles, including boxing and wrestling. Virtually all of these fighters regularly trained in boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, and jiu-jitsu. That is one reason for the mass appeal of modern mixed martial arts. That these sports, which utilize specific fighting techniques and at far higher levels than when they are used in some combination like mixed martial arts, have had trouble capitalizing upon the recent popularity of MMA, only reflects their basic shortcomings in marketing, promotion, and use of the media, especially the Internet.

These problems also result from their attitudes that their style is somehow the only legitimate form of combat sports. That makes it uncomfortable for the fans and aficionados of one of these sports to drop in on the others.

Can you be a purist in more than one or even all of these sports at once? Perhaps, if by “purist” you mean someone who cherishes and defends the highest level of integrity and technique in that sport, and not one who looks down upon or denigrates anything outside one little box.

So check out the NCAA wrestling, boxing people. The finals are live on ESPN Saturday night, March 22, with extended coverage of the earlier rounds on ESPNU Friday and Saturday. And when you do so, keep in mind that fight is fight.