No Holds Barred: Combat Sports, Change, and Concussions

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman discusses the latest tragedy in boxing involving brain-damaged fighter Magomed Abdusalamov; how the sports world is changing in regards to concussions and head trauma, while MMA is racing down the same dangerous path as boxing, including emphasizing head strikes and de-emphasizing grappling; Saturday's Kemetic Masters of the Martial Arts event in Harlem, New York, and the need for catch wrestling in New York City; the growth of non-combat sports like baseball and arm wrestling; corruption and the uncertain future of the Olympic Games; the continuing education going on about concussions and head trauma in films such as "Head Games", which is showing for free in New York this Thursday, February 27; and much more.

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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.

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/.

Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com

Yet another example of how boxing is much more dangerous then mma.....

This is a part of combat sports. You can't make punches and kicks to the head not do brain damage. Even with gloves and headgear. The best that can be done is early stoppages by refs.
Concussions and brain damage are important to talk about and study so that everyone is aware of the damage, but the only way to do away with it is to eliminate the sport. Sorry.
I view it as a necessary evil. Mixed martial arts are important for the growth of martial arts and unarmed combat. It is important. Without it Army combatives would still be teaching boxing and kicks to the groin as the end all be all of self defense. We need some people out there doing the real deal in sanctioned fights. If they don't want brain damage, then don't do it. If you don't want to support it, then don't support it. I and others love it for the sacrifices these fighters make for the sport and art.