No Holds Barred: Tom DeBlass on His July 26 ADCC Superfight at MMA World Expo

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman spoke with grappler, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and instructor, and MMA fighter Tom DeBlass.

Besides being the owner of Ocean County Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he will be competing in a grappling superfight as part of the ADCC competition at this year's MMA World Expo in New York. His opponent will be the veteran Renato "Babalu" Sobral.

This superfight, under ADCC grappling rules, will take place Saturday, July 26, on the first day of the MMA World Expo at the Jacob Javits Center, 655 West 34th Street, New York, New York 10001. ADCC will be running two days of tournaments at the MMA World Expo, with the no-gi competition on Saturday, July 26, and the gi competition on Sunday, July 27.

We spoke with Tom DeBlass by phone Monday night.

Calling his opponent, Babalu, a legend, he is still confident that he can emerge victorious.

"I know how to win in jiu-jitsu and grappling," he said. "I came back in grappling competition after four years away last year, and I won the Pan American Games, in the adult black belt division. Then I took third in the Worlds, no-gi division, two weeks before I beat [Jason] Lambert" in MMA in Bellator on November 15, 2013. He is also a 2009 ADCC North American Trial Champion, and holds victories in Grapplers Quest and other competitions.

"I believe in my jiu-jitsu. I believe in myself," he added.

"I'm really honored. I'm excited to go against him. And I'm super-excited that ADCC and Carlos Carvalho wanted me to headline their event. It's a pretty amazing honor."

We also discussed the potential for grappling to emerge as a popular spectator sport, his training in both grappling and MMA at the same time, the plans for him to continue fighting in Bellator, how his studies in college in education have helped him as a coach and instructor, how he got involved in jiu-jitsu and grappling, and much more.

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

MMA World Expo. The mixed martial arts community comes to New York City July 26 and 27, 2014, for the fifth annual MMA World Expo, featuring the Fighters Source U.S. Nationals amateur MMA tournament, two days of ADCC no-gi and gi grappling tournaments, MMA fighters, seminars with world-class trainers, vendors, panel discussions, catch wrestling competition, and much more. The MMA World Expo takes place Saturday, July 26, and Sunday, July 27, 2014, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.

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 2014 Catch Wrestling World Championship, presented by the Snake Pit U.S.A., taking place Sunday, July 27, at the MMA World Expo at the Jacob Javits Center in New York. You can only win by pin or submission. Best two out of three falls. All styles welcome. For more information or to register, go to snakepitusa.com.

The Catch Wrestling Alliance, a catch wrestling promotion that works with the highest level catch wrestlers from around the world with the goal of reviving the great sport of catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance organizes catch wrestling sporting events, and its primary organizer is Dr. Raul Ramirez. For more information, go to catchwrestlingalliance.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.

Thanks, Eddie Goldman
EddieGoldman.com