No Holds Barred
Newsletter - 2025
The term ‘No-Holds-Barred’ gets tossed around to reference 'MMA' without actually thinking about the true severity of the term, and what it really means.
(It is obviously also the title of Hulk Hogan’s greatest movie... though that’s not the topic of this email.)
‘No Holds Barred’ = No (submission) holds are ‘barred’… or banned. In other words: anything goes. Now you might think to yourself, “well the UFC is basically 'no holds barred'… right? RIGHT?!”
No. What about grabbing a ‘hold’ of the guy’s nuts, or grabbing a hold of his eyeballs with your fingertips? You can’t do it... therefore, some holds are clearly barred.
In real 'NHB', I suppose you can grab whatever you want...
You could even bash your opponent's nether-regions like Keith Hackney vs Jo Son in UFC 4... long before Dana White was forced to consider rules or decency.
Nothing is barred, which means, you could hit the guys nuts with a literal bar, if one was presumably available at the time.
Also... 'fun fact', the aggrieved nuts in that clip belonged to the actor who played “Random Task” in Austin Powers.
(Actor / Fighter 'Jo Son' throwing a shoe... honestly)
Jo Son's time in the public sphere was limited, but I never forget a set of aggrieved nuts.
Anyhow, there actually IS a legitimate 'underground' no-holds-barred mixed martial arts promotion... which is the entire purpose of this excessive newsletter preamble.
This video from "King of the Streets" was recently shared with me, and I must say, it definitely caused a stirring emotional response in my brain. I felt equal parts intrigued and disturbed.
Now, if there's any lesson to be taken from this newsletter, it's this:
"King of the Streets" and any other no-holds-barred organization is what actual high level mixed martial arts looks like, when performed in a legitimate self defense scenario. If you're fighting for your life, the technique should probably look similar.
So, if you're one of those guys who says to himself, "Oh I'd just bite someone's face off if I really had to," or, "I would just effortlessly poke his eyeballs," well... yeah... maybe you would.
Perhaps you'd find it easier said than done.
Nevertheless, this 'no holds barred' organization could teach us a thing or two... but I don't have the stomach to watch it, so you will have to do it for me and report back.
Let me know what you find...
In the mean time, have a fantastic day!
-Trav
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