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Narrator 1
This is an iHeart podcast Camp Shane, one of America's longest running weight loss camps for kids, promised extraordinary results. But there were some dark truths behind Camp Shane's facade of happy, transformed children.
Narrator 2
Nothing about that camp was right. It was really actually like a horror movie.
Narrator 1
Enter Camp Shame, an eight part series examining the rise and fall of Camp Shane and the culture that fueled its decades long success. You can listen to all episodes of Camp Shame one week early and totally ad free on iheart True Crime plus so don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts and subscribe Today.
J.R. Martinez
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States. Recipients have done the improbable, the unexpected, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves.
Lavi
This medal is for the men who went down that day on Medal of.
J.R. Martinez
Honor Stories of Courage. You'll hear about these heroes and what their stories tell us about the nature of bravery. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.
Stacey Vanek Smith
A lot of times, big economic forces show up in our lives in small ways. Four days a week I would buy two cups of banana pudding, but the price has gone up, so now I only buy one.
Max Chavkin
Small but important ways. From tech billionaires to the bond market to yeah, banana pudding. If it's happening in business, our new podcast is on it. I'm Max Chafton.
Stacey Vanek Smith
And I'm Stacey Vanek Smith. So listen to everybody's business on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Kate Winkler Dawson
A body, a suspect, and a hundred years of silence. Buried Bones is a podcast about the forgotten crimes history tried to leave behind.
Paul Holz
A common misperception about serial press predators is that every single time they commit a crime, they commit it the same way.
Kate Winkler Dawson
The past is a way of talking if you know what to listen for.
Paul Holz
New episodes every Wednesday on the Exactly Right network.
Kate Winkler Dawson
Listen to Buried bones on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Jake Hanrahan
Media.
Lavi
You're listening to the Away Days podcast. On the ground side, reporting from the underbelly with me, Jake Hanrahan. To watch Away Days documentaries, go to YouTube.com waydaystv this is part one. No Rules is no Rules episode three. This podcast is a production of H11 Studio and call Zone Media. It's a few months since the FPVS fight in Cannes and now I'm in Germany. Or just about, mate, we're in the middle of nowhere. Is that the term? I'm driving through a rundown town right on the border with Strasbourg, trying to find the location of another no rules underground event. There were green hills and traditional scenic villages here and there on the drive, but the final destination is honestly a bit of a tip. Reminds me of home. Everything's grey concrete and dying retail perks. Lads stood on corners and arguments in alleyways. It's a long, long way from hipster Berlin, a place where I got laughed at by a guy with a waxed mustache when I ordered a black coffee earlier. In contrast, this morning in this border town, an old fella wanted to fight because he felt I'd parked too close to his car. It's a long way from Berlin. Indeed. This place is probably perfect for cross country smuggling, destitution drugs, and a porous border with France. I'm not too surprised there's an underground fight club here. We're a long way from Cannes as well. The fight club I'm heading to is called Frontier, perhaps named after the Franco Alamande frontier border crossing to the west of the city. Frontier is much more of an illicit organization than fpvs. Fpvs, for example, has the tagline Just do sport and no one gets paid. Frontiers tagline is respect of the streets. And fighters do get paid. Not much, but they get something. Or they're at least supposed to. More on that later. The GPS directs me out of the city and onto the outskirts. I drive through a small rural town and pull up to a long dirt road. Fight Club is this way. Halfway down the track there's a pit stop restaurant with a few heavies stood outside, tall fellas with thick necks, sunglasses and Ascari tracksuits. I pull up next to them and wind down my window. Blond guy with a back he could break a chair on comes up to the car. He nods slightly, asking what I want. Do you know where the fight's at? I ask. He laughs and looks around, kind of uncertain. Maybe he thinks I'm a cop. He takes a drag of his cigarette. The fight? He asks. I'm here to see Lavi, I say. Lavi is the guy who runs Frontier. Ah, says Blondie. He nods. It's all good. He points to a fairly large but otherwise inconspicuous building in the near distance. It sits opposite some horse stables, which are obscuring most of the structure, but I can see where to go. I park up on the side of the road and get out the car. Everything is rock, gravel, and mud underfoot. The building looks like a British working man's Club or an old function hall. Beige drab, forgettable. It's tucked away just off the road, surrounded by forgotten allotments and overgrown fields. If you're used to fancy things, you might think the area is completely abandoned. It's not though. Life goes on. It's just an under the table sort of location. I text Lavi. He calls to say he'll be out in a bit. As I wait, more cars start arriving. Black Range Rovers with black windows. Boy Racer hatchbacks, white work vans. Vehicles for activities other than driving. Lavi shouts over to me from the hall entrance and comes strolling over. How's it going? Good to meet you.
Jake Hanrahan
Hey, bro. Nice to meet you. Appreciate it. So this is it, yeah? Yes, exactly.
Lavi
Middle of nowhere.
Jake Hanrahan
Yes, exactly.
Lavi
He's wearing a black face covering pulled up to his eyes and a bright red zip up jacket with the frontier logo embroidered into it. His hair is shaved short and he's about 6 foot. He's slim but built like a fighter. He approaches me warmly and we shake hands. Laby is upbeat and immediately friendly. In the back of his head he's got acab. All cops are bastards tattooed in large black letter with a butterfly knife underneath. It's a real career and a type of tattoo. It's incredible. I love that tattoo on the back of your head. Yes.
Jake Hanrahan
Thank you. All colors are beautiful. Yeah.
Lavi
Lavi is instantly likable. There's zero front and no effort to come across. Tough. In my experience, it's guys like this who are actually about it. He's nice, but I'm sure he'd have my skull caved in if needs be. He tells me that outside of the fight clubs he works security, which could mean many different things. Immediately inside the building there's an entrance hall where four men wearing balaclavas are stood waiting. They're each holding a baseball bat. Underground security. They nod at Lavi and me and we're fine. No body search needed. When the boss man is here, the security guys wave us past through two double doors into the main hall. Inside there's noise and lights and people filling in through an unseen back entrance. All along the edges there are permanent booths with tables here and there. On the walls there's framed generic mail order art, jazz bands and Italian kitchens. Fluorescent ceiling bulbs keep everything washed out. At the back of the room there's a small bar and through that there's a corridor to a smaller function room. This place is a social club, only it's been transformed. In the middle of the room there's a Makeshift ring made of heavy duty Harris fencing. The portable galvanized steel frames you get on the perimeter of a building site. They're about 10 foot tall with fence blocks and clips holding them together. The fights take place inside this improvised arena. The floor is flat concrete. As I'm walking through the room with Lavi, I spot a no rules fighter from back home in the uk. It's Bash. Apparently he's fighting today. He notices me and comes over to say hi. Happily, over the next half hour, the social club is converted into the fight club. There will be around five or six fights today. A big frontier banner is cable tied to the fences. There's maybe 100 people inside now, dozens of them with large face tattoos, big guys in big jackets, many in balaclavas. I get chatting to one of the fighters who tells me these people are largely members of serious organized motorcycle gangs. I can believe it. I spot more than a few Hell's Angels, 1 percenter tattoos and various other motorcycle gang logos. The crowd is heavy. There are contingents here that are definitely not friends. But for now, the fighting is contained. This is a far cry from the young rogues of FPVs. This is a fight club with a much stronger criminal element. If you fuck around in here in this nowhere town border area, you might just vanish.
Narrator 2
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Narrator 1
Camp Shain, one of America's longest running weight loss camps for kids, promised extraordinary results. Campers who began the summer in heavy bodies were often unrecognizable when they left. In a society obsessed with being thin, it seemed like a miracle solution. But behind Camp Shane's facade of happy, transformed children was a dark underworld of sinister secrets. Kids were being pushed to their physical and emotional limits as the family that owned Shane turned a blind eye.
Narrator 2
Nothing about that camp was right. It was really actually like a horror movie.
Narrator 1
In this eight episode series, we're unpacking and investigating stories of mistreatment and re examining the culture of fatphobia that enabled a flawed system to continue for so long. You can listen to all episodes of Camp Shame one week early and totally ad free on iheart True Crime plus so don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts and subscribe Today.
J.R. Martinez
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States. Recipients have done the improbable, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves.
Lavi
This medal is for the men who went down that day. It's for the families of those who didn't make it.
J.R. Martinez
I'm J.R. martinez. I'm a U.S. army veteran myself, and I'm honored to tell you the stories of these heroes on the new season of Medal of Stories of Courage from Pushkin Industries and I Heart podcast from Robert Blake, the first black sailor to be awarded the medal to Daniel Daly, one of only 19 people to have received the Medal of Honor twice. These are stories about people who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor going above and beyond the call of duty. You'll hear about what they did, what it meant, and what their stories tell us about the nature of courage and sacrifice. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Stacey Vanek Smith
A lot of times, the big economic forces we hear about on the news show up in our lives in small ways. Three or four days a week, I would buy two cups of banana pudding, but the price has gone up, so now I only buy one.
Max Chavkin
The demand curve in action. And that's just one of the things we'll be covering on everybody's business. From Bloomberg businessweek, I'm Max Chavkin.
Stacey Vanek Smith
And I'm Stacey Vanek Smith. Every Friday, we will be diving into the biggest stories in business, taking a look at what's going on, why it matters, and how it shows up in our everyday lives.
Max Chavkin
With guests like BusinessWeek editor Brad Stone, sports reporter Randall Williams, and consumer spending expert Amanda Mull will take you inside the boardrooms, the back rooms, even the signal chats that make our economy tick.
Lavi
Hey, I want to learn about vechain. I want to buy some blockchain or.
Narrator 2
Whatever it is that they're doing so.
Stacey Vanek Smith
Listen to everybody's business on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Lavi
Lavi is weaving in and out of the crowd at rapid pace, trying to get things organized. A DJ is playing music and everyone is chatting non stop. There's an electric in the air. Fighters are sat around with their respective groups. Hands are getting wrapped, limbs are getting stretched. Today is a big one. It's the first time ever that women will be taking part in a no rules fight club. Two female fights are planned with around four male fights. As Lavi heads outside to check the cops are not sniffing around, I grab him for a second to talk about Frontier. What is frontier? Respect of the streets.
Jake Hanrahan
Frontier respect of the streets is something who. What we built from the first fight. I was the first fighter, had a problem with other people in the ghetto of Strasbourg. Then we was fighting and after that we filmed more and the Corona played us really in the cards because the jobs was not anymore there we come all from the street, from the security, at the erotic business and other things. And that's why Corona closed all. So we was boring also because we trained together, we worked at the door together. And that's why we. We fought, because it was also boring. And with that we tried this to come up.
Lavi
So basically Lavi and his entourage were involved in running security for strip clubs and or maybe brothels in this area. When covert hit and shut things down, those illicit businesses mostly fell apart. At the same time, Lavi had an issue with some lads in Strasbourg. His crew went over, Lavy had a fight and someone decided to film it from this Frontier was sort of accidentally born with himself and a load of violent heavies out of work. Lavi decided to form the fight club essentially just to give them an outlet whilst there was fuckle to do during COVID And what's happening today?
Jake Hanrahan
Today you will see blood, you will see crazy fights. Yes. And so God will nobody will die. Yes.
Lavi
Why is it like this? Underground fighting is becoming really popular in Europe now. Why do you think that is?
Jake Hanrahan
It's like a game, you know, we are still kids like that we want to play. Yes. It's a special thing, you know, not everybody does it. Everybody make maybe bogs and all. We respect all the spots, but that is other. When you make a mistake, it's over. No referee say hey, come up again and blah, blah, blah.
Lavi
It's more brutal.
Jake Hanrahan
It's more brutal, yes.
Lavi
So. So these fights happening today, no rules. It says no rules. What does that mean?
Jake Hanrahan
Completely with no rules.
Lavi
So biting.
Jake Hanrahan
Yes, exactly.
Lavi
Eye gouge.
Jake Hanrahan
Yes.
Lavi
Kick.
Jake Hanrahan
Yes. Like in the street, it's. You have to win, you have to survive. Nobody ask in the street, because the.
Lavi
Honor, you know, you guys are selling this, like, pay per view, right, so people can watch it. How does that work out? Is it. Does it make money for you guys?
Jake Hanrahan
It should be, because it's much work inside. And when you think about all the hours, all the days we put inside, also we have also families. For myself, I have two daughters. I take that time for the club, you know, and it have also to pay because at the end I have discussions with my family, why you don't have time, blah, blah, blah, you know, and for that, I want also a little bit for myself and. Yes, but it's not about. It's not really about money, of course. We've. It all costs really much to make that, to get the people here, that and that. And it's more passionate passion. It's passion because I make that now. We make that now three years, and there was nothing big money, you know, and we have discipline because we see the goal. And one day it will be. Yes.
Lavi
So for Lavi, things are a little different. He wants to make money from this. He has to. He's put a lot of time and effort into organizing the fight club, so why shouldn't he reap the benefits? Today, viewers all across the world, although mostly Europe, will be able to pay around €10 to watch several no rules fights live and direct from Frontier. Lavi himself won't be fighting. But unlike some of the other fight clubs, he, the leader of Frontier, has fought before as part of his own no rules fight club.
Jake Hanrahan
I fought four times here on my own, but I think, you know, I should give other people the chance because I'm also. We make that. So we are in the business. So I don't. I don't have also to fight. And I don't want a personal thing only about me. It's about the fighters, you know, and.
Lavi
Yes, no rules fighting, as far as I'm aware. Like, it's very illegal, right. What would happen if, like, the police came down here or whatever?
Jake Hanrahan
Then many people run. Yes, it's like that. Really?
Lavi
You're not worried about, like, them coming after you arresting you?
Jake Hanrahan
I would be stupid if I'm not worried, you know? But yes, it's like that. We respect it and all, but if it happens, then it happens. Yes, we are prepared for that. But you are never safe.
Lavi
Yeah.
Jake Hanrahan
So no risk, no fun, no champagne.
Lavi
Your Security guys have all got like bats and weapons and they're searching people. Is there usually trouble from outside at these things?
Jake Hanrahan
Not really. But you have to be careful because we are. There are many different groups. Yes. Many different characters. And we want to be safe, just in case. Yes, exactly.
Lavi
Some people say like this stuff, people say this is too brutal, you shouldn't be doing it, it's dangerous, blah, blah, blah. What do you think about that?
Jake Hanrahan
I think everybody have to decide it for his own. And of course it's brutal. It's all that things, you know. But there are some people, you know, there are soldiers and there are people who are normal. Yes. And you have to decide for yourself what side you are. And in some people it grows. They cannot stop that. They cannot make in the office. No, they make that and other people are in the office. We need both of the people, you know. But we are from the other side. Yes.
Lavi
You couldn't do that, right? You couldn't go to normal work.
Jake Hanrahan
I never had a real job.
Lavi
Now you prefer fighting.
Jake Hanrahan
Yes.
Lavi
If that wasn't clear. Lavi points out something that I think is pretty interesting here. He acknowledges that brutal Naru's fighting is of course not for everybody. But he also says the more sedentary office worker, 9 to 5 type lifestyle is also not for everybody. It's not for them, that's for sure. However, he also says that we need both types of people in this world. Unlike most of the people I've spoke to in regards to no rules, fighting, fight clubs. I think Lavy is probably onto something yin and yang in the most violent way possible. The events start today, right. So there's people coming all over. From all over. What kind of people are coming to fight? How do you get hold of them? How do they contact you?
Jake Hanrahan
The underworld. Yeah, yeah, it's the underworld. Yes.
Lavi
All right. Well, what do you think is going to happen today if we. Good.
Jake Hanrahan
I hope so. I hope so. It will be massive. Yes. And the most thing, of course it will be brutal. But I would lie if I would say I hope that something happens really, like an accident, you know, we are happy when the people after can drink a beer chola and are happy, you know, and have maybe I like that. Okay. But we also don't want that. That's why we have to be really careful because it's a concrete ground.
Lavi
Right. You don't want anyone to like be like damaged for life.
Jake Hanrahan
Of course not. We love the fight. Yes, it's the fight.
Lavi
What do you think? Like king of the streets. You guys cool with them?
Jake Hanrahan
Of course, of course. They are the fathers of that.
Lavi
Again, all roads lead to king of the streets. To properly understand no rules, I need to go to a cots fight. It's very, very difficult for reporters though. The leader is extremely paranoid and does not allow anyone in that's close to the media. Kots is about as hardcore as it gets in this scene. In some of their videos they even brandish firearms. And I don't mean handguns. I'm talking semi automatic rifles. In Europe, that is a big deal. You don't get hold of such weapons unless you're well connected in the criminal underworld. Anytime I've reached out to Kots, they don't reply. I wouldn't reply either. But where there's a will, there's a way.
Narrator 1
Camp Shane, one of America's longest running weight loss camps for kids, promised extraordinary results. Campers who began the summer in heavy bodies were often unrecognizable when they left. In a society obsessed with being thin, it seemed like a miracle solution. But behind Camp Shane's facade of happy, transformed children was a dark underworld of sinister secrets. Kids were being pushed to their physical and emotional limits as the family that owned Shane turned a blind eye.
Narrator 2
Nothing about that camp was right. It was really actually like a horror movie.
Narrator 1
In this eight episode series, we're unpacking and investigating stories of mistreatment and reexamining the culture of fatphobia that enabled a flawed system to continue for so long. You can listen to all episodes of Camp Shame one week early and totally ad free on I Heart True Crime plus, so don't wait, head to Apple Podcasts and subscribe today.
J.R. Martinez
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States. Recipients have done the improbable, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves.
Lavi
This medal is for the men who went down that day. It's for the families of those who didn't make it.
J.R. Martinez
I'm J.R. martinez. I'm a U.S. army veteran myself and I'm honored to tell you the stories of these heroes on the new season of Medal of Stories of Courage from Pushkin Industries and iHeart podcast. From Robert Blake, the first black sailor to be awarded the medal. To Daniel Daly, one of only 19 people to have received the Medal of Honor twice. These are stories about people who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor going above and beyond the call of duty. You'll hear about what they did, what it meant, and what their stories tell us about the nature of courage and sacrifice. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
Stacey Vanek Smith
A lot of times, the big economic forces we hear about on the news show up in our lives in small ways. Three or four days a week, I would buy two cups of banana pudding, but the price has gone up, so now I only buy one.
Max Chavkin
The demand curve in action. And that's just one of the things we'll be covering on everybody's business. From Bloomberg Business Week, I'm Max Chavkin.
Stacey Vanek Smith
And I'm Stacey Vanek Smith. Every Friday, we will be diving into the biggest stories in business, taking a look at what's going on, why it matters, and how it shows up in our everyday lives.
Max Chavkin
Guests like BusinessWeek editor Brad Stone, sports reporter Randall Williams, and consumer spending expert Amanda Mull. We'll take you inside the boardrooms, the back rooms, even the signal chats that make our economy tick.
Lavi
Hey, I want to learn about vechain. I want to buy some blockchain or whatever it is that they're doing.
Stacey Vanek Smith
So listen to everybody's business on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Paul Holz
A murder happens, the case goes cold. Then, over 100 years later, we take a second look. I'm Paul Holz, a retired cold case investigator.
Kate Winkler Dawson
And I'm Kate Winkler Dawson, a journalist and historian.
Paul Holz
On our podcast Buried Bones, we re examine historical true crime cases using modern forensic techniques.
Kate Winkler Dawson
We dig into what the original investigators may have missed. Growing up on a farm, when I heard a gunshot, I did not immediately think murder.
Paul Holz
Unless this person went out to shoot squirrels, they're not choosing a.22 to go hunting out there.
Kate Winkler Dawson
These cases may be old, but the questions are still relevant and often chilling.
Paul Holz
I know this chauffeur is not of concern. You know, it's like, well, he's the last one who saw her alive. So how did they eliminate him?
Kate Winkler Dawson
Join us as we take you back to the cold cases that haunt us to this day.
Paul Holz
New episodes every Wednesday on the exactly right network. Listen to Buried bones on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Lavi
Whilst Frontier is hardly doors open for anyone, it was definitely easier to get this access. I showed Lavi a load of my previous work and he believed in the ethos of the Away Days project as a whole. Once that was sorted and a few people vouch for me, it was on. So here I am on the outskirts of Germany, waiting for the fights to begin. I noticed Two of the women fighters getting ready. One is very short with big fake eyelashes, a leopard print face tattoo and lots of lipstick. She's dressed in a bright red Frontier tracksuit with black leather high heeled boots. And she's still very short. Her vibes are incredible. She's very nervous, so I decided to leave her be and speak to her after the fight. One of the other fighters is getting her hands wrapped in tape. Knuckles bare, but hands secured so as to help from breaking. She's tall, lean and with face, hand and neck tattoos. She goes by the nickname Agroterra. She seems shy, but she's happy to talk. She tells me she works at a bar and says she wants to fight to prove something to herself. Can she do it? Is she brave enough? I ask her what she thinks about doing this in such a male dominated world. Some men, no doubt in this scene, would say that women should not do no rules. Without skipping a beat, she simply replies, well, those men should shut up. I laugh, she laughs. I wish her good luck and I let her be. As she goes to get prepared for the fight. Suddenly I see Bash making a beeline fool me through the crowd. He looks distressed. We're the only Brits here, so maybe there's some solidarity. But in this crowd, there's absolutely all I can do if there's trouble. But Bash explains, basically he's worried about one of the other women who are fighting. I've not seen her yet, but he's telling me he's offered to give her money. Why? Well, it's convoluted and Bash has unfortunately been drinking. But essentially what he tells me at least, is that the opponent picked for Agro Terra is a Romanian German single mother down on her luck. She's apparently only fighting for the money so she can help her kids. She doesn't train, apparently, and she has no real experience, whereas Agroterra does. MMA Bash is visibly upset about this. I can see why. It's hardly an even match if this is true. Whilst no rules might be a deeply underground activity, generally equal ability fights are the norm. If not to be fair, then to be entertaining. Koch, for example, usually only has the best of the best at their events. It's rare to see someone trampled over in a minute. If what Bash is saying is true, though, we could see that happen with the first female no rules. Here at Frontier, something doesn't seem right. Bash wanders off to speak to his wife. He's flown out with him as usual. Soon he's got to fight a Lad known as Underdog. This guy has been shadow boxing in a corner with his earphones in the whole time we've been here. Underdog looks about half Bash's weight, but he's lighting his feet and looks pretty able. With Bash's experience though, he should steam through Underdog easy. Well, if he can sober up fast. The last groups of people filter in through the front after being frisked. At this point, when everyone's in, Lavi checks the curtains are drawn and announces that all the doors have now been locked. We shut in. No one will be coming in or going out whilst the fights are taking place. It's kind of ominous, but it also makes sense in regard to security. There's a ton of criminals in here, including biker gangs, drug dealers, hooligans and street fighters. Fighters. Not to mention the illegal underground fighting taking place. You want as few people messing around outside as possible in case police drive by and check what's going on. It's packed in here. The whole crowd is going wild. People grab hold of the Harris fencing and rattle it non stop. It sounds like thunder. The energy here is a lot different to FPVs. I think the crowd here is more dangerous than the fighters. Every creed, color and orientation of criminal is here. There are big dogs on big chains, tall men in balaclavas and women with their partners names tattooed across one side of their forehead. This is the underworld. People here have chosen to live outside of society, for better or worse. The first fighters approach the fenced off area. Two lads in their 20s, lightweight. The fight is unremarkable, honestly, to whirlwind the windmilling hooks that mostly miss. It lasts about two minutes, but then after that fight comes Bash. The fence parts. Lavi strides in. Bash follows. Underdog follows. The latter is a local lad and clearly a crowd favorite. Group of around a dozen young men in tracksuits and bandanas pulled up to their eyes. Goes crazy for him. One of them next to me grabs me in excitement and jumps up and down. They cannot wait. Underdog looks ready. Bash is honestly looking a little worse for wear. The confidence he walked with when I first saw him fight in Hastings is gone. If anything, he looks a little weary. He keeps touching his face and saying fucking hell under his breath as he enters the makeshift arena. For all his faults, I like Bash. Honestly, I want to see him win. On the run up to the fight, he was saying online that he's planning to bite off Underdog's ears. That energy though, seems long gone. He's holding himself in A way that says he just wants to get this over with. Underdog, the younger man, by at least a decade, is still full of beans, ready to go. The two fighters meet in the middle. Bash pushes forward, hands down and throws a very badly timed kick. Underdog catches it with his shin and Bash instantly goes down, falling over himself, hitting the concrete. Underdog kicks at him wildly, mostly missing, sometimes kicking Bash's legs as he spins around on his back, trying to find some kind of way to get up. Underdog leans over. Bash punches him in the head a few times and then toe punts him straight in the face. Bash's head snaps back a bit and he's knocked out. Kind of. Lavi moves in and ends the fight. Bash remains unconscious on the floor or something like that. Honestly, from here, it looks to me as if Bash is just pretending to be KO'd. It's weird. Lavi and a woman with a bandana covering her face drag Bash out by his arms with his head slumped and eyes closed. Now, I don't want to speculate too much, but something seems fishy about this. Okay, Bash has taken a ton of losses and no rules, but this just felt way too easy. I'm not convinced he was actually knocked out. Underdog, though, is jumping around, running to each part of the fence and celebrating as if he just beat Mike Tyson in one round. It all feels a bit strange to me, but either way, the crowd is going insane. Their boy has won in less than a minute against a quote, unquote, no rules legend. I dunno. Feels weird. After a brief interlude, the first female fight of the night begins. Agroterra steps through the crowd. She looks nervous but poised. Her competitor, a woman named Hattie, is also now making her way to the circle. She's about a foot shorter than Agroterra. She's curvy, compact, and has her dark hair tied up in a ponytail. Her hands are partially wrapped with tape, and for some reason, so are her feet. She's wearing no shoes or socks, which is unusual. Hattie looks completely out of her depth. I'm unsure if she even fully understands what's about to happen. She walks by me and stands there looking into the fencing. She catches my eye for a second and I don't know what to even say, so I just smile and nod and I say, good luck. You'll be fine. Idiot. Hattie steps through the fencing. She's first inside. Agroterra follows shortly after. Lavi talks up the fight, and it all begins immediately. Agroterra lands a low kick followed by a swift jab straight into Hati's jaw. Her head whips back and she has the look of someone who's never been hit before in her life. She seems dazed and shocked, but only for a moment. Quickly, Hattie reaches out and grabs Agroterra by the scruff of her neck. After some grappling, the two end up scrabbling on the concrete. Hattie manages to flip herself over and as Agroterra locks her arms, she literally lifts her up fully off of the floor. Turns out Hattie is strong as she repositions herself and tries to lock Agroterra's arm. Hattie falls back though, and in the struggle for dominance, she ends up laid out on her front. Agroterra seems seizes the opportunity, jumps up and begins punching Hattie in the side of her head from behind. Lavi quickly runs in and ends it. Hattie lost, but only just. It was not the bloodbath I thought it might be. I dare say with some training and experience, Hattie would have plowed through agro terror easily. The two women are relatively unscathed. They hug each other and both celebrate their achievement. The first on Female no Rules Underground Fight. The crowd loves it. The second women's fight goes quick. The short woman with the leopard print face tattoos I spoke about earlier is named Miri. She fights a woman named Dilek who is much bigger than her. Mirri starts the fight off like a rocket. Kicking, punching, grabbing, hair pulling, completely non stop until Lavi breaks up the fight quickly. Her competitor had no clue what she was doing. The frontier fights were pretty energetic and certainly wild in their own way, but I have a feeling some easy opponents were picked out for favored fighters. Something just didn't sit right with me the whole way. Things were off. When I get back to England, I get a text from Joey. Remember the up and coming Welsh Street Fighter from episode one? Joey has news. He's seemingly ecstatic. I give him a call and he's bouncing off the walls even more than usual. All his dreams have come true. Somehow Joey has been invited to fight on the number one no rules fight club in the world. The most notorious, the most hardcore, the most exclusive king of the streets. We'll see more of Joey in the next episode. The final part of no Rules is no Rules. You've been listening to the Away Days Podcast next week, Episode four To watch independent Away Days documentaries, subscribe to our channel@YouTube.com waydaystv the Awaydays Podcast is a production of H11 Studio for Coolzone Media reporting producing, writing, editing and research by me, Jake Hanrahan Co producing by Sophie Lichterman Music by Sam Black Sound mix by Splicing Block Photography by Johnny Pickup and Louis Hollis Graphic design by Laura Adamson and Casey Highfield.
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Camp Shane, one of America's longest running weight loss camps for kids, promised extraordinary results. But there were some dark truths behind Camp Shane's facade of happy, transformed children.
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Nothing about that camp was right. It was really actually like a horror movie.
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Enter Camp Shame, an eight part series examining the rise and fall of Camp Shane and the culture that fueled its decades long success. You can listen to all episodes of Camp Shame one week early and totally ad free on I Heart True Crime plus so don't wait, head to Apple Podcasts and subscribe Today.
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The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States. Recipients have done the improbable, the unexpected, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves.
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This medal is for the man who went down that day on Medal of.
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A lot of times big economic forces show up in our lives in small ways. Four days a week I would buy two cups of banana Pudd but the price has gone up. So now I only buy one.
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This is an I Heart podcast.
Host: Jake Hanrahan
Podcast Series: Away Days Podcast: Reporting from the Underbelly
Release Date: June 9, 2025
In the episode titled "The Criminal Connection," Jake Hanrahan ventures into the shadowy realm of underground fight clubs nestled in Germany, near the border with Strasbourg. Through his immersive journalism, Hanrahan uncovers the intricate web of criminal activities, organized motorcycle gangs, and the raw brutality that defines no-rules fighting. This episode offers listeners a firsthand account of a world rarely seen, shedding light on the motivations, dangers, and dynamics that sustain such illicit operations.
Jake begins his journey driving through a desolate town bordering Strasbourg, contrasting the picturesque green hills and traditional villages with the grim reality of "everything’s grey concrete and dying retail perks." He reflects on the stark difference between this area and the vibrant, hipster atmosphere of Berlin, highlighting the isolation and decay that set the stage for Frontier (05:00).
Upon reaching the outskirts, Jake describes the destination as a "tip," emphasizing the area's potential for cross-country smuggling, drug trafficking, and other illicit activities due to its porous border with France. The location is perfect for an underground fight club, far removed from the prying eyes of authorities (08:15).
Jake meets Lavi, the enigmatic leader of Frontier, who sports a prominent "ACAB" (All Cops Are Bastards) tattoo on the back of his head, coupled with a butterfly knife. Lavi's straightforward and no-nonsense demeanor immediately earns Jake's respect (07:10).
Lavi explains that Frontier was born out of necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic when traditional illicit businesses like strip clubs and brothels were shut down. Many of the individuals involved were left unemployed and seeking an outlet, leading to the formation of the fight club as a means to channel their aggression and maintain street respect (15:36).
Jake provides a vivid description of the venue—a drab, inconspicuous building resembling a British working man's club or an old function hall. Inside, heavy-duty Harris fencing forms a makeshift ring on a concrete floor, surrounded by permanent booths and a small bar. The atmosphere is electric, filled with individuals from various criminal backgrounds, including motorcycle gangs like the Hell's Angels (07:15).
The entrance is guarded by men in balaclavas wielding baseball bats, ensuring that only those affiliated with Frontier gain access. This rigorous security underscores the volatile and high-stakes nature of the fights (19:26).
The first major fight features Bash, a seasoned no-rules fighter from the UK, against a local contender named Underdog. Jake observes the fight unfold rapidly, with Underdog securing a swift knockout. However, Jake harbors suspicions about the authenticity of the outcome, noting Bash's rapid downfall and Underdog's exaggerated celebration (18:32).
Jake Hanrahan (18:32): "It all feels a bit strange to me, but either way, the crowd is going insane."
A groundbreaking moment occurs as Frontier hosts its first female fights. Agroterra, a skilled and tattooed fighter, faces Hattie, who appears less experienced. Despite Jake's expectations of a brutal showdown, the fight concludes quickly with minimal damage, further fueling his doubts about the legitimacy of the matches.
Hattie (21:10): "Well, those men should shut up."
Jake notes inconsistencies such as the ease with which certain fighters win and the controlled nature of the outcomes. These observations lead him to question whether some fights are staged to maintain Frontier's reputation and ensure certain fighters remain undefeated (21:42).
Jake uncovers that many participants and spectators are members of organized motorcycle gangs, including Hell's Angels, adorned with 1%er tattoos and other gang insignias. This connection highlights the deep-rooted criminal ties that sustain Frontier (10:08).
Lavi discusses how economic downturns and social isolation, exacerbated by the pandemic, have driven individuals towards underground fighting as a means of survival and maintaining social status. The fight club serves as both a literal and metaphorical battleground for these marginalized individuals (15:36).
Despite the tight security, Lavi acknowledges the constant threat of police raids. He emphasizes the need for vigilance and readiness, understanding that law enforcement could descend at any moment. This perpetual state of alertness adds a layer of tension to the operations of Frontier (19:00).
Jake Hanrahan (19:07): "If it's happening, then it happens."
As the night concludes, Jake receives news from Joey, an up-and-coming Welsh fighter from a previous episode, who has been invited to join the elite King of the Streets fight club. This development promises further exploration into the most hardcore and exclusive levels of underground fighting in subsequent episodes (25:49).
Intersection of Crime and Sport: Frontier exemplifies how underground fight clubs can serve as hubs for criminal activities, blending illicit operations with unregulated sports.
Economic Struggles as Catalysts: The COVID-19 pandemic's impact highlights how economic hardship can drive individuals towards marginalized subcultures seeking purpose and status.
Gender Dynamics in Violence: The inclusion of female fighters challenges traditional gender roles within the violent subculture, opening discussions on empowerment and resistance.
Authenticity vs. Spectacle: Jake's skepticism about the legitimacy of some fights underscores a tension between genuine violence and orchestrated spectacles aimed at maintaining prestige.
Survival and Identity: Fighters like Bash and Agroterra embody the struggle for identity and survival in environments that offer limited legitimate opportunities, turning to underground fighting as a means of asserting power and respect.
"The Criminal Connection" offers a gripping and unfiltered look into the clandestine world of no-rules fight clubs, revealing the complex interplay between crime, community, and survival. Jake Hanrahan's thorough reporting not only exposes the raw brutality of Frontier but also unearths the socio-economic factors that sustain such underground operations. As Frontier continues to navigate the dangers of law enforcement and internal rivalries, listeners are left anticipating the next chapter in this riveting exploration of society's underbelly.