Issue 046
February 2009
Go into any book shop and take a look at the shelves. There has been an explosion in the number of books about MMA, and new titles are being released all the time.
Most popular are the biographies, seemingly researched and ghost written in a matter of weeks. The publishers are pumping them out at a rate of knots, and aside from the star on the cover they seem to differ very little.
For fans of MMA with a thirst for knowledge besides what happened when ‘X’ fighter was a kid or ‘Y’ fighter won his seventeenth world title, there are a few books out there that offer a different take on what threatens to become a tired subject.
The first of these was Clyde Gentry’s seminal work No Holds Barred. An in-depth look at the sport of MMA, it charts its rise from humble beginnings to a period where everything seemed to be ripe for the taking. Though it now appears dated (this book was written way before The Ultimate Fighter hit our TV screens, and missed out on all the good stuff that has happened since) the book still offers the kind of inside access that only years of research can provide.
If the UFC paved the way for a multitude of people to try their hand at promoting, No Holds Barred opened the door for writers everywhere, and 2008 saw the release of a number of books about MMA.
“When I read No Holds Barred, I really wanted to do something similar, to cover the sport in similar detail,” says Jim Page, author of Cage Talk. “I covered the smaller shows, not the glitzy main show, but I took a real close interest in it. I wanted to do something as positive as I perceived his book to be.
“I was going to so many shows and saw so many fights, acts of bravery you don’t see in everyday life that, by the next day, were pretty much forgotten. There is so much stuff as a spectator at home you don’t see. I wanted to give the reader an eye into the sport, to appreciate into what goes on behind the scenes, to see how hard the fighters train. These fighters are literally gambling their teeth so someone can enjoy their Saturday night out.
“I’m indebted to the interviewees, I spoke to them about something that is close to their hearts, and they really opened up to some very deep and soul searching questions. You can say you live your life around the sport, but you don’t really understand it until you talk to people who dedicate every single day of their lives to this profession. Until you speak to them there is a level of understanding you miss.”
TITLES FOR AN MMA FAN’S BOOKSHELF
No Holds Barred: Ultimate Fighting and the Martial Arts Revolution
By Clyde Gentry
The title used for the English reprint of No Holds Barred: Evolution, this is an essential read for those interested in what happened before MMA hit TV screens and sold out massive arenas. It charts a period of extreme growth in the sport and is witness to some truly historic times.
Title Shot: Into the Shark Tank of Mixed Martial Arts
By Kelly Crigger
Army officer Kelly Crigger treks the USA, stopping by the top MMA gyms as he goes. With groundbreaking access to gyms such as Team Quest and American Top Team, Crigger offers an insight into gym life that would normally go unnoticed. Topped off with a chapter where he meets and hangs out with Dana White.
A Fighter’s Heart: One Man’s Journey Through The World Of Fighting
By Sam Sheridan
A globe-trotting account of one man’s quest to discover the true heart of a fighter. Sheridan trains and fights in the rings of Thailand and the cages of Iowa to try and find out.
The Gracie Way
By Kid Peligro
A sprawling definitive history of the greatest fighting family of all. With separate chapters for each key member, this book presents stories and photos unseen by many. The only disappointment is that it only focuses on one side of the family.
Brawl: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Mixed Martial Arts Competition
By Erich Krauss
As the title suggests, this is a behind-the-scenes look at the sometimes dark and dirty nature of MMA. Through 300 pages of essential reading, Krauss delves into the history of the sport as well as interviewing some of the top MMA-fighters of the day.
