MMA/UFC books

Bodhidharma

It's getting close to christmas and I would quite like a book on MMA/UFC. I have seen books by Liddell, Ortiz and Hughes and i'm wondering if any of these are any good. I have also seen "Blood in the Cage: Mixed Martial Arts, Pat Miletich, and the Furious Rise of the UFC" which sounds interesting.

Anyway, any reccomendations would be most welcome.

Surly

I've read Ortiz's and Hughes' books and didn't think much of them, other than getting a few laughs out of Matt H.

I've heard very good things about Jens Pulver's book "Little Evil", maybe give that a spin.

muckwarrior

I've just started reading Forest Griffin's 'Got Fight?' and so far it's very amusing.

callaway92

I heard that Matt Hughes' book is supposed to be one of the most stupid things ever written...Good thread on sherdog about it..a fella saying he got it in a $0.99 store...Most people were saying he was ripped off..LOL

chopperbyrne

I have Matt Hughes book. It's awful.

mirwillbeback

I've read loads of MMA books, and without doubt " Total MMA " is the best. It covers EVERYTHING from the early days of Gracie JJ to UFC to Pride to stories outside the cage.
Absolutely amazing book.

Have also read I think it's called " Evolution " which covered the UFC in general, excellent also.

Do not miss Total MMA ( and I didn't write it by the way )

j walsh

I enjoyed Liddell's book some mad stories in it and i kinda believe them cause he'd get up to anything.

Bubs101

mirwillbeback wrote: »

I've read loads of MMA books, and without doubt " Total MMA " is the best. It covers EVERYTHING from the early days of Gracie JJ to UFC to Pride to stories outside the cage.
Absolutely amazing book.

Have also read I think it's called " Evolution " which covered the UFC in general, excellent also.

Do not miss Total MMA ( and I didn't write it by the way )

Got Total MMA and I loved it. Very comprehensive history and I liked the chapter style of switching back and forth between JApan and the US as opposed to covering it in one chunk.

Destructo

Ya TOTAL MMA inside ultimate fighting by Jonathan Snowden, is awsome by far the best read on mma was only 16 euro in waterstones in cork, you will be an mma encyclopedia after it

RAMPAGE1

You won't go wrong with Randy Coutures Becoming the Natural

mirwillbeback

RAMPAGE1 wrote: »

You won't go wrong with Randy Coutures Becoming the Natural

I got fed up with Randy's repeated " when i met ( insert random woman here ) we got on so well that i realised that me and ( insert current wife / gf at that time ) were drifting apart.


You are either chasing or you ain't

wandy

A fighters heart by Sam Sheridan - EXCELLENT
Title shot: into the shark tank of mixed martial arts by Kelly Trigger - VERY GOOD
Got Fight! by Forrest Griffin - AMAZINGLY FUNNY

Matt Hughes book - was OK read but not as good as 3 mentioned above

SuperWoody101

I thought Tito's book was ok.

mailburner

Got Fight is hilarious
A must buy
griffin is one crazy dude

mailburner

callaway92 wrote: »

I heard that Matt Hughes' book is supposed to be one of the most stupid things ever written...Good thread on sherdog about it..a fella saying he got it in a $0.99 store...Most people were saying he was ripped off..LOL

I was keen on buying the matt hughes book until i read some reviews on it
a while back
I wouldnt pay $0.99 for it either
That guy is one despicable human being and the worst kind of bully
I was never as happy as when gsp beat him
http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=66067

koking

matt hughes book jus shows how big an idiot he is and made me dislike him all the more,liddells book is funny some cracking stories in it but fighters heart is an excellent book except for the chapter on meditation it jus bored me but it gave a great insight into some of the top gyms in the world and the characters in them

chordtype

I found Chucks book to be bursts of great stories linked by long periods of boredom.

JohnMc1

mirwillbeback wrote: »

I got fed up with Randy's repeated " when i met ( insert random woman here ) we got on so well that i realised that me and ( insert current wife / gf at that time ) were drifting apart.


You are either chasing or you ain't

I wonder who made him realize him and Kim were drifting apart.

tomagetti

just finished reading blood in the cage last week. Was a very good read and would def recomend it

Menace2Society

Total MMA is by far one of the best books I have read about mma, most mma books suck Gracies cock for starting mma, but it also gives the history from Japan as well. Very good read.

Fedor has a book as well but haven't read it, anyone got it? What's it like?

Roper

wandy wrote: »

A fighters heart by Sam Sheridan - EXCELLENT

Avoid. A really terribly written tourist book by a rich brat looking to "find himself". It's awful, it's like reading something by some 18th century English colonialist "and then the Militech team accepted me into their tribe and made me their leader". He did very little fighting, precious little training and an awful lot of talking about his soul which isn't a very interesting soul by the by.

Though not strictly MMA, if you're looking for a book about combat and why we're driven to watch or to train, there's nothing more thought provoking, sad and absorbing than War Baby, the story of the infamous McLellan vs. Benn fight.

wandy

Roper wrote: »

Avoid. A really terribly written tourist book by a rich brat looking to "find himself". It's awful, it's like reading something by some 18th century English colonialist "and then the Militech team accepted me into their tribe and made me their leader". He did very little fighting, precious little training and an awful lot of talking about his soul which isn't a very interesting soul by the by.

Have to disagree on this one as the writer isnt a fighter he was a journalist who wanted to know more about combat and hada few Muay Thai fights etc along the way. I liked how he went to visit different places to observe different fighting cultures and all.

Everyone to their own opinon but I loved the book and would recommend it.

ultimatemma

mirwillbeback wrote: »

I've read loads of MMA books, and without doubt " Total MMA " is the best. It covers EVERYTHING from the early days of Gracie JJ to UFC to Pride to stories outside the cage.
Absolutely amazing book.

Have also read I think it's called " Evolution " which covered the UFC in general, excellent also.

Do not miss Total MMA ( and I didn't write it by the way )

This book is by far the best!!

DrPhilG

No Holds Barred, Ultimate Fighting and the Mixed Martial Arts Revolution - Clyde Gentry

Very good book, sounds quite like Total MMA, although I've not read that one yet. Gentry's book follows the history of the sport from the origins of BJJ right up to around UFC 65ish. Covers Pride and others too.

Chuck's book was good, Hughes' not so good. The bit about him having sex with his wife whose boobs were bleeding after getting them done was way more than I needed to hear. (so I thought I should share with you all)!

sonic.trip

going to read forest's got fight, looks interesting

scudzilla

I've got Forrest's and Chuck's, Forrest's is the best

The best UFC book i do have though is Octagon, all pictures but amazing pictures, an essential for any UFC fan

http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/6705451/Octagon/Product.html

siochain

Read Forrest's book ‘Got Fight’ and it’s a right laugh. Only think I’d say it’s a bit short when you take out all the pictures of moves and stuff of Forrest in his pj’s and socks.
Still worth it.

muckwarrior

DrPhilG wrote: »

No Holds Barred, Ultimate Fighting and the Mixed Martial Arts Revolution - Clyde Gentry

Very good book, sounds quite like Total MMA, although I've not read that one yet. Gentry's book follows the history of the sport from the origins of BJJ right up to around UFC 65ish. Covers Pride and others too.

I've read that one too. It gives a good factual account but could have been written better IMO. It struggled to hold my attention in places and would definitely not recommend it to someone unless they had a strong interest in the subject matter.

Roper

wandy wrote: »

Have to disagree on this one as the writer isnt a fighter he was a journalist who wanted to know more about combat and hada few Muay Thai fights etc along the way. I liked how he went to visit different places to observe different fighting cultures and all.

Everyone to their own opinon but I loved the book and would recommend it.

I just thought he was looking for something that isn't there. He actually only does 2 fights, one thai one MMA and in both he claims to have been cheated about weight or he was sick or injured. I just thought it was so much whining. If you want a great book about insight into a different culture while training, while not an MMA book, it's hard to beat Angry White Pyjamas. It's a great read.

rovert

Two pages and no mention of Inside the Lion's Den :eek:

chopperbyrne

Bought Total MMA today.

I've only read the first two chapters, but it's very good.

Obviously a lot of work went into the research, as it goes way back.

gravity12

Recently finished Total MMA, very good book. Would highly recommend it.

Highnoon

Was going to post a new thread on this. Glad I bothered to do a search first

Just finished: A fighters heart by Sam Sheridan - really enjoyed it and would recommend it.
Got Fight! by Forrest Griffin - was ok. Not a biography which I knew before I started but the best bit is the end where he goes through some techniques. I obviously lost my sense of humour along the way to middle age as I didn't find it very funny.
Total MMA was really, really good, but as a book about the UFC I don't know why he spent so much time on Bob Sapp. Although it was interesting to read about him.
Read The Last Wrestlers by the aptly names Marc Trower which deals with cultures that practice wrestling. Kind of like A fighters heart in that the author goes to Mongolia, India, Brazil etc - a good read.
The Pyjama Game was good - I did a bit of Judo back in the day so it brought back memories.
Just starting Chucks book The Ice Man and then have Angry White Pyjamas after that.

orol221

Bought BJ's Penn WHY I FIGHT cost me 20.00 and I enjoyed it even I wasn't big fan of him. Very good reading ...;)

Fozzy

Highnoon wrote: »

Total MMA was really, really good, but as a book about the UFC I don't know why he spent so much time on Bob Sapp.

It's a book on MMA, not UFC, and Sapp was a massive massive star in Japan who got a lot of people watching MMA

cowzerp

Recently i've read Bj Penn's why i fight and enjoyed it.

Randys, becoming the natural is very interesting and i actually liked Matt hughes book even though i dont really like matt!

Forest griffins book is weird but really good for info an all even though you would not expect it, plus its a laugh a min!!

Chuck liddells book is also good but cant remember its name!

There is many good books to choose from for the mma fan..

Nanoc

Glad this came up again, out injured at the moment with ribs so need to feed the thirst with something

Disco Volante

Just read Brian Stann's Heart For The Fight. Great read a lot of information about his time in the Marine Corps. That could put some people off but I'm in the army so found it pretty interesting.

Highnoon

Also read Ken Shamrock 'Lions Den' book. Think there is a second book which continues the story but I only read the early days one. Interesting for the behind the scenes stuff around UFC1 etc.
Also read 'The Gracie Way' I think it's called, which had a chapter on I think 10 of the top Gracies. Was interesting with some nice pics. The author was obviously a good friend of the family which was a double edged thing. On the one hand he probably got getter access but on the other and something I think the book suffers because of is he is biased towards them. The sun shines out of... and losses that were suffered always came accompanied by excuses. A pity but worth picking up if you see it.

Total MMA was a book on MMA I agree but I think it came at it more from the UFC perspective if memory serves. It covered the pre-UFC history obviously. Covering the Gracies learning jujitsu etc and the rivalry with that other group who I cant remember - Marco Ruas etc. When it covered Pride it really did it based on how it came into contact with UFC. Most of the fighters that were covered in any detail were all past - Don Frye, Shamrock fighters or headed for UFC - Big Nog, Wanderlai,etc. That's why I said I was surprised he gave a chapter to Sapp. He obviously had the info and it made an interesting read so i guess that was why it was included. Fedor only got mentioned when he crossed paths with Big Nog. Then of course the eventual collapse and being bought up by the UFC.
Anyway a definite must for a collector/reader of MMA books.

wandy

Nanoc wrote: »

Glad this came up again

Seconded. few here im gonna order ove the next few months such as BJ Penn, Total MMA and Chuck. Already ready half of Randys, Matt Hughes, A Fighters Heart, Title Shot and Forrests first book.

For those who dont know Forrest has a new book out about survival in a apocalypse lol play.com seem to have it cheapest for anyone interested, just ordered a copy myself. Hope its as good as the first!!

http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/14661079/Be-Ready-When-The-Sh-t-Goes-Down/Product.html?_%24ja=tsid:11518|cc:|prd:14661079|cat:Books+%3E+Humour