ReviewIn his latest page-turning sports tour, Sports Illustrated senior writer Wertheim (Running the Table, Venus Envy) tackles mixed martial arts (MMA), a one-on-one bare-fist brawl that combines kickboxing, Greco-Roman wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and basically any other fighting technique an athlete chooses (minimal rules include no kidney-kicking and no sticking [...]
ReviewIn his latest page-turning sports tour, Sports Illustrated senior writer Wertheim (Running the Table, Venus Envy) tackles mixed martial arts (MMA), a one-on-one bare-fist brawl that combines kickboxing, Greco-Roman wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and basically any other fighting technique an athlete chooses (minimal rules include no kidney-kicking and no sticking fingers in orifices or wounds). Chronicling the life of MMA legend Pat Miletich (the sport’s Abner Doubleday), Wertheim also traces the history of the ultraviolent contest, dissects the league that dominates it (Las Vegas-based Ultimate Fighting Champion) and examines the appeal (and the stigma) that’s taken it from Internet subculture to pay-per-view king to $500 million commercial powerhouse. Miletich entered the sport in the early 1990s, when it was a no-holds-barred free-for-all (referred to by Sen. John McCain as “human cockfighting”), and wound up a five-time UFC champion; now, he operates an MMA (more…)
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9 Responses
2.0 out of 5 stars
not written by a true insider
Pat Miletich is a pretty interesting subject to use as a door into the development of mixed martial arts and the book uses it to good effect.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great primer on a growing sport
I’m a late comer to MAA and Blood in the Cage is an excellent, well written and researched book on the history of the of the sport. L. Jon Wertheim pulls no punches (ah heh!
1.0 out of 5 stars
Inacurate, poorly written, and full of typos
This book is just terrible. There are so many things I could complain about, but that would be giving this more time than it’s worth.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome book – Would recommend to anyone!
This was a great book that would serve as a great introduction to the world of MMA.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
Great book for the MMA fan. I am a devoted fan to the sport, and I learned new things. Highly recommended.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best of the MMA books to date
This book gives a very accurate and real depiction of MMA history. It gives a great overview of the mind-set of these athletes and I have a new appreciation of Miletich…
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book, nice parallel story telling
First of all, I love martial arts and I love mma. When I saw the author on HDNet’s Inside MMA talking about the book, it piqued my interest.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Wicked Sledgehammer of a Book About MMA, UFC, and the Great
Pat Miletich!
As someone not familiar with the sport of MMA, I bought this book because I have enjoyed the author’s previous work. And boy, am I glad I picked this one up!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic
I’m a huge MMA fan, and this book has it all. Wertheim is a great writer, but it’s the attention to detail that blew me away.