11-05-2011, 11:04 PM
This hits the bookshelves in 2 weeks. I got an advance and will be interviewing Matt next week to help pump up his book. Matt spent two years researching and training in MMA. The fight posted above kind of gives away the climax, but if you enjoyed American Shaolin, you'll like this too. Matt's wit and self-effacing honesty are still very present. In fact, in many ways, his 2nd work banks on the same formula - open with a fight, make a self-examining list, present character studies of exponents, encapsulate the history and explain some of the major techniques. At first, it struck me as too formulaic, but after a while, I was right back with Matt, back at Shaolin, drinking shots of JD and listening to his tales. I'm envious of his writing style - it's quick, perceptive and easy reading.
I've never been sure how well DOOM follows MMA. I followed it a little in the beginning, but have never been a big fan of watching sports on TV. I really enjoy live fights, as I've described here to you many times, and have some personal friends that are fighters, but I'm not much of a fan of any sport. I love live events because I love the power of a huge audience, but watching it on TV has never really done it for me. If I'm going to party with the guys, gorge on nachos, cheese logs and booze, it's going to be psychotropic cinema with you guys more than sports. Nevertheless, I do keep marginal tabs on MMA because of my job. Anyway, Matt's book is a good crash course on the history of the sport, from a very UFC angle. It's enjoyable for those not familiar with MMA as it explains a lot of history and introduces many of the big players. It's entertaining for those into MMA because Matt scores some good interviews and offers an unflinching insider perspective. Of course, I'm biased, but it's a quick read, so I don't think you'll be disappointed, especially if you liked American Shaolin.
I've never been sure how well DOOM follows MMA. I followed it a little in the beginning, but have never been a big fan of watching sports on TV. I really enjoy live fights, as I've described here to you many times, and have some personal friends that are fighters, but I'm not much of a fan of any sport. I love live events because I love the power of a huge audience, but watching it on TV has never really done it for me. If I'm going to party with the guys, gorge on nachos, cheese logs and booze, it's going to be psychotropic cinema with you guys more than sports. Nevertheless, I do keep marginal tabs on MMA because of my job. Anyway, Matt's book is a good crash course on the history of the sport, from a very UFC angle. It's enjoyable for those not familiar with MMA as it explains a lot of history and introduces many of the big players. It's entertaining for those into MMA because Matt scores some good interviews and offers an unflinching insider perspective. Of course, I'm biased, but it's a quick read, so I don't think you'll be disappointed, especially if you liked American Shaolin.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse