Iceman: My Fighting Life (Hardcover)

~ (Author), (Author) "I WAS BORN CRIPPLED..." (more)
Key Phrases: low leg kick, mixed martial arts, ultimate fighter, Big John, San Luis Obispo, The Pit (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“What’s not to love about Chuck Liddell? He has transcended the sport to become a cultural icon. He is The Guy for most guys, a real-life hero in a world of spoiled, whiny poseurs. Arnold, without the script.”
—ESPN The Magazine

“Around 80 percent of the fighters have college degrees, including Chuck Liddell, who may look like a bouncer at a biker bar but was an accounting major at Cal Poly.”
—Sports Illustrated

“Liddell, thirty-seven, who stands 6'2"and weighs 220 pounds, has become mixed martial arts’ most recognized superstar.”
—USA Today

Product Description

“When I walk out of the tunnel, I can see the lights, hear the music, feel the crowd, but it all begins to close off as I near the cage. By that point I’m thinking, I’ve been training hard, it’s time to focus....Every man is born with a fight-or-flight instinct, and mine is to fight. It always has been.” —From the Prologue

What’s it like to have no fear, to make people cower in their shoes, to know the sweet satisfaction of knocking a guy out with a single, devastating punch? You have to read my book to find out. I’ve been called the baddest man on the planet. I’m the face of Ultimate Fighting Championship, the leader in mixed martial arts and the fastest growing sport in America. In 1998 I won my first MMA fight. Not long after, the UFC came calling, and eventually fought my way to become the #1 ranked light-heavyweight contender in the world. Not bad for a bartender with a college degree in accounting.

I was raised by a single mother and inspired by my grandfather, a first- generation Irish American from Mafia-run Brooklyn. I learned how to fight at a very young age. Now I’m 6'2", 220 pounds, and a trained lethal weapon, but I’m also fiercely loyal, maybe even a bit sensitive, and unexpectedly romantic. In raw detail, and with total honesty, I’m going to tell you the story of my fighting life—both inside and outside the Octagon— including my childhood in the poor section of Santa Barbara, gritty insider accounts of my major fights, stories behind my trademark mohawk and nickname, my ongoing rivalry with Tito Ortiz and deep-rooted friendship with Dana White, and how I balance life as a father, a UFC champ, and a superstar—or try to, anyway. With never-before-seen photos, Iceman is my true, no-holds-barred story of fighting my way to become a champion.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 305 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult (January 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525950567
• ISBN-13: 978-0525950561
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #228,047 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #36 in	Books > Sports > Individual Sports > Mixed Martial Arts
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An MMA Fan Review, February 23, 2008

By	Jeffrey Maranciak "A Pit Monster" (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book really put it into perspective how mainstream MMA has become. I didn't realize just how popular the sport and its fighters have become until I read this book.

The book also provides details and insight into why Chuck does what he does. It provides life changing events and the decisions Chuck made to keep going. I find myself thinking of Chuck's life and the decisions he made and it provides a calming influence to me as I now understand that life can only beat you up if you let it. I found the book helpful in understanding Chuck and I am an even bigger Liddell fan since reading the book.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting insights on each of his fights, but not well written and relatively shallow outside of the Octagon., July 23, 2008

By	Spiro Apostolopoulos "spirona" (Raleigh, NC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Chuck Liddell is a great fighter and his fights are entertaining. The contradiction of his ferocity in the Octagon to his mild-mannered nature outside of it is fascinating. I wish the book had more depth and exposed more of the real Chuck. But after reading about how Chuck was raised and getting a glimpse into his demeanor and lifestyle, it makes sense why the book is rather shallow. I enjoyed and appreciated the insight Chuck gives into each of his fights (e.g., his opinions on this opponents, his disposition towards the fight, the technical breakdown and strategy employed, etc.). But I could do without his bragging, the awkward-at-best and poor-at-worst writing, and the general lack of biographical meat.

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book by the MMA's Biggest Star, January 30, 2008

By	A. Catalano "Worlds Greatest" (Mclean, Va) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I encourage all MMA/UFC fans to pick up Chuck Liddell's new book. Chuck pulls no punches in discussing all of his fights, his feud with Tito, and his life as MMA's biggest star. Chuck discusses his street fights, college life, and the fame and foturne that goes with being the ICEMAN.

GREAT READ