Brawl: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Mixed Martial Arts Competition (Paperback)

by Erich Krauss (Author), Bret Aita (Author), Bob Shamrock (Introduction)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Mixed martial arts (MMA) fighting pits masters of every kind of combat

About the Author
Erich Krauss began his fighting career in the underground gambling halls of Pataya, Thailand. He returned to the United States and now trains at the world-renowned Lion's Den. He lives in San Diego, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Ecw Press; illustrated edition edition (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550225170
• ISBN-13: 978-1550225174
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #436,480 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blood, Guts, Muscles, Dollars and Politics!!!, December 24, 2002

By	C. J. Hardman (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I had a tough time putting this FACTUAL account of MMA history down, and didn't get enough sleep over the two day period it took me to read it. An enthralling volume which for the first time offers specific details about the early years of the new Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) competitions--including the "behind the scenes" maneuvering between politicians, promoters, crooks, and media profiteers. Erich Krauss and Bret Aita offer a bout-by-bout description of the first Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) in 1993 to 1995. We can also read about the first several International Fighting Championships (IFC) from Kiev and the dangers promotors faced by the Ukranian criminal syndicate! Perhaps most interesting though, between descriptions of MMA events taking place at the time, are Krauss and Aida's blow-by-blow analysis of what was going on in the political arena as Senator John McCain, an ardent supporter of boxing (go figure) led the push to ban the "barbaric" sport of MMA.

The battle moves from the ring, where skilled athletes contest one another, to the halls of state athletic comissions and congress as MMA fighters and promoters battle to save their sport. Here for the first time we can read a clear account of the events which led to a decline in the availability of MMA events on cable for a time. I'll paraphrase the opening paragraphs of Chapter 12 (pg 147): Leo Hindley, Jr., friend of Sen. John McCain, dropped all MMA events from the roster of cable giant TCI--to shield children from violent t.v. content (they still aired boxing, pro wrestling, and violent movies!!). TCI, Time Warner, Request, Cablevision Systems, and Viewer's Choice/On Demand followed TCI's lead. Through it all, fighters kept training, promotors found other countries in which to host MMA competition, and we are treated to match-by-match reviews of later MMA contests, the gruelling training regimins the MMA fighter endured, and MMA survived. Want to know the dope on Frank and Ken Shamrock, what makes the Gracies so great, how did a kickboxer (Maurice Smith) take MMA by storm, and who the future of MMA rests with (arts, athletes & promotion companies)? This book will answer your questions. There is waaay too much info for me to even begin with all the names and events this volume covers. Very worth the $, a long-awaited gem for the literary martial arts world.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read!, March 21, 2003

By	Steve Milhorn (Yuba City, Ca USA) - See all my reviews

Awesome book! I'm really hard to please, especially when it comes to MMA competition, but this book was by far the most pleasing read I've had in a long, long time. Although the beginning of the book covered some information I aleady knew--how the first UFC came to be--it went far, far beyond that in later chapters. The most pleasing part of this book for me was the author's coverage of the Pride Fighiting Championsips. How he got an interview with Igor Vovchanchan, I have no idea, seeing that he speaks Russian. But you will not be dissapointed.

Nothing is left out in this read. You get thrown from the courtroom with promoters trying to keep their events from being shut down by police, into fighting cages around the world, and finally into the minds of the fighters themselves. The author talks not only the glory of the sport, but all the chaos that goes on behind the scene. I read the whole thing in less than two days--I couldn't seem to be able to put the thing down.

If you are at all interested in the sport of MMA, I highly suggest reading this book. I subscribe to many of the MMA magazines, but none of them get into the sport quite like this book does.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brawl- for the novice and die hard fan of MMA, February 21, 2003

By	TOM (MN USA) - See all my reviews

I have been watching MMA since i was about 6 yrs old. My first expeirence was watching Royce Gracie sweep threw the competition. Everyone thought that the muscle laden Ken Shamrock would win, but Gracie went threw him like nothing.
My favorite part of the book had to be the descriptions of Igor Vovchanchyn. He is by far my favorite fighter, and the way they say he won his matches with such powerful striking.
I give this book 5 stars because im a die hard fan of MMA and even a novie or beginer to the sport would understand this book well.