Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

FREE delivery Tuesday, February 14 if you spend $25 on items shipped by Amazon

Only 16 left in stock (more on the way).

As an alternative, the Kindle eBook is available now and can be read on any device with the free Kindle app.

[{"displayPrice":"$21.95","priceAmount":21.95,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"21","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"95","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"y3iu9a6LXmhUmn2T3Yo0zVNarBnoLAHBuPdVvvJARIE2lK8ef3Sw1J37xxV5M1AAIk7LZA5xi0%2F9Hp171gSUd5hceDKKKt7bN6TlcTxyVDRQN8%2BuaWfOCSq%2FPEDq6IRh1UHA96edp%2FBNreUUQtKiBA%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW"},{"displayPrice":"$17.82","priceAmount":17.82,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"17","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"82","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"VXZ8waYD8VftgIvVLQW7hZkuIZdbPg0vWTs0bFwP4Cu9zlPqtdjSRCiWKKNgNb0qosEplLT1Y0yXEmZiILpscgXmLya%2Fqp3%2FFVj90SGdX8cveWJqeaAFzSzjZT5MLJkHJRv%2F5khDY0CFTar3xMqRgK73DOoNYlpeDiqMAFqkg%2F%2BbtqkreLZpqZ38PV%2FxadUj","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED"}]

$$21.95 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Secure transaction

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Return policy: Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

FREE delivery Wednesday, February 15 if you spend $25 on items shipped by Amazon

Select delivery location

Used: Good | Details

Sold by Bronco Books ✅

Fulfilled by Amazon

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Have one to sell?

Sell on Amazon

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 3 images

Follow the Author

Jake Shannon

Say Uncle!: Catch-As-Catch-Can and the Roots of Mixed Martial Arts, Pro Wrestling, and Modern Grappling Paperback – June 1, 2011

by Jake Shannon (Author)

98 ratings

See all formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle

"Please retry"

$11.49

—

Paperback

"Please retry"

$21.95

$13.56

Kindle
$11.49 Read with Our Free App
Paperback
$21.95

8 Used from $13.56 5 New from $21.95

Enhance your purchase

?Say Uncle! is the definitive book on the history, players, and techniques of catch-as-catch-can grappling.

Catch-as-catch-can, or “catch wrestling” for short, is the great-granddaddy of today’s mixed martial arts, professional wrestling, freestyle wrestling, and many reality-based self-defence systems. It is a nearly lost form of Western martial art that is rich in history and full of painfully brutal techniques. Say Uncle! traces the background of this unique sport through America and Japan back to England and Ireland and is chock full of exclusive interviews from legends like Karl Gotch, Billy Robinson, Josh Barnett, and more. The technique section is fully illustrated so readers can begin to use these powerfully effective techniques and strategies in their grappling and mixed martial arts game.

In the same vein as Total MMA (ECW), Say Uncle! obliterates the myths of the roots of modern mixed martial arts and shows that today’s WWE and UFC have a lot more in common than just Brock Lesnar. The catch-as-catch-can roots of modern MMA and pro-wrestling are well documented but little known, until now.

Print length

240 pages
Language

English
Publisher

ECW Press
Publication date

June 1, 2011
Dimensions

6.75 x 0.5 x 9.75 inches
ISBN-10

1550229613
ISBN-13

978-1550229615
See all details

Frequently bought together

+
+

Total price:

To see our price, add these items to your cart.

Some of these items ship sooner than the others.

Show details Hide details

Choose items to buy together.

by Jake Shannon Paperback
$21.95
Only 16 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Feb 14
by Billy Robinson Paperback
$19.95
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Feb 14
by Jake Shannon Paperback
$19.95
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

Billy Robinson
89
Paperback
13 offers from $11.23
Jonathan Snowden
62
Paperback
4 offers from $117.47
Jake Shannon
19
Paperback
2 offers from $19.75
George Hackenschmidt
34
Paperback
10 offers from $10.72
Connor Moriarty
Paperback
2 offers from $12.00
Daniel DiMarzio
69
Paperback
4 offers from $6.51

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

?Jake Shannon is an author, the founder of ScientificWrestling.com, inventor of the Macebell, and a master hypnotist. He holds a B.A. in English from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a M.Sc. in financial engineering from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. He currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

In many ways, catch wrestling embodies the cultural values prevalent at the turn of the 20th century, which may explain why its popularity peaked at that time. The sport expressed the values of independence, reason, hard work, and competitiveness in various ways.

INDEPENDENCE Catch wrestling is not a team sport. One man stands alone atop the mountain of beaten and broken competitors to be crowned champion. The catch wrestler understands that he alone is responsible for his successes and his failures.

REASON Catch wrestling is a dangerous game of physical chess. The terms “science” and “scientific” are frequently used in the context of catch wrestling. It’s the smart player who’s rewarded, not necessarily the strongest.

HARD WORK Catch wrestlers didn’t have cushy mats. During the American Civil War they competed on grassy fields. After the war they’d compete on gravel-covered clearings following a full day in coal mines or steel mills. During the height of its popularity, with the likes of Tom Jenkins, George Hackenschmidt, and Frank Gotch, catch wrestlers competed on hard floors covered only in canvas. Wrestling is hard. It takes a special person to show up at the gym, day after day, year after year, and push beyond his physical and mental limits.

COMPETITIVENESS These men were filled with pride and were motivated to prove their skills. They would bring an equal purse to each match and the winner would take all―meaning they literally put their money where their mouths were, and were always game.

The aim of this book is to share the history and strategies of old-time catch wrestlers with today’s grapplers and encourage the evolution and development of the modern sport of catch wrestling. I also hope to awaken fans of fighting sports to the fact that catch-as-catch-can is, arguably, the direct ancestor of today’s mixed martial arts, pro wrestling, and Olympic freestyle wrestling. In fact, the term “no-holds-barred” was coined to promote early 20th century American catch-as-catch-can wrestling matches. If you enjoy the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the WWE, Olympic or collegiate freestyle wrestling, or high school folkstyle wrestling, you owe an enormous debt of gratitude to catch wrestling.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ ECW Press (June 1, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1550229613
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1550229615
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.6 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.75 x 0.5 x 9.75 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #193,204 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #17 in Mixed Martial Arts
- #91 in Wrestling (Books)
- #262 in Martial Arts (Books)

Customer Reviews:
98 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Jake Shannon

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Jake Shannon (1973-) was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, earned a M.S. Financial Engineering and worked as a quant in California. He currently lives in Colorado with his wife, three children, elderly mother, and assorted family pets.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5

98 global ratings

5 star		70%
4 star		10%
3 star		11%
2 star		4%
1 star		5%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

lessjerr

As described

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 17, 2023

Verified Purchase

My 10 year old grandson received this gift and was happy to have a reference from the past with some new moves he was unfamiliar with.

Helpful

matmanhatton

Great Primer on a Great Sport

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 19, 2011

Verified Purchase

It is hard to comprehend in today's BJJ-dominated climate, but there was a time, believe it or not, when catch-as-catch-can wrestling was the dominant submission grappling style in North America. Catch wrestlers could be found in basically every large city in the USA and Canada (and many smaller ones as well). There were regular contests, both public and private, where wrestlers competed for side bets on a winner-take-all basis. The public got involved, too, and there was a lot of money to be made, or lost, in laying cash down on these bouts. Years ago, I spoke to a man whose father (a talented catch wrestler) once participated in a match which allowed one of his financial backers to open a restaurant from the earnings. The son became a good college wrestler in the 1970s, but he noted that much of his father's technical repertoire wasn't useful to him because of the heavy emphasis on submission holds!

In nearly every city you travel to, you can find similar, fading stories of a bygone era in our sporting history. As the twentieth century progressed, American catch-as-catch-can went into decline as professional wrestling, always a dubiously honest enterprise, began to adopt flashy theatrics in place of technical mat wrestling. Crowds responded well to the dramatics, and the necessity for actual wrestling skill became less important. By the late 1920s and early 1930s, "rasslin" had become the 'new normal,' and an aging cohort of real submission wrestlers found it increasingly difficult to ply their trade. Fortunately, some of them continued to pass their skills on to the next generation, many of whom are today in their 70s and 80s. Additionally, some of them ventured to Japan, where their skills were still held in high regard. If you looked closely enough, you could also find fragments of catch wrestling's legacy in the mainstream martial arts. The most famous martial arts tome in history, Bruce Lee's "Tao of Jeet Kune Do," for example, contains a few moves straight out of the catch-as-catch-can toolbox. However, by the 1990s, with few still around who could personally testify to the contrary on North American shores, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was able to assume the mantle as THE submission wrestling art. In the past few years, though, things have begun to come full circle.

If you have been watching any MMA (mixed martial arts) broadcasts lately, you might notice that catch wrestling has been working its way back into the spotlight. Announcers such as Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan have been using catch terms for techniques, and a growing body of athletes have begun to acknowledge the importance of catch wrestling in their training, including Randy Couture and Josh Barnett. In light of catch wrestling's growing popularity, "Say Uncle!" represents a great starting point for both athletes and sports fans who wish to acquaint themselves with a submission wrestling tradition that predates not only BJJ's popularization in North America, but its advent in Brazil.

"Say Uncle" covers a lot of bases. The author, Jake Shannon, gives a general primer on catch wrestling's history as well as its impact on modern submission grappling, mma, and pro wrestling. It also contains a series of interviews with some of the 'old-timers' who learned their skills directly from masters of the art who traveled the countryside during the sport's heyday, as well as interviews with current day practitioners who are at the vanguard of mma competition. These interviews provide insight into both the 'culture' of catch wrestling that once existed as well as its technical nuances. The last part of the book will be of particular interest to athletes, as it addresses both training strategy and technical application.

It also bears noting that Shannon is not an author who is simply trying to latch on to a growing trend. This book is the product of over a decade of his own research into catch wrestling, and the quality that comes from intensive study in the field is evident throughout its pages.

By no means is this book the final word on the subject. There is much more to be said on catch wrestling's history, and there is a lot more technique that could be detailed. However, for someone wanting a general primer on a classic American combat sport that is gaining ever more mainstream notice, it is the best place to start as far as written sources go. You won't be disappointed.

13 people found this helpful

Helpful

Barry

A very informative book! A fascinating history of an almost forgotten art.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 14, 2011

Verified Purchase

This is a fascinating book! Catch Wrestling despite it being a battle tested, scientifically sound system of grappling has all but been forgotten. Thanks to people like Jake, Billy Robinson, Gene LeBell, Dick Cardinal etc there is now a resurgence in Catch. Most of us, myself included, are surprised to find a long and well documented American history of this formidable art.
What I really love the most about this book is the interviews. Karl Gotch (rip), Billy Robinson, Gene LeBell, Fugiwara etc one gets an insight into the history. One on the fallacies of modern times is to assume everything we do is "new" what this book shows is that many of the training methods that are now in vogue, Mixed matches (boxers vs, wrestlers, judo vs wrestling, wrestling vs jujitsu, all in matches) are nothing new. Many of the elders interviewed were part of that often overlooked history.
Because the interviews were done in an informal manner, one gets a real feel of that period of time.
On a more pragmatic note, unless I'm mistaken there are only 4 or 5 men left with a first hand connection to this history and each are masterful practitioners and coaches of this art. All of them are interviewed in this book. Most of these men are older and sadly wont be with us forever. A great service has been done to get their words in print.
A lot of space is given to the principles of biomechanics in effective grappling. Most books focus only on actual techniques which, in my view, can never be transmitted by pictures. However, the scientific or biomechanics i.e. various types of levers, torque etc. can be explained quite effectively.
The unique body and "buddy" weight training regimens are also explained in great detail.
Despite catch wrestlings deep arsenal of rides, throws and submissions, the author wisely gave us just a sample and perhaps just the sample that distinguishes Catch from other grappling systems.
Having been a life long martial artist and having trained in Catch for a relatively short amount of time. I can say this without reservation. Catch has to be felt! One with experience can indeed look at a technique and gain some insights. What makes Catch come alive is when you feel it!! It is one of the most brutal arts I've studied yet for all its brutal-ness it is very scientific and paradoxically requires a lot of finesse and sensitivity to make it work in the way it is designed to.
Kudos to Jake Shannon for all the research and passion. I recommend this book to anyone who loves martial arts and who loves the history of martial artist who put what they know to the test. Turns out it wasn't just happening in far away lands but right here in the United States.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

lee

FAN-wait for it-TASTIC!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 11, 2013

Verified Purchase

was expecting a book of locks and holds, but i got so much more. the interviews ane informative and offer an insight into a bygone age.

deffo worth a buy, even if you keep it as a toilet book. definately kept me sat on the bog longer than needed

One person found this helpful

crocodile200

Interesting and insightful

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 1, 2019

Verified Purchase

A excellent look at catch-as-catch can wrestling. Good clear photos and concise explanation of techniques.

Gary Cawse

WOW!!!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 23, 2012

Verified Purchase

Having read various books on different fighting styles I was desperate to find a book on Catch. I was not dissapointed. From start to finish I was gripped. Every interview had me hooked (no pun intended!) Whether a serious player, or an enthusuiast this book is an absolute must. Say Uncle!

Arturo Gonzalo del Álamo

Un librito de entrevistas

Reviewed in Spain 🇪🇸 on March 23, 2012

Verified Purchase

Un librito ameno sobre la historia moderna del catch.

No se han molestado mucho en editar las conversaciones, incluyen balbuceos, frases incoherentes, mal construidas... es decir, estamos ante una transcripción de unas conversaciones con las leyendas vivas que ahora son más conocidas en esto del catch.
A veces encontramos incluso lo que parece ser un entrevistado cansado de responder preguntas o que está cumpliendo con un compromiso, lo que no termino de entender que lo publiquen.

Al final del libro hay una pequeña sección de fotos de los chicos de damage control (mirad su canal en youtube) demostrando algunas técnicas, muy pocas en mi opinión.

No es un manual de lucha ni es un libro de historia al uso. Es simplemente una recopilación de entrevistas y unas pocas técnicas. Es curioso de leer y poco más

Translate review to English

C. Specht

A short history of catch wrestling

Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on February 5, 2021

Verified Purchase

The anecdotely explores the forgotten art of catch as catch can, the ancestor of modern pro wrestling. Going back to a time when when professional wrestling was a real sport, no holds barred submission matches.

Unfortunately the lingers long on the athletes and there Storry and doesn't elaborates on technique. Further its quite euro centric ignoring some of the indo-persian roots.

See all reviews

Buy new: $21.95$21.95 FREE delivery: Tuesday, Feb 14 on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon. Ships from: Amazon.com Sold by: Amazon.com

Buy Used: $17.82

Follow the Author

Say Uncle!: ﻿Catch-As-Catch-Can and the Roots of Mixed Martial Arts, Pro Wrestling, and Modern Grappling Paperback – June 1, 2011

Enhance your purchase

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Product details

Videos

About the author

Jake Shannon

Customer reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries

Buy new:

$21.95

FREE delivery: Tuesday, Feb 14 on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon.

Ships from: Amazon.com

Sold by: Amazon.com

Buy Used:

$17.82

Say Uncle!: Catch-As-Catch-Can and the Roots of Mixed Martial Arts, Pro Wrestling, and Modern Grappling Paperback – June 1, 2011