Despite Matt Polly's blog, not nearly as good as his books ("American Shaolin" and "Tapped Out.").
I live in NYC and didn't know of the existence of the Underground Combat League (UCL) until I happened to stumble upon this book.On an informational level the book is really interesting, especially for someone like me who likes MMA and watches a fair amount of the major events but doesn't have the time / energy / motivation / awareness / mobility / work schedule to look for the smaller shows going on in neighboring states, pay much if any attention to the big MMA forums like sherdog where I'm sure I'd be kept more in the know of what is going on in the less visible areas of the sport or who knows very many other people who are interested (at all) in this unlikely thing that I keep getting more and more fascinated by.
This book is the most in-depth view of NYC's MMA fight scene you can possibly get. I was a frequent attendee to these underground fight shows, and knew a lot of the fighters, promoters, and coaches involved.
Having fought in the 90's when the sport was in its infancy I was able to come away with more wins than losses with a modicum of training. In today's world, even the "amateurs" are highly skilled and athletic machines who throw themselves into a craft with no safety net to catch them but the support and family of your training partners.
If you're into MMA, if you like reading, if you like pictures, if you like the untold stories of underground fighting, heck if you like anything; this book is for you. I couldn't put down this book, a page-turner from start to finish, where you glean the insiders prospective on what it takes to make a name for yourself on the unsanctioned fight scene.
This is a must-read book for every MMA fan. No journalist has more fully explored New York state's underground MMA scene or been a better advocate for the sport's legalization than Jim Genia.
Decades from now, long after MMA has been sanctioned and "legalized" in New York State, the tales and history of the mysterious and hidden world of Underground MMA would have long been forgotten ... but for this book right here.
Jim Genia, editor of the bible of MMA "Full Contact Fighter", has been a fixture in the MMA scene since the beginning and has seen some of the most pivotal moments in MMA history happen right in front of his eyes from cageside. In 2003, Jim found himself pulled into a side of the sport he did not know even existed - underground fighting in New York City.
