No Holds Barred: The Complete History of Mixed Martial Arts in America

The year was 1998. I was in my final year of college and at the height of my pro wrestling fandom. At that time, I was working on a school project with some guys who couldn't care less about WWF/WCW, so I was surprised when one day, one of them kept talking about how awesome then-WWF superstar Ken Shamrock was. He then played us his VHS tape of UFC 7, and while I probably couldn't sit through all of the 33-minute Shamrock vs. Oleg Taktarov final at present day, 19- or 20-year-old me was impressed enough to appreciate non-scripted "ultimate fighting" almost as much as (and, for some time, much more than) the predetermined stuff.With all that in mind, reading most of this book was like a trip back in time for me, as Gentry took great efforts to detail the early UFC events and give readers a background of the men who fought in them. These days, UFC is mixed martial arts in the truest sense, where practically everyone needs a similarly good stand-up and ground game and a versatile blend of different fighting styles to succeed in the sport. But back then, the idea was all about the clash of styles – for example, could a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist beat a boxer or vice versa? As Royce Gracie quickly proved against Art Jimmerson, the answer was the former. And before Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan, the early UFC was called by people who a) had no idea what MMA was about, b) had no respect for the UFC, and/or c) couldn't even get the name of the event right. Unlike other reviewers, I had no problem with Gentry including a lot of specifics on the business and political machinations of mixed martial arts. Such pieces of information, after all, can sometimes be as important as the fighters and the fights.As detailed as Gentry was in covering the UFC's early years, there are also a few key problems that I have to point out. One, it's more than a bit misleading to call the book a "complete history" even up to this day, when only the first five years or so of UFC are covered in depth. Fortunately, I chose to read the reviews before buying, so my expectations were set. Secondly, do MMA fans really need appendices on Tank Abbott and Bas Rutten, especially the former? As Abbott's wrestling heel persona seemed to willingly extend to real life, giving him his own appendix is like giving one to Dennis Rodman, but not to Michael Jordan, when writing a book about the history of the NBA.Overall, this was a very solid, 3.5-4-star effort despite the flaws. This is strongly recommended reading for anyone who wants to learn more about or look back on UFC's oftentimes challenging, yet interesting beginnings.

This is a terrific look inside the beginning of the worldwide phenomenon known as MMA. The author appears to be well acquainted with both the fighters and the promoters/non-fighters that made the whole MMA scene so compelling. His style is warm and engaging, and while he keeps it professional, I got the sense that he would be a great person to grab a few beers with. I learned a lot from this book and would recommend it to anyone with more than a very casual interest in MMA or the UFC in particular.

Great history on MMA from an author whose material dates back to the very beginning of the UFC. A great nostalgic look back for long-time fans, or an enjoyable history lesson for new fans. This book compares well with the other best MMA historical perspective in my opinion, Total MMA: Inside Ultimate Fighting by Jonathan Snowden

Really enjoyed this book. I've read a few books on the history of MMA, and I'd consider this a "must have" for anyone interested in the history of the sport. Very comprehensive and enjoyable to read.

The first half of the book was really good.

Good in depth research on the history and development of MMA in the USA

A worthwhile read for any MMA dork

This book is an easy read that provides a detailed history of martial arts in America (North and South). While there are a few early chapters focusing on the transport of jiu-jitsu from Japan to Brazil, and on the advances made by Bruce Lee, the core of the book is really the 1990s. About 80% of the book details the years from 1990-2000, which makes sense since these were the years the author was around for.For the most part, the book is very interesting, focusing on the style conflicts in early UFC events. The book also provides good biographical sketches of the originals, including the Gracies, Shamrocks, etc.. As someone who didn't start paying attention to MMA until the mid 2000s, much of this was new to me. Having said that, there is probably nothing in this book you couldn't learn from simply browsing wikipedia for a few nights.One negative is that the author spends almost as much time discussing the original MMA promoters as he does the fighters themselves. While this is understandably an important part of the history of MMA, it is also really boring. When the author would frequently discuss financing problems and promoter backstabbing, my eyes would glaze over. I can keep track of the fighter's names, but to fully follow this history its necessary to keep pen and paper on hand to track different financiers,promotions, etc.. I refused to do this, and frequently found myself skimming previous chapters or pages to figure out what the author was talking about.Finally, I still can't understand why the author chose to include several of the last chapters and Appendices. For example, there is a chapter about "a day in the life of an MMA fighter," as well as an appendix of pictures of various submission holds. These chapters, as well as several others, are wholly inconsistent with a book about the history of MMA. Anybody who is willing to read a history book about MMA is already going to know what a rear-naked choke is, and won't need to see a picture of one. I also agree with the other reviewer who stated that the interviews with Abbot, Bas Rutten, etc. felt very out of place. I can't help but think that approximately the last 20% of the book is just added fluff to make it appear longer and more comprehensive.Overall though, a great book for the price. Very thorough recording of the rise of the UFC between 1990 and 2000. Despite its length, this book can be finished in 4 or 5 days.

Excellent