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    Beast: Blood, Struggle, and Dreams at the Heart of Mixed Martial Arts
    Beast: Blood, Struggle, and Dreams at the Heart of Mixed Martial Arts
    Beast: Blood, Struggle, and Dreams at the Heart of Mixed Martial Arts
    Ebook355 pages4 hours

    Beast: Blood, Struggle, and Dreams at the Heart of Mixed Martial Arts

    By Doug Merlino

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Mixed martial arts is America's fastest-growing sport--around the country, new gyms open their doors and enthusiastic viewers tune in to UFC matches. Although some dismiss it as brutal combat, its fighters are among the most dedicated athletes in any arena. But MMA also takes a heavy toll on the body, and it's a rare fighter who can earn a living in the sport's top ranks.

    Beast follows four high-level fighters at one of the sport's elite gyms, Florida's American Top Team. Doug Merlino had unprecedented access, training alongside the men for two years, traveling to their matches, and eating in their homes. Mirsad Bektic, a young Bosnian refugee who started in karate as a boy in Nebraska, dreams of stardom. Jeff Monson, a battered veteran at forty-one, is an outspoken, tattooed anarchist enjoying a bizarre burst of celebrity in Russia. Steve Mocco is a newcomer--a former Olympic wrestler from a close-knit intellectual family. Finally there's Daniel Straus, who, from a life short on opportunity, fights his way up to title contention. All will experience electrifying highs and career lows, and Merlino takes us along every step of the way while also examining the culture and meaning of professional cage fighting. A book for both the uninitiated and the hard-core fan, Beast offers a fascinating journey into an often misunderstood world.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBloomsbury USA
    Release dateOct 13, 2015
    ISBN9781620401569
    Beast: Blood, Struggle, and Dreams at the Heart of Mixed Martial Arts
    Author

    Doug Merlino

    Doug Merlino is a veteran journalist who has written for Wired, Men's Journal, Legal Affairs, and many other publications. He previously lived in Budapest after leaving Seattle. He now lives in New York with his wife.

    Read more from Doug Merlino

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    Reviews for Beast

    4.5/5

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    • 5/5
      Beast tells the stories of four MMA fighters at differing points in their respective careers. Jeff Monson, a battle worn veteran looking to go out on a high that becomes ever more elusive the longer he continues; Mirsad Bektic, a hyped featherweight prospect who fled war torn Bosnia as a child; Daniel Straus, an ex-con, now Bellator title contender, trying to move away his past and support himself and his family; and Steve Mocco, a celebrated wrestler looking to move into professional MMA and test his mettle against the best. All four train out of the illustrious American Top Team based in Florida and we also follow coaches from the team as they assist and cajole the above fighters in their quests.Using four stories instead of one really captures the various stages of a successful MMA path from starting out to prospect to contender to aging veteran struggling to let go and not knowing what career there is after fighting. Merlino also includes potted roots of MMA and UFC histories to give a broader spectrum and visits the issues of fighter pay and the chasm between the reality of being a fighter and the portrayal in promotional packages.The great thing about this book is that it's accessible to the hardcore fan or the newcomer. There's no overwhelming glut of technical data and it's full of interesting tidbits including the fact the Gracies are descended from Scottish immigrants. This really reignited my passion for MMA, which is something that's been more than a sport to me as it triggered my ambition to get healthier and shed a lot of extra weight I'd put on. Living in the UK and having a son who's approaching the terrible twos it's hard to give up sleep/vast amounts of time to watching fights like I used to be able to, so I'm maybe just catching main events here and there when I can. This book reminded me of everything that goes on behind that and the work and struggles that not just these four, but every fighter must go through.It's a sport that will continue to grow with new superstars cropping up and creeping further in the mainstream media (see Ronda Rousey hosting SNL). This book is the perfect place to learn/expand knowledge on this sport, which as the book highlights is as much psychological as it is about skill.I look forward to whatever project Merlino gets into next as his writing here is excellent with some chapters/sections being structured in unique ways and he shows a clear attachment to those he's covering that make this more than just straight reporting.
    • 4/5
      We follow the training and fights of four mixed martial artists from American Top Team, a top mma gym, for two years. The four athletes are from different backgrounds and at different stages in their careers: "Mirsad Bektic, a young Bosnian refugee who started in karate as a boy in Nebraska, dreams of stardom. Jeff Monson, a battered veteran at forty-one, is an outspoken, tattooed anarchist enjoying a bizarre burst of celebrity in Russia. Steve Mocco is a newcomer--a former Olympic wrestler from a close-knit intellectual family. Finally there's Daniel Straus, who, from a life short on opportunity, fights his way up to title contention." They also embody different training and general lifestyles, with the veteran Monson being the most colorful character. He is also a tragic one, continually taking new fights and not accepting that his body, at 41, has started to decline. The book gives a good view of how varying the MMA scene and its practitioners are, and the intensity and dangers of their profession.

    Book preview

    Beast - Doug Merlino

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