Based on unique access to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and its rival organizations, Blood in the Cage peers through the chain-link Octagon into the frighteningly seductive world of mixed martial arts, which has exploded in popularity despite resistance. Wertheim focuses on Pat Miletich, who runs the most famous MMA training school in the world. Single-handedly Miletich has transformed a gritty town on the banks of the Mississippi into an unlikely hotbed for his sport. He has also transformed many an average Joe into a walking weapon of destruction. Wertheim intertwines Miletich’s own life story, by turns tragic and triumphant, with the larger story of the incredible rise of the UFC, from its controversial, back alley roots to the fastest growing sports enterprise in America. For fans of Jeff MacGregor’s Sunday Money and Sam Sheridan’s A Fighter’s Heart, Blood in the Cage takes readers behind the scenes, right down to the mat, from a punch in the kidney to the ping of the cash register, as Wertheim brilliantly exposes the no-holds-barred reality of the blood sport for a new generation. Advance Praise for Blood in the Cage: “In Blood in the Cage, L. Jon Wertheim tells the story of Pat Miletich, the consummate professional athlete turned world-class trainer. Miletich is someone for whom I have considerable respect and admiration and who puts his athletes and our sport first and foremost.” – Randy Couture, UFC champion
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"Really good history and some fun inside stories from the early days of the UFC. At times the author goes a little over the top lionizing Pat Miletich, but overall it was an excellent read." — TJ (4 out of 5 stars)
"Really good history and some fun inside stories from the early days of the UFC. At times the author goes a little over the top lionizing Pat Miletich, but overall it was an excellent read."
" Pretty good mind dump from a Sports Illustrated writer who spent a great deal of time hanging around MMA. Sure wish it had an index, however. "
" Enjoyable back story about Pat Millitech and interesting info about the rise of the UFC. "
" Good for people who don't know much about the sport... I'm a pretty old hand at this, so a lot of this was redundant, however it was well written overall. "
" Good book on an intro to the rise of MMA and the UFC. It changed how I felt about Pat Miletich too. "
" Decent overview of the history of MMA fighting. Primarily follows the fighting and training career of one guy that was around near the beginning of the UFC. "
" Crazy stories about Pat Miletich, but loses points for generic chapters about the sport in general The sports writer author works his personal experiences into the book; snore. "
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" Tailor made for the midwest born MMA fan. "
" Entertaining book on the beginnings of the UFC and the some of the folks that get it to where it is now. "
" different fighting stills "
" Very informative, it was exactly what I was looking for. "
" Pat Miletich is a boss. Good read. "
L. Jon Wertheim, an executive editor at Sports Illustrated, is the author of several books and co-author of two New York Times bestsellers. His work is featured in The Best American Sports Writing.
Phil Gigante has narrated more than two hundred audiobooks, earning ten AudioFile Earphones Awards and three of the prestigious Audie Awards for best narration. An actor, director, and producer with over twenty years of experience in theater, film, television, and radio, he is currently the artistic director of Gigantic Productions and Little Giant Children’s Theatre.
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