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Cage Talk by Jimmy Page
hurtbusiness review of the best MMA
book ever
Cage Talk – it does exactly
what it says on the cover.
UK journalist Jimmy Page meets people who know the sport inside out and
lets them tell it like it is. Over two hundred and fifty one
pages, we get the views of fighters, promoters, referees and doctors.
The first half deals with issues related to MMA and the experiences of
people with a variety of jobs in the sport.
Page starts boldly with chapter one: The Morality of MMA. Instead of
shying away from the whole “human cockfighting” stuff- the book pits the
reasoned arguments of a doctor representing the BMA against the reasoned
arguments of Rosi Sexton and the slightly less reasoned arguments of
Kevin Randleman:
“That doctor can suck my dick..he’s a fucking pussy.”
Other controversial subjects- such as the validity of traditional
martial arts and the role of women in MMA, are given the same even
handed treatment. Having said that- any objections to female MMA are
pretty much destroyed by the formidable tag team of Ais “The Bash” Daly
and Rosi Sexton.
The strength of the book as a whole is the openness of the interviewees.
Fight psychology is a fascinating area- but usually any discussion of
the subject dissolves into motivational guru tosh. In Cage Talk, seven
fighters relate their personal experiences to specific fights. This is
the book in a nutshell- insiders give their take on something and the
readers are left to make up their own minds.
The second half of the book is mainly dedicated to fighters talking
about the techniques of MMA and reliving moments from their fights. We
get ground and pound tips from Paul Kelly and The Machine and useful
hints on how to choke the life out of someone from sub master Drew
Fickett. The likes of Alistair Overeem, Frank Shamrock, Phil Baroni and
Tim Sylvia talk about their signature moves- but the best value comes
from some home grown stories. On a number of occasions, Page has taken
testimony from both sides of a fight then deftly spliced them together.
Nigel Whitear and Jason Barrett happily recount the tale of the former
breaking the latters arm at FX3. Highlights include:
“It was horrific. I’ve never heard anything like it. You know when
you used to snap twigs when you were at the park or at school.”
“He had me and I thought, ‘Ooh this doesn’t feel right.’ I did hear it
clicking and Nigel shouted himself, ‘Jason, don’t be stupid! It’s
broken’. ”
“He hit me with the same damaged arm and that wound me right up
then…I got him with it in the end and just twisted what was left of his
elbow.”
Michael Bisping and Mark Epstein have polar opposite recollections of
their Cage Rage grudge matches- leaving the reader to decide who makes
the most convincing case.
In an earlier section, Eddie Bravo is given a chapter to justify his
status as a forward thinking jiu jitsu genius while Rorion is given
space to snipe he ain’t all that. Page understands that less is more.
His light touch allows the colourful characters who populate MMA to
speak their minds. Page invites the reader into their world to make meet
them and come to their own conclusions about who makes sense.
Cage Talk is a must for any MMA fan. The book never dumbs down, but the
engaging style means it is suitable for people new to the sport- as well
as owners of battered SFUK T-shirts.
The best book on Mixed Martial Arts.
Buy it.
Other MMA Books
No Holds Barred:
Ultimate Fighting and the Martial
Arts Revolution
by Clyde Gentry
 Pros
Fantastic on the development of the modern sport. Traces the road to the
UFC via ancient Greece, the evolution of Gracie jiu jitsu and Brazilian
vale tudo. Evokes the politics, drama, tragedy and general chaos
surrounding the early UFCs including vivid descriptions of the early
fights and fighters.
Essential reading for any MMA bod.
Cons
After the early “clash of styles” UFCs- the book gets a bit dull- he
beat him, then he beat him….
The stuff on Pride and worldwide MMA seems like an after thought.
Title Shot:
Into the Shark Tank of Mixed
Martial Arts
by Kelly Crigger
Pros
Crigger spends time at Team Quest, Cesar Gracie, Jackson’s MMA,
Sityodtong, and American Top Team. Shines a light on the characters in
the top camps and successfully uncovers the different philosophies
underpinning them. The devil is in the detail and the author unearths
some fascinating information.
Recommended.
Cons
Crigger puts himself at the centre of the action and his writing style
will not be to the taste of everyone.
Fighting for Acceptance:
Mixed Martial Artists and Violence
in American Society
by David T Mayeda, David E Ching
 Pros
Some big name interviews.
Cons
This is an academic study dressed up as a book. Two over educated types
talk get access to some of the major players and chop up their
interviews to fit in with their thesis. The way the pair of them crush
the life out of the material with the ultra dulll academic links is
remarkable. The Anti-Cage Talk. An epic fail.
Title Shot, No Holds Barred and particularly Cage Talk
would make a nice stocking filler for any MMA fan.
Read on book lovers- to revisit last years Xmas book tips.
The first death in a regulated MMA contest has happened. Sam Vasquez
died as a result of blood clots, brain swelling and a massive stroke
brought on by head trauma suffered in a lightweight bout in Houston ,
Texas on October 20. Vasquez left behind a wife and a 7-year-old son;
Ronin Rickson Vasquez. I would like to send my deepest sympathy to them
in respect of their loss. I don’t know enough about the individual case
to pass comment. If you look in the Sherdog archive, there is an
excellent
piece
by Josh Gross celebrating the life of Vasquez and one by
Joe Hall on the Doug Dedge tragedy. Some of the other reporting has
been pretty crappy and has the whiff of point scoring and I don’t want
to be part of it. As a long term Boxing fan- I am used to death in
sport. It still causes me great distress whenever it happens. It makes
me question if it is worth it, but I have accepted it is an inevitable
part of the sport. More people will die and be seriously injured when
taking part in MMA. It is an inevitable part of the sport. No amount of
regulation can ever make it 100% safe. It used to sicken me when people
in MMA would proudly bang on about the number of deaths and brain
injuries in Boxing. The grand-standing politicians lump all combat
sports together. There are no votes in suggesting a ban on Boxing and
replacing it with ‘Cage Fighting’. We should stand together with similar
sports in these risk averse times. I believe that the positive effects
of combat sports are so great- they outweigh the risks. It is up to
everyone to take responsibility for themselves. To decide if it is worth
it.
At this time of year- lots of us get
the odd book token as a gift from an unimaginative relative. I’d like to
recommend a couple of good books which will help you decide.
In the early 80s Johnny Owen, a shy,
pale lad went from Merthyr in South Wales to Los Angeles to challenge
the Mexican Lupe Pintor for the World Bantamweight title. Owen was
European champion and fully deserving of his shot. He fought skilfully
and bravely, got knocked out in the 12th and died without waking up
again six weeks later. The Big If: The Life and Death of Johnny Owen
by Rick Broadbent tells the stories of both Owen and
 Pintor.
It is the story of how Boxing made them both and broke them both. Of why
combat sports are beautiful and disgusting at the same time. The book
follows the story of Johnny’s parents and Pinto after the tragedy. If
you are not moved by the section which deals with them meeting to unveil
a staue of Johnny- there is something wrong with you.
The only time I can remember ever
crying when watching a sporting event was February 25, 1995 when Nigel
Benn fought Gerald McClellan for the World Super Middleweight belt.
McClellan, a fearsome character from Illinois came to London a hot
favorite and justified this by blasting Benn clean out of the ring in
the first. Incredibly, Benn recovered and, over ten rounds, the two put
on
the most brutal fight I have ever witnessed. I was moved to tears by the
spirit of Benn. He hung in there against a truly destructive puncher
and, despite being clubbed to the ground again, stood toe to toe with
him. Something had to give. McClennan wilted under the onslaught and was
counted out on his knee in the tenth. A prime time UK TV audience and a
baying, beyond hysterical London crowd saw the greatest fight of all
time. It was the kind of event MMA must aspire to. War, Baby: The
Glamour of Violence by Kevin Mitchell tells the story of the fight in
graphic detail. It tells you everything about the main players and the
sport itself and the culture that surrounds it. It asks the reader
difficult questions about whether this kind of behaviour is acceptable
in civilised society. Many of you will know that Gerald McClellan is
still paying the price for his glorious career. Straight after the
fight, he had surgery to remove a blood clot. As well as his purse for
the fight- he received blindness, 80% deafness and a wheelchair.
Read these books and think about Sam
Vasquez. He wasn’t a high profile casualty. He seems to have been a nice
guy doing something he loved. Read these books and remember that Sam
Vasquez was a real man with a family he loved. Maybe not this time, but
in the future, people who are pro and anti combat sports will kick
around figures and use names of the fallen to back up their point of
view. The two books mentioned delve beyond the headline and look at the
reality. These are real people, not stats. I believe that the combat
sports, because of their extreme nature, are the ultimate sporting test.
Anyone who competes at any level learns more about themselves from this
than just about any other human activity. The benefits in terms of self
discipline and respect for others have helped literally thousands and
provided entertainment for millions. I believe that combat sports are
worth it. It is up to you to decide if you agree.
R.I.P.
Sam Vasquez
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