Combat Sports : An Encyclopedia of Wrestling, Fighting, and Mixed Martial Arts

by Hudson, David L., Jr.

• ISBN13: 9780313343834
• ISBN10: 0313343837
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-05-13
• Publisher: Greenwood Pub Group

Summary

Fistic combat represents the greatest human drama in all of sport. Roman gladiators thrilled citizens and emperors alike when they entered the "octagon" to face an intense, life-threatening experience. Boxing, the sport of kings, also has its roots in the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome. Banned in 500 A.D. by the Emperor Theodoric, it resurfaced twelve centuries later in England. John Milton praised it as a noble art for building character in young men, and sports writer A.J. Leibling dubbed it "the Sweet Science." Many of its major protagonists - men such as Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali - have become transcendent, near-mythic heroes. But boxing is not the only combat sport, and mixed martial arts, in all their ferocious beauty, represent the fastest growing sports genre in the world. Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) has joined boxing in paying seven figures to some of its champions, and drawing millions in its pay-per-view events. This book details leading figures in the combat sports that are beginning to take such a hold in our popular culture, including: boxing, sumo wrestling, kickboxing, Greco-Roman wrestling, and mixed martial arts (including organizations such as Ultimate Fighting, PRIDE, K-1, Total Combat, and SportFighting). Over 150 entries cover champions, contenders, and other famous combatants from all over the world, as well as legendary promoters, managers, trainers, and events. It will also include a timeline and sidebars on controversies, highlights, brief bios, and other noteworthy events. This will be the first ever encyclopedia on combat sports.