When it comes to sports and entertainment, the glitz and the glamour of celebrity life, most of us only aspire to gain something small such as an autograph. Few of us ever have the chance to sit down with stars and discuss their lives, or rub shoulders with those closest to them. Being up close and personal with UFC, boxing and entertainment stars is just part of journalist Fiaz Rafiq's daily routine. He's worked closely with some of the most revered champions and pioneers of UFC. In this gripping memoir he shares riveting behind-the-scenes stories of the top MMA and boxing champions and legends, their gritty beginnings and their most triumphant moments. The result is the culmination of over two decades of work , gaining the trust and confidence of the greatest fighters and personalities in MMA and combat sports. To the Top is a fascinating odyssey, a compelling tale of triumph despite insurmountable odds. It uncovers the hidden history of the most brutal combat sport on the planet.

"The fighter's life is not an easy one. No one knows that more than Michael Bisping. But few have done it better." --Thomas Gerbasi, UFC.com Britain's own Rocky Balboa, Michael Bisping tells the incredible story of how he went from rough and humble beginnings and then on to a legendary career capped by winning the Middleweight Championship. "If I quit the first time I tasted defeat, I wouldn't be here now," Bisping once said. The ultimate UFC underdog, Bisping fought his way to Number One contender status three times, only to be knocked back. But he refused to give in, clawing his way to his first World Title shot at the age of 37--when he finally became champion in one of the greatest upsets in UFC history. Loaded with the humor and brutal honesty that first won him a following and made him one of the sport's biggest stars, Bisping recounts his record setting 13-year fight career battling the likes of Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, and Dan Henderson. "The Count" tells his story in a way that only he knows how. "[An] unprecedented look at one of the most incredible--and most entertaining--careers the UFC has ever seen." --John Morgan, lead staff reporter for MMA Junkie, host of The MMA Road Show