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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Combat sports & self-defence > Wrestling
Former WWE head writer Brian Gewirtz brings readers behind the
scenes for an unprecedented look at the chaotic, surreal,
unbelievable backstage world of the WWE.With untold stories from a
career spanning over 15 years and featuring the biggest names and
controversial moments in wrestling history, HEELS AND HEROES is an
honest, unflinching look on how an introverted life-long fan
unexpectedly became one the most powerful men in all of
professional wrestling.For decades wrestling was shrouded in
secrecy. It had larger than life personalities, bone crunching
physicality and jaw-dropping theatrics but backstage it was an
industry devoid of outsiders. Then in 1999, after working together
on a special for MTV, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson turned to 26-year
old television writer Brian Gewirtz and asked "You ever consider
writing for WWE?" That question, and its answer, would have a
profound effect on both of their lives for years to come.HEELS AND
HEROES is a story about perseverance, tenacity, and steel chairs.
Most writers in the WWE last for a matter of months; Gewirtz was
there for over 15 years, writing some of most memorable and
infamous storylines in WWE history (covering the "Attitude Era",
the "Ruthless Aggression Era" and into the "PG" and "Reality"
eras). Throughout this journey Gewirtz found himself becoming both
friend and antagonist to some of the biggest names in WWE history -
Stone Cold Steve Austin, John Cena, Stephanie McMahon, Bill
Goldberg, Paul Heyman, Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels, and the two
men who he worked the most closely with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon
and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. These men not only shaped his life
professionally but also personally, forcing him to grow and change
both as a writer and a human being. So how does a lifelong fan and
outsider break through to become the ultimate insider? How does a
low-key personality deal directly with his boss, the most brash,
unpredictable "alpha male" on the planet, WWE Chairman Vince
McMahon? How does one gain respect in a locker room that wants
nothing more than to see him disappear? Where does one go when
every year in wrestling takes you further away from the writing
career you always wanted? Taking advice from his idol, the late
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper, when you're so full of fear, there's only one
way to push through: become fearless.
At the intersection of sport, entertainment and performance,
wrestling occupies a unique position in British popular culture.
This is the first book to offer a detailed historical and cultural
analysis of British professional wrestling, exploring the shifting
popularity of the sport as well as its wider social significance.
Arguing that the history of professional wrestling can help us
understand key themes in sport, culture and performance that span
the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, it addresses topics such
as: attitudes towards violence, representations of masculinity, the
media and celebrity culture, consumerism and globalisation. By
drawing on a variety of intellectual traditions and disciplines,
the book explores the role of power in the development of popular
cultural forms, the ways in which history structures the present,
and the manner in which audiences construct identity and meaning
through sport. Wrestling in Britain: Sporting Entertainments,
Celebrity and Audiences is fascinating reading for all students and
researchers with an interest in media and cultural studies,
histories and sociologies of sport, or performance studies.
The electric and daring independent wrestling tag team share their
inspiring story of how two undersized, ambitious athletes from
Southern California became the idols of millions of popular sports
fans, coveted among the ranks of AEW's elite wrestling lineup.
Featuring over 60 photographs and alternating between each
brother's perspective, this entertaining memoir is a complete
portrait of what it means to grow into-and give back to-wrestling,
the sport and profession they embody and love. Famous for their
highflying moves, Superkicks, and viral videos, Matt and Nick
Jackson are two of the hottest and most talented competitors in
professional wrestling today. Known as the Young Bucks, this pair
of ambitious brothers are an inspiration to both fans and aspiring
wrestlers worldwide due to their message of resilience and
determination. That they are also faithful family men devoted to
their loved ones gives them additional appeal. Young Bucks begins
in Southern California, where two young boys grew up dreaming of
success and fame. Matt and Nick look back on the sacrifices they
made to achieve their ambitions, from taking odd jobs to pay for
their own wrestling ring to hosting backyard events with friends.
They share their joy at being recruited into the independent
California wrestling circuit and the work it took to finally make
it professionally, and speak frankly about what it means to have
the support of millions of fans cheering their talents in arenas
nationwide. The Young Bucks talk endearingly about their sport,
their faith, and their families, sharing personal reflections and
behind-the-scenes anecdotes while paying tribute to the wrestling
acts and inspirations that came before them. They also elaborate on
this historical time in the evolution of wrestling, as the sport
and its culture dramatically change day by day. Told with the
brothers' signature wit and charm, Young Bucks is warm, heartfelt
story of hope, perseverance, and undying ambition.
This book examines how the current era of "convergence" has
affected, and is reflected in, the world of professional wrestling,
which combines several different genres, including drama, action,
comedy, horror, science fiction, and even romance. Professional
wrestling's business practices exist at the intersection of
bottom-up fan-centric strategies and strict top-down corporate
control. Meanwhile, the wrestlers themselves combine aspects of
carnival hucksters, actors/actresses, comedians, superheroes,
martial artists, or stuntmen, and the narratives consist of
everything from social critique to geopolitical allegories, and
from soap opera melodramas to stereotyped exploitation. Bringing
together the latest scholarship in the field, Convergent Wrestling
analyzes various texts, business practices, and fan activities to
explore the commonalities that define professional wrestling and
consider how it exists in today's new media ecology. In addition,
the book considers the professional wrestling industry from several
different angles, from massive multinational conglomerate World
Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) to local indie federations. As such,
it will appeal to scholars with interests in popular culture, media
and cultural studies, and fan practices.
Mick Foley is a nice man, a family man who loves amusement parks and eating ice cream in bed. So how to explain those Japanese death matches in rings with explosives, golden thumbtacks and barbed wire instead of rope? The second-degree burn tissue? And the missing ear that was ripped off during a bout-in which he kept fighting? Here is an intimate glimpse into Mick Foley's mind, his history, his work and what some might call his pathology. Now with a bonus chapter summarizing the past 15 months-from his experience as a bestselling author through his parting thoughts before his final match. A tale of blood, sweat, tears and more blood-all in his own words-straight from the twisted genius behind Cactus Jack, Dude Love, and Mankind.
Ground fighting is taking the martial arts world by storm, but how
do you get to the ground safely and end in a prone position? What
are the dangers of throwing and taking an opponent over? In this
book on throwing and take-down techniques of Greco Roman
wrestlsing, the author teaches how to control vertical grappling
and destroy an assailant with a demolishing throw. Including the
original "blow before throw" techniques banned from sport grappling
at the beginning of the century.
Conor McGregor is the biggest star in the fight game. The Dubliner
has achieved more in three years with the Ultimate Fighting
Championship than anyone in the twenty year history of the
organization. From an unknown prospect in 2013 to the first man to
hold two world titles simultaneously, McGregor's knockout-filled
march through the featherweight and then lightweight rankings sent
shockwaves through the world. But as effortless as McGregor's
heroics have seemed, his journey was far from smooth and his
destiny anything but certain. Just another teenager trading martial
arts techniques with his friends in a shed, the seemingly
delusional boy packed in his plumbing gig - to the massive anxiety
of his parents - to chase a pipe dream with little promise of
reward. No one could have guessed he would go on to become the
biggest pay-per-view attraction in the world. As a technician and
tactician inside the cage, McGregor was something special. Outside
of the cage McGregor could draw thousands of screaming fans to
press events with his wit and presence. And away from the cameras,
McGregor's life was built around a love of treating his friends and
a loyalty to his teammates and his hometown. This is not another
tale about an athlete who was born exceptional and groomed for
success. It is about how one young man, through bloody-minded
determination and indomitable spirit, came to change the whole
game. Fully updated to put his mega-fight with Floyd Mayweather
under the microscope, Notorious: The Life and Fights of Conor
McGregor explores not just how the fight game changed Conor
McGregor, but how Conor McGregor revolutionized the fight game.
Unauthorized. Unrestricted. No holds barred. In We Promised You a
Great Main Event, longtime sports journalist Bill Hanstock pulls
back the curtain to give a smart fan's account of WWE and Vince
McMahon's journey to the top. Untangling the truth behind the
official WWE storyline, Hanstock does a deep dive into key moments
of the company's history, from the behind-the-scenes drama at the
Montreal Screwjob, to the company's handling of the Jimmy Snuka
scandal, to the real story of the Monday Night Wars. WWE is an
extraordinary business success and an underappreciated pop cultural
phenomenon. While WWE soared to prominence during the Hulk Hogan
years, as the stakes grew more and more extreme, wrestlers faced
steroid scandals and assault allegations. The whole story is here,
good, bad, and ugly, from the heights of iconic cultural moments
like Wrestlemania III to the arrival of global superstars like The
Rock and John Cena. We Promised You a Great Main Event is an
exhaustive, fun account of the McMahon family and WWE's
unprecedented rise. Drawing on a decade of covering wrestling, Bill
Hanstock synthesizes insights from historians, journalists, and
industry insiders with his own deep research to produce the most
up-to-date, entertaining history of WWE available. Full of amazing
characters and astonishing stories from the ring to corporate
boardrooms, it is a story as audacious as any WWE spectacle.
Creating the Mania takes fans backstage with an all-access pass to the behind-the-scenes stories of WrestleMania
34. Follow the yearlong life cycle of WWE’s biggest event, from how the storylines were developed to how the host
city was selected, from the logistics and planning behind hosting over seventy thousand members of the WWE
Universe to the rivalries and matches playing out inside the ring, in a book that chronicles the events leading up to
the “Showcase of the Immortals.” This Journey includes exclusive interviews with top Superstars, including Roman
Reigns, Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Kevin Owens, The Miz, and “Phenomenal” AJ
Styles, breaking down their year leading up to ‘Mania and the highs and lows that go along with being a WWE
Superstar — pushing their hardest, all with the same goal in mind . . . to main-event WrestleMania.
Take a look back at the Golden Era of wrestling with some of the
spectacular merchandise from that awesome time. Featured here is
the story of the wrestling merchandise that could be found as pro
wrestling took the world by storm. Featuring action figures, gym
bags, whacky T-shirts, VHS tapes and much more, this is merchandise
that excited a generation. Kevin Williams, also the author of
Wrestling Action Figures of the Early 1990s, will take you back in
time to grapple with your wrestling passion.
At the age of eighteen, Chad Rowan left his home in rural Hawaii
for Tokyo with visions of becoming a star athlete in Japan's
national sport, sumo. Five years later, against the backdrop of
rising U.S.-Japan economic tension, Rowan became the first gaijin
(non-Japanese) to advance to sumo's top rank, yokozuna. His
historic promotion was more a cultural accomplishment than an
athletic one, since yokozuna are expected to embody highly prized
Japanese values such as hard work, patience, strength, and hinkaku,
a special kind of dignity thought to be available only to Japanese.
Perhaps the defining moment of the gaijin's unique success occurred
at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, when Rowan, chosen to personify
""Japanese"" to one of the largest television audiences in history,
performed a sacred sumo ritual at the opening ceremony. ""Gaijin
Yokozuna"" chronicles the events leading to that improbable scene
at Nagano and beyond, tracing Rowan's life from his Hawaii
upbringing to his 2001 retirement ceremony. Along the way it
briefly examines the careers of two Hawaii-born sumotori who paved
the way for Rowan, Jesse Kuhaulua (Takamiyama) and Salevaa Atisanoe
(Konishiki). The author shares stories from family members,
coaches, friends, fellow sumo competitors, and of course Rowan
himself, whom he accompanied on three Japan-wide exhibition tours.
The work is further informed by volumes of secondary source
material on sumo, Japanese culture, and local Hawaii culture.
As a WWE wrestler with millions of fans, Shawn Michaels had
adulation and all the attention he could ask for, but he found
himself longing for something more. When he became a committed
Christian at the height of his career, Shawn learned what it's like
to be a man of faith in a secular arena. Wrestling for My Life
documents Shawn's journey to finding a new way of life--one that's
marked by faith, family, and forgiveness. As you watch Shawn's
testimony unfold, you'll learn about: The power of self-discipline
The importance of finding a supportive mentor who challenges you to
be the best version of yourself The freedom that's found in true
forgiveness Praise for Wrestling for My Life: "Shawn's greatest
challenge came from deep within himself, and it's been
awe-inspiring to watch this man pull himself from the depths of his
own personal hell by immersing himself in his faith in God. I
couldn't be more amazed at the man, husband, father, and friend he
has become." -The Undertaker "I am certain that you will enjoy
getting to know Shawn Michaels from the pages within as much as I
have in his everyday life. If you read one book this year, make it
this one" -Pastor Matthew Hagee "Shawn's story is an important
reminder of life's priorities and how we choose to use our given
gifts. While I work with Shawn outside of the wrestling world, I
can still strongly attest to his perseverance, passion, and
humility. These pages offer an inside look into how he found
strength for better change." -Jeff Wayne, Executive Vice President
Programming of Outdoor Channel
Bruce Hart is the son of legendary wrestler and promotor Stu Hart
and a member of what may be wrestling's true first family. Here, he
reveals what it was like growing up in a house where men like Andre
the Giant and Killer Kowalski might be sat at the breakfast table.
He also reveal what it was like to be trained by his father.
A fast and powerful style that excels in throwing and ground
fighting Sambo is considered one of the most effective, technically
diverse, and dynamic modern sport fighting styles ever devised.
Developed in the Soviet Union and based on Kodokan Judo and
wrestling, sambo emphasizes utility over aesthetics. The end result
is a fast paced and powerful system that excels in both throwing
and ground fighting. This book offers a serious, technical look at
the Russian martial sport that has changed the way the martial arts
world looks at grappling. Our emphasis will be a systematic
approach, presenting skills based on their function and utility in
actual sport fighting. Sambo places emphasis on fast-paced,
powerful and functional throwing techniques, and equally
fast-paced, powerful and functional ground fighting techniques.
Using fundamentally sound skills performed by a motivated and
well-conditioned athlete, who has molded what he knows to work for
him with a high ratio of success, is hard to beat. Contents include
The essentials of sambo Throwing techniques Leg, ankle, and hip
locks Armlocks Holds and breakdowns Over 1200 instructional
photographs "The skills presented in this book have all passed the
tests of time and competition. Everything presented has been used
successfully at all levels of competitive sambo." -Steve Scott
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