"He's called the human highlight reel of professional wrestling. His high-flying acrobatics have thrilled fans on every continent. He's been crowned champion of the world's greatest wrestling promotions, from Mexico to the U.S. But he's never revealed the inside story of who he is."
"Until now. "
"Wrestling fans know him as Rey Mysterio, an American luchador of unparalleled talent, the ultimate proof that good things come in small packages. Now for the first time, Rey adds the personal side to the story: "
"- How he had to fight to get a tryout in the ring"
"- Who he was before Rey Misterio Jr.--and even before Colibri, usually noted as his first identity"
"- What it was like to wrestle in Mexico--from the bullrings to the riots"
"- How he fought plans for his unmasking in WCW--and why he wishes he hadn't succeeded"
"- The inside story of the 619, the West Coast Pop, and his other signature moves"
"- The impact of Eddie Guerrero on his career in WWE"
"- The personal struggle that cost him ring time in 2008, but ultimately made him a stronger man"
"- His real passion in life as husband and father "
"In Rey Mysterio: Behind the Mask, Rey talks candidly about his twenty-plus-year career, from the days of sneaking into bars as a fourteen-year-old to his most recent showdowns in WWE. He speaks of the emotional moments in the ring with his uncle Rey Misterio, and the dark days when he went under the knife to repair his damaged knee. Along the way, Mysterio introduces American audiences to the mysteries of lucha libre, the high-flying, anything-goes Mexican wrestling style that he has done so much to popularize in the U.S. He also talks about the debts he owes to wrestlers such as Konnan, known as the Mexican Hulk Hogan, and dishes some behind- the-scenes dirt on the collapse of WCW at the height of the Monday Night Wars. Mysterio talks tenderly--but realistically--of his friend Eddie Guerrero, providing a well-rounded picture of one of the most beloved wrestling figures of recent history. He also details his march toward the Heavyweight Championship, and his mastery of the WWE Triple Crown--a feat that placed him in an elite group for all time. "
"Behind the Mask is the intimate portrait of one of wrestling's all-time greats, a story wrestling fans of all ages won't want to miss."

Biography of pro wrestler Mean Marc Ash This looks at Mean Marc's childhood, how he was attracted to pro wrestling, how he prepared for his pro wrestling career, & a brief look at his career.

The Golden Age of wrestling, the 80's saw the rise of modern styled professional wrestling. In this the third sourcebook for The Squared Circle Wrestling RPG we take a look at this pivotal moment in wrestling history. Global Assault Wrestling is the company that rose to prominence in the 80's and is one of the biggest wrestling promotions today. Introducing the Wrestleverse and presenting all new rules such as Wrestler Physique, Gimmicks, Jobbers and tag team wrestling.

In this book, Lowery A. Woodall III explores the ways that diverse populations are portrayed, stereotyped, and sometimes villainized in the WWE's colorful and dramatic programming. Each chapter examines the surprisingly complex and multilayered representation of marginalized populations throughout the modern history of the WWE under the leadership of Vincent K. McMahon. Through weekly shows like Raw and SmackDown, pay-per-view spectaculars like WrestleMania, and a vast library of wrestling-related material on their streaming platform, Woodall argues that the WWE and McMahon have created calculated and carefully curated representations of diversity that are viewed by millions of fans worldwide. What effects do those representations have on the men, women, and children who consume WWE content? How are wrestlers and performers impacted by their on-screen portrayals? This book explores these questions and demonstrates that when representations are inaccurate or problematic, more than just kayfabe is in danger of being broken. Scholars of professional wrestling studies, media studies, and communication studies will find this book of particular interest.

The second Sourcebook for The Squared Circle Wrestling RPG visits Japan and details the wrestling style found there. This book also brings a more extreme and ultra-violent version of Hardcore wrestling, adding new weapons, rules and Deathmatches. Introduces new classes and skills as well as new game mechanics. This mega-sourcebook also adds the biggest amount of moves to the game since the original Core Book. A must have for every fan of The Squared Circle whether you plan to run a game in the Japan setting or not. New features include; 6 New Classes, 11 New Skills, New hardcore weapons and Deathmatches, Combat Areas: Fight it out backstage or take it to the parking garage, Targeted Submission and Damage system; now you can target a specific body part of your opponent, Introducing Status Effect rules, Expands Character Levels to 15, Introducing Multi-Classing rules and so much more!

This is the story about four girls who battle for survival in the ring of women's wrestling, only for them to discover that surviving their battles with each other outside the ring is a completely different matter.

The first sourcebook for The Squared Circle Wrestling RPG takes us to Mexico for the world of Lucha Libre. Luchadors are considered real life superheroes, don a mask and become one of these legendary warriors of the ring...fight evil and uphold the Luchador Code. Features two new Classes, 7 New Skills, Expanded rules for Managers, New Moves including quick pinning maneuvers and so much more! *Requires The Squared Circle:Wrestling RPG to play*

Create a wrestler and lead them to the very pinnacle of the wrestling industry, winning titles and engaging in feuds along the way...will you become a legend? Or maybe running a wrestling promotion is more your style, create and run your own promotion and face off against your friends to see who has the skill to make it and who doesn't. Features: - Over 200 fully detailed moves to choose from - 38 Match types to choose from - Over 50 NPC wrestlers to use in your games - Create your own wrestling storylines! - Managers and Valets - Two gameplay types; Wrestler Career and Promotion Manager - Play alone or with friends

"The Fighting Scots of Edinboro" is a behind-the-scenes look at how a small Division II university in northwestern Pennsylvania broke into the world of Division I wrestling and has managed to thrive.

"The World of Lucha Libre" is an insider's account of "lucha libre," the popular Mexican form of professional wrestling. Heather Levi spent more than a year immersed in the world of wrestling in Mexico City. Not only did she observe live events and interview wrestlers, referees, officials, promoters, and reporters; she also apprenticed with a retired "luchador" (wrestler). Drawing on her insider's perspective, she explores lucha libre as a cultural performance, an occupational subculture, and a set of symbols that circulate through Mexican culture and politics. Levi argues that the broad appeal of lucha libre lies in its capacity to stage contradictions at the heart of Mexican national identity: between the rural and the urban, tradition and modernity, ritual and parody, machismo and feminism, politics and spectacle.

Levi considers lucha libre in light of scholarship about sport, modernization, and the formation of the Mexican nation-state, and in connection to professional wrestling in the United States. She examines the role of secrecy in wrestling, the relationship between wrestlers and the characters they embody, and the meanings of the masks worn by luchadors. She discusses male wrestlers who perform masculine roles, those who cross-dress and perform feminine roles, and female wrestlers who wrestle each other. Investigating the relationship between lucha libre and the mass media, she highlights the history of the sport's engagement with television: it was televised briefly in the early 1950s, but not again until 1991. Finally, Levi traces the circulation of lucha libre symbols in avant-garde artistic movements and its appropriation in left-wing political discourse. "The World of Lucha Libre" shows how a sport imported from the United States in the 1930s came to be an iconic symbol of Mexican cultural authenticity.

Jeff Gorman grew up dreaming of a career as a sportscaster, but he never imagined that he would land in the pro wrestling ring. Join Jeff on a bizarre trip through the minor leagues of wrestling and follow his rise up the ladder. Learn about the inner workings of a business filled with bikers and bullies, heroes and hillbillies. It's more real than you would think. Find out what it was like to be a part of the early days of Ring of Honor, one of the hottest promotions in wrestling. Discover what happens when you chase one dream and find another. You've heard the wrestlers talk on TV, now find out what it's like on "THIS SIDE OF THE MIC."

John Lister is one of Britain's most respected wrestling journalists. Mixing travelogue, humour, fiction, history and opinion, this collection brings together the best of his work from the past fourteen years. The first section of this book features three epic accounts of voyages to see wrestling in the United States, from the ECW Arena to the Dallas Sportatorium by way of WWF pay-per-views and Memphis television. The second section comprises more than 40 articles, some previously unpublished, including histories of British and American wrestling, the statistics behind WCW's collapse, and a disgraceful allegation about Tommy Rich. Note: This is a revised 2nd edition, with a new cover design, new page design, lower page count and a lower retail price. However, the content of the book is unchanged from the first edition.

He travelled the world applying his trade, he travelled to far off places as Hawaii, Japan, Korea, and India he entertained Millions of people all over the world with his wrestling. His name is Johnny Kincaid, now he has written his own Amazing life story. He writes about his child hood, born and brought up in Battersea "Not Barbados," how he spent half his child hood in a children's home. How he was in trouble with the police in his teens and spent time in a detention centre. He joined a fair ground and travelled with them after leaving his first wife of six months. Johnny learnt his trade as a wrestler whilst he was boxing in a fair ground boxing booth. He became a lady's man on entering the paid ranks of professional wrestling and becoming, European Champion 1981 1986. Enjoy this exciting journey with a ring side seat through the career of Johnny Kincaid you will laugh out loud as his family and friends do when he tells these stories and many more.

Professional wrestling's most notorious scandals and drug-fueled spectacles are laid out using insider details and investigative journalism in this powerful expose of the sport. Featuring pieces previously published in magazines such as "Penthouse" and "People," this book examines the demise of the old Mafia-like territories, whose wake, with the help of cable television and deregulation, helped fuel the astonishing growth of professional wrestling. These solemn and thoroughly investigated accounts--of Hulk Hogan's drug use, the untimely death of Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka's girlfriend, the ill-fated Von Erich clan, and various scandals associated with World Wrestling Entertainment's Vince McMahon--go beyond the theatrics to illustrate what really goes on behind the curtain and where the sport now stands.

One of the most inspiring stories in wrestling history, "Cheating Death, Stealing Life" sees Eddie Guerrero recount his saga in remarkably candid fashion, chronicling a life of heartbreaks and painful personal struggles in frank, graphic detail.
Guerrero was born into Mexico's first family of sports entertainment. His father, Gory Guerrero, was a Mexican wrestling legend. Before Eddie turned twenty, he was wrestling in Mexico. Soon Guerrero was blowing away fans as part of the upstart Extreme Championship Wrestling.
World Championship Wrestling was looking for innovative new talent, and Guerrero's unique style fit the bill. Unfortunately, the backstage politics of WCW kept Guerrero away from the spotlight. Eddie sought solace from the pressures of life on the road by living hard and partying harder. Even a series of drug overdoses and a near-fatal car accident could not change his ways. When a group of wrestlers opted to leave WCW, Guerrero joined them, signing with World Wrestling Federation. Unfortunately, a freak injury in Guerrero's debut match took him out of the action. Upon his return, Eddie was paired with Chyna, which launched his indelible Latino Heat character.
However, years of the wrestling lifestyle, of nightly partying and frequent injury, led to addictions to both alcohol and painkillers. Guerrero spent four months in a rehabilitation facility. Sadly, he had not yet hit bottom. A relapse into alcohol abuse resulted in a DUI conviction and the loss of his job. Though Guerrero had lost everything -- his family, his money, his job -- he never allowed himself to lose his pride. Eddie returned to the independent circuit, where he regained his reputation as one of wrestling's most electrifying performers. Guerrero searched deep within himself and fought to regain the life he had lost. His journey of self-discovery reawakened his relationship with Jesus Christ, and he found peace and strength in the Bible.
Before long, World Wrestling Entertainment offered Guerrero a second chance. From the moment of his return, it was clear he was instilled with a new focus and passion. With his nephew, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Eddie made up one half of the wildly successful Los Guerreros tag team. The pair became one of WWE's hottest attractions. Ultimately, Guerrero not only regained his life, he surpassed his wildest dreams, becoming WWE Champion.
"Cheating Death, Stealing Life" offers a no-holds-barred glimpse into the secret world of wrestling. It's also the story of Guerrero's private struggle, of a son caught in the shadow of a larger-than-life father and three older brothers, of a marriage that reached the brink of disintegration before being reborn. Throughout, Eddie Guerrero pulls no punches describing his battles with self-doubt and inner darkness. Sadly, in November of 2005, Eddie died due to complications of a heart condition. "Cheating Death, Stealing Life" is a story of great courage and personal redemption.

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.

They were World Heavyweight Champions: Bob Backkland, Superstar Billy Graham and Bruno Sammartino. They were fan favourites: 'Superfly' Jimmy Snuka, Chief Jay Strongbow and Andre the Giant. They were the villains everyone loved to hate: Killer Kowalski, Ernie Ladd and the Fabulous Moolah. They were heroes, someone just like you that you could cheer for: Ivan Putski, Pedro Morales, Peter Maivia. They were the stars that shined the brightest, and left an indelible mark in the memories of countless fans. In a time when professional wrestling was divided into territories, no place created bigger Superstars than World Wrestling Entertainment. From the company's centrepiece in Madison Square Garden, legends were born. This one-stop guide to wrestling's most legendary heroes covers everything from their most famous matches to their biggest feuds. Illustrated with stunning photos of these all-time greats in action, this is a must for every wrestling fan!

A competition of strength, endurance, and strategy, wrestling is one of the world's oldest sports, boasting such famous participants as Plato, Henry VIII, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln. The author provides a compelling look at the different styles and maneuvers of wrestling. Vibrant photos and informative writing bring this sport to life for the reader.

The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Wrestling contains over 80 descriptions and photographs of the most effective weight training, flexibility, and abdominal exercises used by wrestlers worldwide. The wrestling-specific weight training programs in this book can be used all year and are guaranteed to increase your quickness, build power, and prevent injuries common to wrestlers.

"Adam Copeland on Edge" is what the author describes as "a mental picture." It's also a dream -- "one of many" -- that he decided to realize while at home convalescing from potential career-ending neck surgery. And it's a journey that explores not only his life but also his innermost thoughts.
In the small town of Orangeville, Ontario, Copeland was raised by a loving mother who, while working multiple jobs just to pay the rent, nurtured her son's passion for Spider-Man comics and KISS albums. When a family tragedy created a void in Copeland's life, that void was soon filled by the wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, who "made me feel like I could accomplish anything."
For Copeland, "anything" meant becoming a wrestler, an ambition shared by his friend Jason Reso, who would eventually form the indie tag team Suicide Blondes with Copeland, then join him in WWE as Edge's "brother," Christian. Winning a newspaper essay contest earned Copeland free wrestling training from independent veterans Sweet Daddy Siki and Ron Hutchinson. The author shares his vivid, often outrageous memories of wrestling throughout Canada and the midwestern United States and befriending future WWE Superstars like Terry Richards (Rhyno), Sean Morley (Val Venis), and Chris Jericho. Hard work and persistence brought Copeland to World Wrestling Entertainment. But his "inauspicious" "Raw" debut -- during which he accidentally knocked out his opponent -- supports his claim that "I had no idea" how to make the transformation to Edge.
Copeland retraces the steps he took to "Edgeucate" himself, from his goth days with the Brood's Christian and Gangrel to ushering in the "E&C Dynasty," which in turn revitalized WWE's Tag Team division (with the aid of the Hardy Boyz, the Dudley Boyz, and countless tables, ladders, and chairs).
With vivid detail and sincerity, Copeland offers his thoughts about not only fulfilling his goals but also building upon them. He shares his actual surprise over winning the Intercontinental title for the first time; the anxiety he felt while splitting up with Christian; his eventual determination "to grab the damn ball out of someone's hands and take off"; the distress of almost losing his long blond hair to Kurt Angle; his wonder over enjoying a brief Tag Team title reign with the icon who first inspired him; the simultaneous pain of a broken marriage and two ruptured discs in his neck; and the nervous energy of returning to Raw in March 2004 and setting his sights on the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
You think you know Edge? Then read on....

Based on the proven training methods of championship fighters and martial arts masters, such as Bruce Lee, this advanced guide will help you develop superior speed and reflexes. Regardless of your martial arts style or method...you cannot apply it successfully unless you can react quickly and respond instantly. Speed is critical for success in competition and self-defense. Razor-sharp reflexes are often the sole difference between winning and losing. J. Barnes, a mixed martial artist with more than 20 years experience, details how to use the innovative Speed Loop[ training system to breakdown and master the 7 keys to martial arts speed for self-defense and mixed martial arts fighting. You can double or triple your speed by using world-class training drills to isolate, transform, and integrate every component of Speed Loop[, including: [Visual Reflexes Improve your ability to spot openings and track movements. Exceptional visual reflexes allow you to recognize, track, distinguish, adapt to, and counter movements with precision and confidence. [Tactile Reflexes - Learn to instantly feel what the opponent is attempting to do by quickly interpreting the direction of his body force. Ninety-five percent of all fights end up in close range. Be prepared! [Auditory Reflexes - It is important to react quickly to what you hear. You can improve your auditory reflexes by enhancing your perceptive listening skills. [Adaptation Speed Learn to instantaneously select the perfect action in response to an attack or opening. Highly developed adaptation speed will allow your reflexes to carry out the movement selection process automatically. [Initiation Speed - It's not how fast you move, but how soon youget there that really counts! Train yourself to make your movements felt before they are seen by developing a flawless poker face and the ability to relax at will. [Movement Speed - Dont be concerned with demonstration speed. Your training should focus on developing the applied speed that will help you overwhelm and subdue an opponent in seconds. [Alteration Speed - Alteration speed involves the ability to quickly change directions in the midst of movement. Through mastery of body mechanics, you can develop the ability to stop your movement instantly]just in case you initiate a wrong move. [Hampering Speed - Speed Hampering is the ability to effectively slow down the opponents reaction time to your attacks. Skill in speed hampering can help compensate for what you may lack in movement speed. By focusing on the maximum development of each individual speed component, your training will be more efficient and effective. This will help you develop superior speed and reflexes in the shortest possible time. Use the proven Speed Loop[ training system found in this acclaimed guide and you will see a significant improvement in your total speed and reflexes.

"Wrestling to Rasslin'" traces the roots of one of man's oldest competitive sports. Beginning in sporting bars in the late 1800s and graduating to Barnum sideshow tents, wrestling has thrilled the world over with such early athletes as William Muldoon, George Hackenschmidt, and Tom Jenkins. After World War II and the advent of television, wrestling took a turn toward the dramatic, emphasizing conflicts between good and evil.

Clocking up more than a million miles a year as they travel from venue to venue, the Superstars of the WWE have more road trip stories to tell than they have frequent flier miles. In this eye-popping insight into life on the road you can share their experiences and read all about their encounters, as Robert Caprio chronicles misadventures both hilarious and bizarre. From restraining drunken and abusive airline passengers, to the vagaries of hotel plumbing, to the hazards of hitchhikers who suddenly decide they would rather ride naked, the trials of non-stop travel make for a wonderfully entertaining collection of stories. Being a WWE Superstar is a job which keeps them on the road for more than 240 days a year and separates them from their families for long stretches of time; but at the same time it lets them see parts of the world many never dreamed they would visit. In this book which captures all the flavour of the peripatetic lifestyle, a host of top WWE Superstars reveal their fondest memories and their tallest tales.