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.

'A brilliant oral history of the golden age of British wrestling and magnificent wider social history.' Richard Osman The classic account of the men and women who used to fight each other for pride and money. Simon Garfield brings them to life in one last glorious bout of jealousy, myth, revenge, passion and deep devotion. When British wrestling was dropped from the ITV schedules in the mid-80s it left the giants of the ring - Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks, Kendo Nagasaki - bereft. This is the true story of the circuit, the big names and their rivalries, told with humour, warmth and affection. This edition features a new afterword by the author.

Brock Lesnar has been, and is one of the most popular - and polarizing - figures in sports and sports entertainment. Whether fans love him or hate him, they never miss an opportunity to watch Brock when he squares off with an opponent. He is a celebrity of the first order, but disdains fame, avoids the media, and remains intensely private. Now, for the first time, Brock tells his incredible story in his own words. Brock relives his long journey to become the best college wrestler in the country, his meteoric rise in World Wrestling Entertainment, and what lead him to walk away from fame and fortune when he was at the top. He talks openly about the accident that derailed his plans to play in the NFL, his professional wrestling comeback in Japan, and his transformation and rebirth as a Mixed Martial Arts fighter. Fans will get an insider's look at Brock's career in the UFC - the training, the competition and what it takes to be, and to remain a champion. Brock will also talk about the illness that nearly killed him, his will to survive, and what he really values and aspires to be. Powerful and real, this remarkable memoir is the story of Brock's determination and domination, and the making of a true champion.

Wrestling's leading drill book is back. With new chapters, drills, coaching advice, and practice planning, "The Wrestling Drill Book, Second Edition," is bigger, better, and more comprehensive than ever.

"The Wrestling Drill Book" features match-tested drills from the top high school and college wrestling coaches in the sport. From takedowns, escapes, and reversals to riding and pinning combinations, each contributor breaks down a technique, tactic, or facet of wrestling for which he is renowned.

Chapters unfold sequentially, moving from simple to more complex drills, each including setup requirements, descriptions of the action, and key coaching points for maximizing the value of every drill. Detailed descriptions provide thorough instruction for proper execution of each move.

Discover the best-seller that has helped wrestlers become champions. "The Wrestling Drill Book, Second Edition," is a must-have for every wrestler and coach.

San Shou Kuai Jiao (Fast Wrestling for Fighting) is the Chinese martial art of throws and takedowns. A San Shou Kuai Jiao throw can cause tremendous damage to your opponent while keeping you safely on your feet. For centuries, fighters in China have valued this art for its speed and power. Today, China's police and military forces are trained in its techniques. Chinese Fast Wrestling for Fighting presents seventy-five throws and takedowns against punches, kicks, and grabs, and demonstrates basic training methods such as stances, footwork, and strength training. Written by a gold medal winner in Chinese wrestling (Liang), this book is a complete training guide to this powerful martial art. * Throw your opponent to the ground - fast!* Effective for competition and self-defense.*460 action photos detail every technique.* Includes a chapter on ground fighting.

The story of the 2004 U.S. Olympic wrestling team and it's countdown to the Athens Games.

Hulk Hogan, born Terry Bollea, burst onto the professional wrestling scene in the late seventies and went on to become a world wrestling champion many times over. From humble beginnings, this giant of a man escaped a pre-ordained life of dock and construction work in Port Tampa, Florida, to become one of the most recognizable celebrities on the planet. He did it through sheer will, grit, determination, and a drive to always go over the top and do more than what others thought possible. From the outside, his story was one of a charmed life--he was at the top of his career, had a wonderful and loving family, and a lifelong fan base who worshipped him. Of course he had his up and downs--including hints of steroid abuse and his falling out with WWE and Vince McMahon--but it's been the last two years that have tested Hogan more than any other in his lifetime. In 2007, while riding the massive success of his VH1 reality show, "Hogan Knows Best, "his son Nick was involved in a tragic car accident that left his best friend in critical condition. Then Linda, his wife, left him after 23 years of marriage, his beloved daughter Brooke blamed him for the breakup and his son went to jail. The tabloid media had a field day. When unflattering jailhouse conversations between him and his son were released to the press the tabloids were in a frenzy. The sudden turmoil and tragedy surrounding Hogan took its toll. He fell into a deep depression, seeing no way out, until one fate ful phone call. In "My Life Outside the Ring," Hogan will unabash edly recount these events, revealing how his new found clarity steadied him during the most difficult match of his life--and how he emerged from the battle feeling stronger than ever before.

"I was right there leaning on the side of the car with my hands when I finally saw Nick--my only son--folded up like an accordion with his head down by the gas pedal. "Nick " I yelled. I could see he was alive. He turned his head, he stuck his hand out, and gave me a thumbs-up. For a second I was relieved. Then the chaos set in. The noise of engines. Sirens. A saw. Para - medics pulling John from the passenger seat. So much blood. I can't even describe to you how panicked I was. The police and firefighters surrounding us seemed panicked, too. The firefighters started cutting the side of the car open to try to get Nick out, and I'm still standing right there when I hear my boy screaming, "No, no, no, stop Stop You're gonna cut my legs off. Dad Just unbuckle the seatbelt. I can get out " So I reach in and I push the button on his seat belt, and Nick just crawls right out. His wrist was broken. His ribs were cracked. None of that mattered. He was gonna be okay. But not John. John wasn't moving. ""--from "MY LIFE OUTSIDE THE RING

This instructional Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu book & DVD combo offers a complete guide to ground fighting principles and techniques to use when the fight goes to the ground. In a street defense scenario, the ground is a dangerous place to be. While it's a good idea to learn defensive strategies for ground fighting, it is important to put those skills into the context of how you want to use them. Whether you're an experienced submission-grappling competitor, a traditional martial artist training in a stand-up striking style, or law enforcement professional, Ground Defense provides you with an essential system of self-protection for street-oriented ground scenarios. Jiu-Jitsu Strategies and Tactics for Self-Defense: When the Fight Goes to the Ground establishes the risks and hazards of various ground defense scenarios, presenting effective strategies for neutralizing and minimizing them. You will learn a wide range of tools for defense, including the targeting of vital areas, body shifting/control techniques, and the concept of "weapons of opportunity." All of these techniques are easy to learn and apply, providing an adaptable skill set for anyone, regardless of size, strength or gender. These tools are then shown in various combinations, with examples of how to use them against specific types of attacks, including simple hold-downs, ground and pound, submission grappling pins, chokes, arm locks, leg locks, knife attacks and multiple assailant scenarios. In addition, this martial arts book gives you useful training suggestions and regimens, addressing graduated skill development, challenges presented by different body types, and safety practices at all levels of training. All disc content is alternatively accessible on tuttlepublishing.com/downloadable-content.

Why was Minnesota, a land known for its stoic farmers, reasonable politics, and comfortable casseroles, a hotbed of the wacky and wild world of professional wrestling? And how did that old-school wrestling become the Saturday night program of choice for thousands of midwestern families in the last half of the twentieth century? Professional wrestling historian and insider George Schire is here not only to set the record straight but to entice you into a world gone by, a world that comes alive through his colorful and perceptive reporting.
As a kid, Schire found a way to escape the troubles of his life by becoming a wrestling fan, glued to the TV set and then later traveling to see every live "card" in the Twin Cities and many more throughout the region. Over the years he has been involved in all aspects of the sport, and he now offers detailed, behind-the-scenes accounts of important matches from 1954 to 1990 and stories of wrestler personalities, both in and out of the ring. He shares his own extensive collection of wrestling memorabilia-- photographs, program covers, newspaper clippings, and other ephemera--to honor the hardworking characters who forged serial storylines onstage week after week and who thrilled fans by carrying out their plots in the ring, with blood, sweat, tears, and high-flying body slams for all.
An avid historian, George Schire has been a writer and columnist for national wrestling publications and a ring announcer. He currently cohosts a popular Internet wrestling show, "Old School/New School." He lives in Oakdale, Minnesota.

"I thought I knew the sport of professional wrestling. Then I met George Schire No one is more knowledgeable about the events and personalities that made professional wrestling what it is today."
--Greg Gagne, former professional wrestler and titleholder

With more than 700 detailed photographs illustrating moves and countermoves, this book shows how to handle any opponent in virtually any situation. "Winning Wrestling Moves" provides high school and college wrestlers and their coaches with all the fundamentals and latest refinements in wrestling techniques. Never before have so many wrestling moves been described and illustrated in one volume. Three former All-Americans from the University of Iowa--Mark Mysnyk, Barry Davis, and Brooks Simpson--team up to share the techniques that made them champions:

- Proper stance, movement, penetration, and lifting technique- Breakdowns, rides, and pins- 200 takedowns featuring variations based on the opponent's reaction- Escapes and reversals- Valuable counter techniques- Freestyle turns for freestyle and scholastic wrestling

"Winning Wrestling Moves" is a generously illustrated guide that shows wrestlers at the high school and college levels how to come out on top in every match.

From the cable television ratings to the bestseller lists, professional wrestling is red-hot. How it got that way is not a pretty picture, but it’s one that is painted in more detail than ever before in Sex, Lies, and Headlocks, the first in-depth, journalistic look at the world of wrestling.

At the heart of the story is Vince McMahon, the mercurial owner of the World Wrestling Federation. The authors trace his beginnings as the forgotten son of a second-generation wrestling czar who left rural North Carolina to stake his own claim to the family business. They detail his early, ruthless genius in declaring war on the old territory czars who had grown fat and lazy. And they show how his first brush with fame in the 1980s with Hulk Hogan and Cyndi Lauper sowed the seeds for the drug and sex scandals that nearly toppled his empire in the 1990s. They also tell us the inside story of McMahon’s blood feud with Ted Turner, adding some surprising details about the two men’s quests to ruin each other.

Throughout the book, the authors examine the appeal of the industry’s biggest stars—including Ed “Strangler” Lewis, Gorgeous George, Bruno Sammartino, Ric Flair, and, most recently, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock. In doing so, they show us that while WWF stock is traded to the public on Wall Street, wrestling remains a shadowy world guided by a century-old code that stresses secrecy and loyalty.

Sex, Lies, and Headlocks is the ultimate behind-the-scenes look at the history, personalities, back-stabbing, scandals, and high-stakes gambles that have made Vince McMahon the king of the ring and wrestling an enduring television phenomenon.


From the Hardcover edition.

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.

INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER! A vivid trip through the mind of the top professional wrestler in the business-a nobody from nowhere who achieved his ambitions and walked away with the gold and the girl of his dreams. Ride alongside Jon Moxley as he retraces some of the highways traveled on his remarkable journey. Revel in the never-before-told stories about his early life in Cincinnati, Ohio; the gritty independent wrestling scene where he cut his teeth; the complicated corporate landscape of the WWE where he bucked against authority; and the rebellious upstart AEW, where he won the championship in 2020 and was finally free to achieve the vision of the wrestler he'd always wanted to be. With plenty of pitstops and revelatory insights, including grisly ultraviolent encounters, crazy characters who became lifelong friends, and his unforgettable matches in Japan, MOX is the riveting account of the life of a brawler. It is a tale written in blood and soaked in debauchery, with a good dose of wisdom accumulated along the way. More than a backstage pass into the arena, MOX is a ticket into the ring. Once inside, you'll never look at pro wrestling the same again.

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.

"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.

Delving into the organized insanity of Incredibly Strange Wrestling (ISW), this memoir takes a look at the bastard offspring of post-punk garage rock and masked Mexican wrestling. Fielding a cast of crazed characters with names like El Homo Loco, Macho Sasquatcho, and El Pollo Diablo, the show lived up to its name. And if that wasn't enough, cult bands such as NOFX, The Dickies, and The Donnas provided the raucous rock and roll in between the highflying mayhem. ISW emerged from the back alleys and seedy clubs of San Francisco's South of Market scene to headline the historic Fillmore and barnstorm North America on the Van's Warped Tour. At the height of its popularity, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong and Metallica's James Hetfield could be seen tossing tortillas (which the promoters supplied) at ringside with the rest of the hell heads, boozehounds, and tattooed party girls.

In the spirit of The Blind Side and Friday Night Lights comes a tender and profoundly moving memoir about an ESPN producer's unexpected relationship with two disabled wrestlers from inner city Cleveland, and how these bonds-blossoming, ultimately, into a most unorthodox family-would transform their lives. When award-winning ESPN producer Lisa Fenn returned to her hometown for a story about two wrestlers at one of Cleveland's toughest public high schools, she had no idea that the trip would change her life. Both young men were disadvantaged students with significant physical disabilities. Dartanyon Crockett was legally blind as a result of Leber's disease; Leroy Sutton lost both his legs at eleven, when he was run over by a train. Brought together by wrestling, they had developed a brother-like bond as they worked to overcome their disabilities. After forming a profound connection with Dartanyon and Leroy, Fenn realized she couldn't just walk away when filming ended; these boys had had to overcome the odds too many times. Instead, Fenn dedicated herself to ensuring their success long after the reporting was finished and the story aired-and an unlikely family of three was formed. The years ahead would be fraught with complex challenges, but Fenn stayed with the boys every step of the way-teaching them essential life skills, helping them heal old wounds and traumatic pasts, and providing the first steady and consistent support system they'd ever had. This powerful memoir is one of love, hope, faith, and strength-a story about an unusual family and the courage to carry on, even in the most extraordinary circumstances.