Tito Ortiz is a compelling figure. He's intelligent, charismatic and personable. He also has an interesting story to tell, that of a kid who worked himself up from humble upbringings to pay-per-view main events. Unfortunately, his book doesn't do a very good job of bringing that story to light.
From the beginning, This is Gonna Hurt has all the markings of a cash-in. It is barely over 200 pages with large font, and many key events are addressed in only scant detail. Making things worse, Ortiz is often manipulative and not entirely truthful with the facts. This is particularly evident in his reductionist takes on his conflicts with Chuck Liddell and Dana White.
Ortiz focuses very heavily on out-of-the-cage events. That's fine in and of itself, but it shouldn't have been a substitute for better analysis of his time in MMA. There is little insight into Ortiz's preparations for fights or thoughts on his opponents. The rundowns of fights often feel like they were written entirely by a ghostwriter who didn't even consult Ortiz for his thoughts.
Interestingly, the book is best when it is about his upbringing and his relationships with the women of his life. But this is likely not what Ortiz's fans are looking for when they pick up the book. They deserved a better effort from Tito. D
Becoming the Natural -- Randy Couture (with Loretta Hunt)
If Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell's books were written to make money, and Matt Hughes' book was written to tell stories, Randy Couture's book was written to let the reader get to know the man. Brutally honest, insightful and comprehensive, Couture has written the first great mixed martial arts autobiography.
Randy Couture's story is one of overcoming obstacles, professional and personal. Couture is best known for beating the odds and scoring surprising victories in high-profile fights. But the book in equal measures addresses how Couture has clashed in dealings with management and struggled through issues in his personal life. Couture acknowledges the positives and negatives equally.
Those reading Couture's book might not necessarily come out of the experience liking Couture more than they did when they started. Couture's public profile is one of a superhero, while Becoming the Natural candidly recounts marital affairs, conflicts with his mother, and strained tensions with longtime friends. But that is a testament to the book's honesty, an admirable personal trait and a necessity for a great book.
Becoming the Natural is a book that is well-written and interesting enough to be recommendable to both fight fans and non-fight fans alike. The reader is given unfiltered access to one of the sport's greatest and most compelling fighters, and he has a heck of a story to tell. A
Total MMA -- Jonathan Snowden
As MMA has risen as a sport, there have been few efforts to provide a comprehensive history. The best effort was made by Clyde Gentry, but his excellent No Holds Barred: Evolution was ultimately limited in its behind-the-scenes look to the early days of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. There are no such limitations with Snowden's expansive, thoroughly researched Total MMA.
Total MMA seeks to provide a definitive history of the sport, and it tackles just about every major figure and event in the sport's history. From Japan to Brazil to the United States, Snowden explains how MMA evolved and provides quotes from the fighters, promoters and trainers who shaped the sport.
What readers get out of the book will depend on what they bring in. Someone who knows little about the sport by the end will understand it quite well. A hardcore fan who has followed the sport for years is likely to learn from some sections and find others monotonous. But the ideal audience for the book is made up of the fans who discovered the sport with The Ultimate Fighter. In one read, those fans can get caught up to speed on just about every major development that paved the way for what they watch today.
MMA's rapid evolution has not lent itself well to documentation. Things change too fast, with some seeming trends proving illusory and other legitimate trends going overlooked. Total MMA does an excellent job of capturing the true keys to MMA's evolution. MMA will continue to evolve, but this book explains well why the scene looks as it does at the end of 2008. A-
Todd Martin has covered mixed martial arts for the Los Angeles Times, Wrestling Observer, SI.com and CBSSports.com. He can be reached at ToddMartin4L@aol.com.
