Wrestling

From New York Times bestselling author and trailblazing athlete Ronda Rousey, an unfiltered chronicle of her last decade, tackling her explosive career transition, parenthood, overcoming adversity, and finding meaning in life.<BR><BR> From the moment she burst onto the MMA scene, Ronda Rousey was unbeatable. She repeatedly strung together back-to-back flawless victories, racking up a collection of records and forever changing the face of sports as the UFC’s first female champion. A superstar in her sport, she transcended athletics, appearing in blockbuster films and becoming a role model for women everywhere. Then, on November 15, 2015, it all came crashing down. <BR><BR> In OUR FIGHT, Rousey explores the greatest challenge of her life and, ultimately, how she rebuilt her life into something better in the aftermath. She recounts how she replaced her pursuit of perfection with the pursuit of happiness and found an opportunity in disguise amongst the wreckage. Following Rousey’s relatable journey, OUR FIGHT is a courageous narrative of career changes, marriage, motherhood, and facing your fears.<BR><BR>  

WWE Superstar Natalya “Nattie” Neidhart—the longest-serving female wrestler in WWE history—invites readers inside her extraordinary journey, from her upbringing in the legendary Hart family home through her more than two decades in wrestling<BR><BR>While most children grow up running around with their friends, Nattie Neidhart was schooled in the Hart family Dungeon, in the shadow of her grandfather Stu Hart, father Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, and legendary uncles Bret and Owen Hart. Through every body slam and rejection, Nattie eventually fought her own way into pro wrestling (the only woman in her family to do so) to become a two-time women’s world champion and world record–holding superstar in WWE.<BR> <BR> In this raw, funny, unwaveringly honest memoir, Nattie opens up for the first time about her life as the legacy of the Hart family dynasty, candidly sharing untold details on:<BR> - Her chaotic childhood in the boom-and-bust world of professional wrestling, including her family’s brush with homelessness - Her father’s battles with addiction and other effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, leading to his eventual sudden death, and how they shaped her - Her struggle to navigate the complex dynamics between the Hart family and WWE in the aftermath of the Montreal Screwjob, Owen Hart's tragic death, and her husband TJ Wilson’s near-fatal, career-ending, in-ring injury - Her front-row seat to the rise of women’s wrestling and the resilience it took to thrive as a female wrestler at a time when what you looked like on screen was more important than how talented you were between the ropes <BR><BR> From heart-pounding glory to devastating loss, The Last Hart Beating pulls no punches when it comes to the drama, hilarity, and outright mayhem of life inside the ring and out.

From Sunday Times bestselling author, British Sports Book of the Year Award winner, and trailblazing athlete Ronda Rousey, an unfiltered and entertaining chronicle of her last decade, tackling not only UFC and WWE but also parenthood, overcoming adversity, and finding meaning in life's journey.'You defined the division. You basically created the concept of women fighting in the UFC...Thank you for writing this book, it's incredibly honest.' Steven Bartlett, Diary of a CEO podcast 'Rousey has rewritten her story arc, and along the way learned that self-reliance and independence is real freedom.' Guardian'Gripping and, at its best, offers a raw personal history of concussion.' Donald McRae, Guardian From the moment she burst onto the MMA scene, Ronda Rousey was unbeatable. She repeatedly strung together back-to-back flawless victories, racking up a collection of records and forever changing the face of sports as the UFC's first female champion. A superstar in her sport, she transcended athletics, appearing in blockbuster films and becoming a role model for women everywhere. Then, on November 15, 2015, it all came crashing down.In OUR FIGHT, Rousey explores the greatest challenge of her life and, ultimately, how she rebuilt her career into something better in the aftermath. She recounts how she replaced her pursuit of perfection with the pursuit of happiness and found a blessing in disguise amongst the wreckage. Following Rousey's relatable journey, OUR FIGHT is a courageous narrative of career changes, marriage, motherhood, and facing your fears.

“Tim Hornbaker further establishes himself as possibly the finest wrestling historian writing today.” — SLAM! Wrestling on Death of the Territories<BR> <BR>From the author of Death of the Territories and Capitol Revolution comes the definitive biography of “Nature Boy” Ric Flair<BR> <BR>For more than a century, professional wrestling has cultivated some of the most eccentric and compelling personalities. As the embodiment of flamboyance and intensity, the “Nature Boy” Ric Flair stood at wrestling’s apex for decades, cementing his place as a once-in-a-lifetime athlete and performer. When he was in the ring, fans knew they were witnessing the very best, and he not only became a multi-time world heavyweight champion in the NWA, WCW, and the WWE, but his status as a generational great has been confirmed with inductions into numerous Halls of Fame.<BR> <BR>The Last Real World Champion: The Legacy of “Nature Boy” Ric Flair is a gripping portrait of a wrestling legend. This unflinching biography explores the successes, struggles, and controversy of Flair’s life in wrestling, pulling no punches in sharing the truth behind his in-ring achievements and out-of-the-ring hardships. Today, Flair is celebrated for his pioneering career and as an iconic figure in the realm of mainstream sports entertainment. Celebrated wrestling historian Tim Hornbaker tells Flair’s complete story, with meticulous attention to detail and exhaustive research, creating a must-read for fans of wrestling, sports, and popular culture.

Rick Sanders was known to many as the first wrestling hippie. A product of the 1960's counterculture, his unabashed approach to a life of total personal freedom rankled many in the sport's traditional ascetic culture. At mat-side, he stood out with his long hair, beard, and love beads. On off hours, he drank beer and smoked marijuana, and whenever possible, he listened to loud rock and roll. But through it all, he impressed. With a stellar college record of 103-2, Rick was named Outstanding Wrestler at NAIA, NCAA D-II, and NCAA D-I levels of competition, the only wrestler to ever do so. He became America's first ever freestyle wrestling World Champion in 1969. And he medaled at the prestigious 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games, competing alongside the likes of Bobby Douglas, Wayne Wells, and Dan Gable. Fifty years after his tragic death, FloWrestling placed Sanders 21st on their recent assessment of the top 100 best wrestlers, with Mark Bader calling him wrestling's "Original Godfather of Funk." Despite high expectations and strong opponents (on and off the mat) Rick Sanders continued to live life and wrestle on his own terms: spirited, unorthodox, and dedicated to the sport that he loved.

Like the boxer Jack Dempsey, Ed Don George, the wrestler, was also called upon to be a hand-to-hand combat instructor during the 2nd World War. In Ed Don George's case it was for the U.S. Navy Pre-Flight School at the University of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Through a series of articles which he wrote on the subject as well as accompanying photographs, this book attempts to reintroduce the man and his patriotic efforts to assist in the preparation of the young cadets of the Navy Pre-Flight school for that conflict.

Gerald Grant Leeman emerged from a life of poverty and addiction to become one of the greatest wrestlers and most beloved coaches in American history. Nicknamed "Germ" due to his small stature, Gerald and his nine siblings lived hardscrabble childhoods, but their Osage, Iowa, roots grew deep and served them well. In Germ’s case, those humble beginnings taught lessons that led to three state high school wrestling titles; serving as a Naval carrier pilot; an NCAA championship during which he was named Most Outstanding Wrestler; an Olympic silver medal; and a storied coaching career at Lehigh University. The son of an alcoholic father, Gerald battled the disease later in life with grace and dignity, and became a glowing example of the power of recovery and redemption. Tough Street illuminates Germ’s expansive impact on his siblings, teammates, children, and, most poignantly, his wrestlers at Lehigh, where famed Grace Hall’s arena bears his name. Gerald Leeman lived the American Dream.• "God gave Gerald Leeman abilities no one else could have. Leeman was an artist in our sport. It’s difficult to describe unless you saw him. He is the greatest wrestler I ever saw, and I’ve seen them all." – Bill Nelson, three-time NCAA champion and 1948 Olympian• "The thing about Gerry is you could surround him with chief executives of any company, politicians from all over the world, with farmers or Indian chiefs, and he would soon be ruling the room. He had that presence, that aura." – Kirk Pendleton, 1963 NCAA champion• "Gerry Leeman was a legend who absolutely loved the sport. Going into Grace Hall — The Snake Pit — for a dual, well, Leeman would fill the place up and those partisans would pound their feet on the metal bleachers. The noise was so intimidating." – Donald Rumsfeld, former Princeton wrestling team captain and United States Secretary of Defense• "Gerald Leeman was so much more than our coach. He was a molder of men, an educator who used the lessons of strife on the mat to form foundation in his boys, enabling them to achieve fame, fortune and esteem in their lives. This is his legacy." – Mike Caruso, three-time NCAA champion

New York Times bestselling author! Here is the story of how Jim Ross, an Oklahoman farm kid with a vivid imagination and seemingly unattainable dreams, became “The Voice of Wrestling” to record TV audiences and millions of fans around the world.<BR><BR>There are few people who have been in the wrestling business longer than Jim Ross. And those who have made it as long as he has (half a century to be exact) probably made enemies or burned bridges. But that’s just not JR. He’s recognized as the man who built and nurtured a once-in-a-generation talent roster that took the WWE to new heights, including “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Brock Lesnar, and The Rock to name a few. Readers will finally get the opportunity to hear never-before-told stories about the politics, wackiness, and personalities of all the biggest stars.<BR><BR>Jim opens up about his life as an only child on a working farm, who became obsessed with professional wrestling having first saw it on his grandparent’s TV. Even though the wrestling business was notoriously secretive and wary of “outsiders,” he somehow got a foot in the door to start a historic career, one where he held almost every job in the business—from putting up the ring to calling matches, from driving his blind, drunk boss towards revenge, to consoling two naked 600 pound brothers in the shower room after a rough match.<BR><BR>This isn’t just a wrestling story. It’s a story about overcoming adversity and achieving your dreams, as success did not come without significant costs and unforeseen challenges to JR, including multiple bouts of severe facial paralysis called Bell’s Palsy.<BR><BR>Currently the host of the podcast The Ross Report, any fan of wrestling—from the territory days to today—will be enthralled with stories from the road and behind the scenes. Slobberknocker is the first time Ross tells his story—and you don’t want to miss it!

What went wrong with WCW?<BR><BR>In 1997, World Championship Wrestling was on top. It was the number-one pro wrestling company in the world, and the highest-rated show on cable television. Each week, fans tuned in to Monday Nitro, flocked to sold-out arenas, and carried home truckloads of WCW merchandise. Sting, Bill Goldberg, and the New World Order were household names. Superstars like Dennis Rodman and KISS jumped on the WCW bandwagon. It seemed the company could do no wrong.<BR><BR>But by 2001, however, everything had bottomed out. The company — having lost a whopping 95% of its audience — was sold for next to nothing to Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment. WCW was laid to rest.<BR><BR>How could the company lose its audience so quickly? Who was responsible for shows so horrible that fans fled in horror? What the hell happened to cause the death of one of the largest wrestling companies in the world? The Death of World Championship Wrestling is the first book to take readers through a detailed dissection of WCW’s downfall.