Mixed Martial Arts Unleashed: Mastering the Most Effective Moves for Victory.

Sandy Campbell is a reference librarian in the Science and Technology Library at the University of Alberta.

When one thinks of pugilists, one is more likely to conjure the image of a semi-coherent person who has taken too many hits to the head than someone who is articulate and writes well. In this respect this book is a pleasant surprise.

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a sport that involves boxing, kicking, striking, wrestling, and grappling. Mickey Dimic is a veteran mixed martial arts practitioner, coach, and instructor, with many martial arts accomplishments to his name. Christopher Miller is also a mixed martial arts practitioner, as well as being a secondary school teacher in Ontario, specializing in literature. Presumably it is this latter qualification which accounts for the excellent control of language in this book. The writing is consistent, readable, and fluid. The well-synthesized content reflects the authors’ thorough knowledge of their subject.

It is difficult to capture in written form something that is, at its essence, a physical activity. However, Dimic and Miller do an admirable job. While the book cannot do what the cover brags, that is teach you how to fight, it does describe the history of MMA, basic training, and many techniques. Stances, strikes, kicks, blocks, throws, and holds are all described in enough detail that if read out loud, one could follow along and execute the technique. For example, the instructions for the Rear Naked Choke begin: “From a solid back control, insert your right elbow crook under your adversary’s jaw. You can wedge it in by starting with the sharp part of your forearm …” However, it takes years of training to build the skill to achieve “solid back control” in a combat situation.

Many of the techniques are illustrated with black and white images showing the step-by-step process or variants. For example, the section on hook throws has images for the outer, the inner, and the winding hook throw.

The book will be most comprehensible to readers who have martial arts knowledge and will also be helpful to fans who want to better understand what they see when they watch an MMA match. Recommended for public, high school, and academic libraries.