Before Frank Shamrock became known professionally as “The Legend”—winning almost every mixed martial arts title in existence—he endured a childhood marred with abuse, neglect, and molestation that led to an equally troubled young adulthood. This riveting book tells his whole story: his abandonment as a child by his hippie mother and drug addict father, his salvation under the foster father who took him in when no one would, his desperate act of armed robbery and subsequent incarceration in state prison, and his eventual rebirth as a cage fighter who would go on to dominate the entire sport for the next two decades. Detailing his fights inside and outside of the ring, it discusses the people and events that enabled him to become a champion as well as his problems with the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the reasons behind his retirement. With eye-opening depictions of the world of mixed martial arts fighters and refreshing candor, this thrilling story of sex, violence, crime, and redemption reveals the numerous pitfalls a famous fighter encountered in his life and how he successfully overcame them to become a champion in every sense of the word.
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| Foreword | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Childhood | |
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| Ward of the Court | |
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| Shamrock Boys Ranch | |
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| Jail | |
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| The Lion's Den | |
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| Japan | |
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| Pancrase and the Roots of MMA | |
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| Going Solo | |
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| American Champion | |
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| Going Hollywood | |
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| Feuds and the Fight Business | |
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| Fighting Baroni, Ortiz, and Cung Le | |
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| Fatherhood | |
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| Retirement | |
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| Fight No More | |
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| Coming To Terms | |
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| The Martial Way | |
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| Acknowledgments | |
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| Index | |
Frank Shamrock is an MMA legend and considered by many to be the prototype for the modern mixed martial artist. He has earned titles in the UFC, WEC, andStrikeforce promotions. Outside of the ring, Shamrock is an MMA color commentator on CBS, Showtime, and ESPN2. Also internationally known as one of the world's top martial arts instructors and trainers, Shamrock is the highest-ranking instructor of the Submission Fighting style of martial arts in the United States.
Charles Fleming is a former Newsweek writer living in Los Angeles.
