So I finished Matt Polly‘s second book – Tapped Out – a day or two ago. Like his earlier book (American Shaolin, reviewed here), it concerns martial arts and fighting methods – only here, fast forward about 15 years from the earlier book and he’s been assigned to write a book about Mixed Martial Arts fighting, which he deems can be only truly honest if he actually gets in the ring and fights someone as the goal of his training. So over a two year span, he trains in New York and Las Vegas, surveying a number of martial arts methods and known expert coaches along the way. It’s an entertaining read and while I would never follow this course myself, nor have I any interest in MMA, UFC or similar (watching or following), I do enjoy those kung fu movies, so it wasn’t a stretch to enjoy this book.

His ending fight is on YouTube (big surprise) and can be seen below. After reading the blow-by-blow description in the book, the actual video seems a lot more tame, but that ignores the fact that barring reading his books, watching Bruce Lee and other kung fu movies and watching Gina Carano in her recent movie, I know nothing about fighting, so I’m sure being removed from it like this doesn’t convey the full intensity of being IN the ring by any means.

You can also see interviews with him about Tapped Out and an earlier piece with Craig Ferguson regarding American Shaolin too – enjoy!

candybowl

Matt Polly vs. David Cexton:

Matt Polly on inside MMA:

Matt Polly on Craig Ferguson (discussing American Shaolin):