• Title: No Holds Barred: Evolution
• Author: Clyde Gentry III
• Publisher: Archon Publishing
• Number of Pages: 288
• Year book published: 2001
• Cover: Soft
• ISBN: 1903854105
• Rating: 5 Stars

Craaaaaaack!!! This book kicks major ass!! Hats off to Clyde for producing a wonderful book. The book is just what it says it is, "The truth behind the World's Most Misunderstood Sport." Clyde takes you from UFC 1 to present day Zuffa owned events. While the book's main focus is on the grand daddy of mixed marital arts (MMA) events, the UFC, the book also covers almost all major MMA event that have taken place since 1993.

When I first picked up this book, I thought that there would not be much new to be told. Hell, most of us are worse than Star Trek fanatics in the way we debate over the consequences of new pimple on a fighter's ass. I mean really, here is a good example, Vitor Belfort gets cut during training and drops out of a fight against Tito Ortiz. Everyone debated this endlessly, we had statements from both fighters, we had photo of Vitor's arm stitched up and we had photos of the broken window. Every angle was covered. I'm just glad that Vitor did not claim his hemorrhoids were acting up. Many of us have lived through, watched, or been a part of the events detailed in NHB Evolution. However, through dozens of interviews, Clyde manages to elicit tons of new information that fills in gaps surrounding the fighters and MMA events.

I also mistakenly thought that this book would be a puff piece that attempted to gloss over or hide the darker side of the sport (like the many "worked" fights of Pride and one in the UFC). :Let me tell you, this is a no holds barred book and no holds were barred in telling the story. Clyde lays out a very accurate history of the sport from it start to the present day (2002). Warts and all.

While it is easy to see how the rabid fan of mixed marital arts events will love this book, how about the stranger to NHB fighting? The person who is unfamiliar to the fight game should have little trouble enjoying this book. The book is well written and has a story with good guys, villains, intrigue, and the Russian Mob. Even if you don't know much about the sport, you should be able to follow most of what is written. To aid the storytelling, there are 150 photos of the people and events described. Clyde was very smart to add a photo section in the back of the book that demonstrates the most basic fighting concepts and techniques (i.e. the mount, guard, heel hooks, etc). Also, there is a glossary that defines many of the terms used throughout the book (i.e. "work," Vale Tudo, Moo Yea Do, etc).

There is also a decent list of links to mixed marital arts www sites. (Note to Clyde: Thanks a hell of a lot for not including me -- Bill) However, any list of links is destine to become outdated very quickly. Plus, the book gives you the complete results from 40 MMA events. This is great just to keep things straight in your head.