Beast

Doug Merlino takes us from the cage to the training gyms to the fighters’ living rooms in a character-driven examination of the world’s fastest-growing sport: MMA.

Mixed martial arts is the fastest-growing sport in America; all over the country new gyms are popping up and new viewers are tuning in to UFC matches. Although some dismiss it as brutal combat, its fighters are among the most dedicated athletes in any arena. But MMA also takes a heavy toll on the body, and it's a rare fighter who can earn a living in the sport's top ranks.

Beast follows four high-level fighters at the gym American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida. Author Doug Merlino had unprecedented access, training alongside the men for two years, traveling to their matches, and eating in their homes. Mirsad Bektic is a young Bosnian refugee who started in karate as a boy in Nebraska and dreams of stardom. Jeff Monson is a battered veteran at forty-one, an outspoken, tattooed anarchist enjoying a bizarre burst of celebrity in Russia. Steve Mocco is a newcomer--a former Olympic wrestler from a close-knit, intellectual family. Finally, there's Daniel Straus, an ex-con who has fought his way from nothing up to title contention. All will experience electrifying highs and career lows, and Merlino is there every step of the way. But along with blood-spattered front-row access, Merlino brings us a blunt examination of the history, culture, business, and meaning of professional cage fighting. Beast is a book for both the uninitiated and the hard-core fan, a fascinating journey into an often misunderstood world.

Doug Merlino received master’s degrees in journalism and international affairs from the University of California at Berkeley. His first book, The Hustle: One Team and Ten Lives in Black and White, was a Seattle Times bestseller and winner of the 2011 Washington State Book Prize for Biography/Memoir. He has also contributed to Slate, Wired, Men’s Journal, the Seattle Times, Vice, and many other publications. Merlino lives with his wife in New York City.