Reference Reviews

Lawrence Looks at Books

Combat Sports: An Encyclopedia of Wrestling, Fighting, and Mixed Martial Arts. David L. Hudson, Jr. 379p. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2009. 978-0-313-34383-4; 2008-52479. $75.

This biographical dictionary provides succinct summaries of the careers of more than 500 boxers, kick boxers, wrestlers and other practitioners of the mixed martial arts. The primary emphasis is upon traditional organized boxing with all weight classes represented by champions and notable contenders. Significant attention also is given to the mixed martial artists, particularly those who have competed for the Ultimate Fighting and PRIDE Fighting Championships. Thus, the selection includes Jack McAuliffe, Muhammad Ali, Roberto Duran and Oscar De La Hoya, as well as Matt Hughes, Royce Gracie and Wanderlei “the Axe Murderer” Silva. Each entry describes the individual’s fighting style, famous bouts, career record and championships. In addition to fighters, coverage includes announcers, managers, promoters, referees, trainers and sports writers associated with fighting. Some of the 559 entries describe Greco-roman wresting, Sambo, San Shu, Savante, Sumo and other forms of fighting. Other articles explore fighting techniques and the judging process. Famous fights, contentious decisions, major championships and sanctioning bodies also are explained. For general explanations of a wider array of martial arts, users should consult Thomas Green’s Martial Arts of the World: an encyclopedia (ABC-CLIO, 2001). Fans of these sports will appreciate the complementary biographical information that Hudson provides. His guide will serve interested audiences from high school to adult.