Matt Hughes - The Book Review

So finished the Matt Hughes book. Not gonna spend too much time on a review being as there's already a good few hours I've spent reading this tripe that I know I can never get back. Seems I'm reading things in a particular order without even realising it. Chuck Liddells book is freaking awesome, Tito's book is very good and Matt Hughes book comes a few country miles behind theirs. He tells you about all these things that have happened in his life which is fine but rarely do you get to see the point or conclusion to any of these stories. In one section he's saying how he just didn't take to Tim Sylvia (there was no reason for it) and in another section goes on to explain where Tim confronts him about it in the nicest way possible and he acts like a total dick. In yet another section it would appear him and Tim are cool and in between all of this - no explanation as to why he didn't like him (although I'm guessing it's just because Matt is perfect and everyone else is beneath the great king) and no explanation as to what made him change his mind.

I think the bit that got me was where him and Jens Pulver are bitching about newbies training in the gym. No offence but no one knows anything until someone teaches them - therefore at one point Matt knew nothing about MMA until he was taught.

All in all, I get the impression that he thinks he's Stephen King or some other great writer. On TV (The Ultimate Fighter) he comes across as a bit of a prat and the book does nothing but confirm this. He reminds me of that guy in School - the big dude that no one actually liked and was a complete dick to everyone! Most people tend to grow out of that sort of behaviour - Matt Hughes has yet to.

There is something that I agree with in this book though - Every couple of chapters or so he keeps saying "There's a lot you can do in 5 minutes" and he ain't wrong. It only took me that long to take it back to the shop and get my refund!

Worth the read if you want to see what kind of guy he is...although I'd wait til you can get it at the library. No point wasting your hard earned coin to help add air to an already dangerously inflated ego.

Dissapointing - yes
Suprising - not really

Tito Ortiz : This is gonna hurt

So, on the last few pages of Tito's book. It's actually not bad. I think after reading Chuck Liddells auto-bio and some of the things he says about Tito - thought it would be an idea to see the other side of the coin. I think Tito is a bit more business orientated when it comes to his fighting, not to say that fighting is not a passion for the dude but I think it's sensible to ensure you have some bread for your future. Chuck on the other hand just likes to fuck people up. He'd do it for free if it came down to it and the fact that he's taken care of financially is more fo a bonus than a prerequisite. Only thing is, I hear that there was a fight with Tito and another MMA fighter outside a club in London (as well as others) which is all described in Matt Hughes book. This is mentioned no where in either Tito's or Chucks auto-bio's - so I'll be getting that today.

So far, I think I'm preferring Chucks book but have more admiration for Tito as the dude has been through a great deal and came out the other end. Next on the list after Matt Hughes book - Randy Couture.

Chuck Liddell - My Fighting Life (Part 2)

OK - so I got like maybe 20 pages to go and I have to say this book was much better than I thought it would be. Chuck goes into details about aspects of his personal life, how he got into the fight game, goes over his thoughts and views about certain fights he's had and how he was feeling at the time (his comments on Tito Ortiz make me want to buy that book also). There's even a few of his training routines, little snippets of information cataloging everything from his favourite bouts to what his kids see as weird things that he eats (like hot sauce straight from the bottle).

Anyway, I've not read that many auto-biographies but the ones I have read (Malcolm X and Mohammed Ali) are great and this goes in there with them as a superb read. Could hardly put it down and the only down side is that I've pretty much finished reading it.

Get this book - it's an outstanding read and very inspirational. Since reading this book I've quit smoking and am working harder than ever in the gym. Not to say that this book has done that for me as I was intent on quitting smoking at some point anyway but reading it has certainly helped spur me on and also led me to the realisation that if you want to change things - bitching does not do it. Action is the only way to go.

So I end this entry with a little inspiration quote from Bruce Lee (I actually have this on a poster in my gym at home): -

"Knowing is not enough, you must apply; willing is not enough, you must do"

Chuck Liddell - My Fighting Life

Yup, went to Waterstones today and scored me a copy of Chuck Liddells Autobiography - good read so far and that's just the prologue. Read a few reviews on Amazon as it seems a few fighters are doing this now. Tito Ortiz has one on the way and Matt Hughes has one out now (although the reviews on that are not good and apparently his arrogance extends to the written word too).

Anyways - Gonna be digging into that this weekend and will give a mini review when I get it finished. And unlike Hughe's debarcle which I have no intention of splashing out any coin/time/reading energy on, I think this will make for a good read indeed.

Visit Chuck Liddell's Official Web Site and/or Get the Book at Amazon (UK)