Got Fight?: The 50 Zen Principles of Hand-to-Face Combat
by Erich Krauss, Forrest Griffin
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Book Summary Information
Author: Erich Krauss, Forrest GriffinBrand: Baker & Taylor
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-06-02
ISBN: 0061721719
Number of pages: 208
Publisher: William Morrow
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Book Reviews of Got Fight?: The 50 Zen Principles of Hand-to-Face Combat
Book Review: I'm normal but I still loved this book!
Summary: 5 Stars
"Remember, we are all going to die and very little of what we do in this world matters."
-Forrest Griffin (page 108)
Yes, he's a monstrous hybrid of Lloyd Christmas, Rocky Balboa, and Charles Manson. Yes, he is the second coming of Tyler Durden. Yes, he should be under professional supervision. In spite of all this, however, Forrest Griffin is a compelling figure that no one should dismiss or ignore. He is wiser than his years and smarter than he looks. He is the Yoda of the UFC, only not as handsome as that particular green Jedi. Usually I like my authors to have opposable thumbs. In this case, however, I made an exception, and I'm glad I did.
You have no idea how jealous I am of this man. I am the author of two real books. To achieve this I had to turn off my television, interview numerous experts around the world, tunnel through mountains of articles and scientific studies, and stare at a blank computer screen for countless hours until words came to me. Meanwhile, Forrest Griffin rolls around on the floor in homo-erotic fashion with staph-scabies-herpes-infested gym rats (page 33-35), lets people hit him in the face for thrills, and then writes a kick-ass book about it all. "Got Fight?" is probably getting better shelf placement than my books in stores right now. Why? This is not fair. I don't hit people, I am a fully evolved human, and, unlike him, still have both of my testicles. The only thing I can guess is that his brain-damaged insights about sports, women, and life connect more easily with the general public (For more on this, see "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," by Edward Gibbon, and the film "Idiocracy"). Perhaps, another problem for me is that my books lack such practical advice such as how to correctly execute the "Asian Dart" against an unsuspecting opponent. (page 186)
Personal pettiness aside, I found myself liking Forest Griffin more and more as I progressed through this weird and disturbing book. He has a lot to say about a lot of stuff. And I'm glad I listened.
Things I like about Forrest Griffin:
1. Based on sound medical science, he doesn't worry about blood loss until he passes the two-pint mark (page 86);
2. Ultra-manly though he may be, Forrest admires and respects nerds who never give up (page 15);
3. His "compartmentalization philosophy" (page 87) is brilliant and useful for anyone in any career;
4. He is deceptively intelligent, which is the best kind of smarts. Forrest claims to have an IQ of 87 (page 71) but most of the people I encounter in daily life seem nowhere near as bright as he is;
5. He is neither hemophobic nor homophobic (page 85);
6. He is able to dispense valuable advice without going all "Tony Robbins" on you;
7. Martin Luther King Jr. and Clint Eastwood are his idols. (page 68).
Things that concern me about Forrest Griffin:
1. He own guns;
2. He is willing to tell anything and everything about his personal life in this book, yet he never explains why he only has one testicle. Imagine how disturbing that story must be in order for the editor to leave it out;
3. He watched the movie "Goodwill Hunting" approximately 1,000 times (page 125);
4. As a boy, Forrest hit his scoutmaster in the face with a can of Dr. Pepper (page 110);
5. One of his legs is shorter than the other so he walks like a "70s pimp with a severe case of polio" (page 109);
Throughout the book there are numerous "Dick in a Box" sidebars. These are charming stories about Forrest by his best friends and add much to the book. To my surprise, most of Griffin's friends seem to be well-adjusted people. I should also praise the work of co-author Erich Krauss. After all, he must have toiled long and hard to help translate Griffin's madness into such accessible and enjoyable prose.
I highly recommend "Got Fight?". I believe a wide variety of people will enjoy it if they give it a try. It's certainly not only for troglodyte fight fans who see no world beyond the octagon. Normal people will enjoy it as well. Forrest is likable, funny, and positive. This shines through on every page.
Yes, some readers might be offended. The book is crude, rude and disgusting. But get over it. Look around you, life is crude, rude and disgusting. Furthermore, Forrest is genuine, something rare in contemporary athlete-celebrities. He deserves respect for that alone.
I am a long-time UFC fan. Unlike the critics, I get that it's about strategy, athleticism, skill, and heart, rather than a mindless bloodbath for ghouls. I'm hooked on the sport. That said, I'm about as far away from a barroom brawling, street fighting type of guy one can get. (Gandhi is my hero. Really.) I'm a writer, not a fighter. Nonetheless, I loved every page of this book. It was entertaining and surprisingly inspirational. Hell, if Forrest can be a champion in his world; then why can't I be one in my world?
This is not some shallow book about the glorification of violence, the seduction of women, and the importance of loin girth. Well, actually, it is all that, but it's so much more, as well. Consistently hovering above all the funny stories, gross anecdotes, and MMA insider info is an invaluable message, a universal theme of meaningful wisdom. "Got Fight?" preaches something noble and brilliant. It's about taking what you got, mixing it with what you love, and taking a shot at greatness. A simple equation, yes. But how many people ever embrace it?
--Guy P. Harrison, author of
Race and Reality: What Everyone Should Know About Our Biological Diversity
and
50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God
-
Summary of Got Fight?: The 50 Zen Principles of Hand-to-Face Combat
Wondering why you should purchase this book when there are other titles on the shelves written by much higher-caliber fighters? Well, Forrest Griffin is not as good-looking as those guys. He's not as smart as them. He's also not as athletically endowed. And let's face it, neither are you. Those other fighters are pretty much better than you in every way. But you can actually aspire to be as good as Forrest one day. Why? Because he is nothing special, just like you.
Forrest is not a martial artist. He's a fighter, and this book was written for his kin. If you're a hillbilly like Forrest and you get off on having your face rearranged, Got Fight? is for you. This is a manifesto more strategic than Sun Tzu's The Art of War, more philosophical than Bruce Lee's Tao of Jeet Kune Do, more powerful than a well-lubricated locomotive.
In these pages you will learn about true mental toughness?whether it's scraping it out in the Octagon or picking up chicks. You will learn about the mental defects that made Forrest Griffin into the abomination he is today and how you can use your shortcomings to become equally horrible. You will learn the essential tactics of hand-to-hand combat as well as how to defend yourself in the event of a sword attack. Never been attacked by a sword? You need this book worse that we thought.
Still not convinced? Don't worry. Even if you find that the book sucks, it will be no worse than having sex with Forrest Griffin. You'll feel a small prick and some minor discomfort, and then it will all be over.
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