Why I Fight: The Belt is Just an Accessory - Hardcover

Jay Dee B.J. Penn; David Weintraub

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0061803650 ISBN 13: 9780061803659

Publisher: William Morrow, 2010

Synopsis

From its humble beginnings twenty years ago, mixed martial arts has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry. Chief among the world's leading mixed martial arts organizations is the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) which is making its way to the top of the sports food chain, dwarfing boxing and nipping at the heels of the NFL. And fighter-turned-author B.J. 'The Prodigy' Penn has been one of the few chosen to lead the greatest fighting generation. Every website and magazine, which ranks the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, regularly places Penn in the top 5, demonstrating how much respect the MMA community has for him. And there is no one more loved among the purists than Penn.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

Street fighting.
Brazilian jujitsu.
Grappling.
Welcome to BJ Penn's island. (Don't worry, he won't hurt you . . . much.)

For the last decade, BJ Penn has been one of the most successful and feared fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). People have been quick to judge, praise, criticize, and hype him, trying to understand what makes him the provocative and controversial fighter that he is.

Why I Fight is the answer that critics, fans, commentators, and pundits have been waiting for. In his own words, Penn explains what led a scrappy teenager from the rough streets of Hilo, Hawaii, onto the biggest stage in all of mixed martial arts. In life, just like in the Octagon, he has never been one to back down from a fight.

A blunt and brutal look at his hardest-fought victories and his most frustrating defeats, Why I Fight is the story of how BJ Penn became one of only two fighters in UFC history to hold belts in two different weight classes. It is the story of a kid from Hawaii who loved to fight. It is the story of a true prodigy.

About the Author:

B.J. Penn is the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lighweight champion and considered by many, the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. In 2000, he became the first American-born winner of the World Jiu-Jitsu Championships in the black belt category. Penn is also the former UFC welterweight champion and was a coach on the The Ultimate Fighter 5 reality show. After winning the lightweight title at UFC 80, he became the second fighter (after Randy Couture) to win UFC titles in two different weight classes. He is currently ranked by MMAWeekly and Sherdog as the #1 Lightweight fighter in the world. He lives in Hilo, Hawaii. Dave Weintraub is the lead interviewer for the UFC, political blogger, and regular contributor to mmarated.com.

About this edition

• Publisher: William Morrow
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0061803650
• ISBN 13: 9780061803659
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 320