Win or Learn: MMA, Conor McGregor and Me: A Trainer's Journey

by John Kavanagh

Conor McGregor's trainer tells the amazing story of his long road to success in the world's fastest-growing sportGrowing up in Dublin, John Kavanagh was a skinny lad who was frequently bullied. As a young man, after suffering a bad beating when he intervened to help a woman who was being attacked, he decided he had to learn to defend himself. Before long, he was training fighters in a tiny shed, and promoting the earliest mixed-martial arts events in Ireland. And then, a cocky kid called Conor McGregor walked into his gym ...In Win or Learn, John Kavanagh tells his own remarkable life story - which is at the heart of the story of the extraordinary explosion of MMA in Ireland and globally. Employing the motto 'win or learn', Kavanagh has become a guru to young men and women seeking to master the arts of combat. And as the trainer of the world's most charismatic champion, his gym has become a magnet for talented fighters from all over the globe. Kavanagh's portrait of Conor McGregor - who he has seen in his lowest moments, as well as in his greatest triumphs - is a revelation. What emerges from Win or Learn is a remarkable portrait of ambition, discipline, and persistence in the face of years and years of disappointment. It is a must read for every MMA fan - but also for anyone who wants to understand how to follow a dream and realize a vision.'For anyone interested in following their dream to the end of the line' Tony Parsons'It kept me up well past my bedtime' Sean O'Rourke, RTE Radio One'Remarkable' Irish Times'Kavanagh is open and honest about his upbringing ... The journey hasn't been easy, but Kavanagh's inbuilt determination has carried him all the way' Irish Examiner

Genres: Biography, Sports, Nonfiction, Mixed Martial Arts, Martial Arts, Personal Development

226 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 30, 2016

Reviews

[Rocio Voncina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Titulo: Vencer o aprender
Autor: John Kavanagh
Motivo de lectura: #PopSugarReadingChallenge2023
Lectura / Relectura: Lectura
Mi edicion: Electronico
Puntuacion: 4.5/5

Es un libro donde tenemos acceso a conocer los primeros pasos de John Kavanagh y todo su camino hasta posicionarse donde esta hoy en dia.

El libro esta muy centrado en Conor McGregor, despues de todo Conor tuvo un papel determinante en la carrera de John como entrenador, asimismo no tengo dudas que la intervencion de John Kavanagh salvo el destino de Conor McGregor. Para John no fue tarea facil por el estado de rebeldia permanente de Conor, pero el tiempo los hizo forjar una amistad hermosa.



A traves de la lectura podemos ver que John Kavanagh se presenta como un hombre sensible, vulnerable, con miedos e inseguridades, y eso esta bien. John es realista, y en ningun momento enmascara su lucha para llegar al exito pintando todo de color rosa. Kavanagh da la impresion de ser un hombre totalmente honesto, para quien el fracaso solo es un modo de volver a empezar.

El libro esta muy bien estructurado, con una prosa simple, intima, entretenida y un tinte inspiracional el cual hace que la lectura sea muy amena.
Disfrute muchisimo este libro.

El prologo esta escrito por Conor McGregor, y al final del libro hay material fotografico que es una joya para todos los fans del MMA.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

You couldn’t read a more biased review, but this is really the story of how our tiny nation performed at the highest level on the world stage, and it’s down to the pioneering spirit of John Kavanagh who followed his dream.

The couple of years from Cage Warriors in the Helix, to UFC Dublin and to Conor McGregor becoming double UFC champion is a sporting run of achievements unlikely to be matched in my lifetime.

I’m reading this book a few years after the events and it’s already a nostalgic period of time to look back on. Having been lucky to attend some of the events covered, the atmosphere and belief from those times will always be an inspiration. It was great to read this and think back on UFC Dublin & UFC 189 (just 3 years ago this week) as well as to get the coach’s perspective.

[carl fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational book of one of the worlds premiere mma coach

Great insight to john kavanagh conor McGregor's coach and mentors rise from a kid from Dublin uncertain of his destiny to further mma before it was popular to one of the most respected mma coaches in the ufc johns honest and open account of his set backs and utmimatlytriumphs are a great read to any one who loves sport of any kind great a must read really inspiring !

[Kevin Luo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing story of John Kavanagh, the rise of MMA in Ireland, and also Conor McGregor. I have been an avid MMA fans for years and watched McGregor's unprecedented run from 2015-2016 and it was a magical time in the MMA world. The world was captivated by his charisma, attitude, and work ethic. Now, casual fans know of him as a wealthy and brash athlete who fought Floyd Mayweather, but it was not always like that. There has been a lot of negative media since that historic run, but I will always remember him for his unprecedented rise to win the featherweight belt.

This story is about the man behind him, John Kavanagh. Kavanagh is an extremely thoughtful, humble, and reflective coach as he talks about his journey from being broke and barely being able to afford a shed to train others to his eventual rise as a coach. He came from an engineering background and had many instances where his gym was falling apart and he was heavily in debt and wanted to throw the towel in. But it was great to hear of his perseverance and his humility in acknowledging his situation and how he was in a special place as well. There is a lot of training philosophy which I found interesting and I think readers will walk away thinking about how special Kavanagh is. He really wants the best for fighters, never sought fame, and really wanted to share MMA after being bullied as a young child. While the McGregor story is captivating due to the media, this quiet behind-the-scenes story is really just as good. A must read for any MMA fan and very difficult to put down once began.

[Clare rushby · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Only those who never stand up, never fall” -John Kavanagh


I absolutely loved this book! When I picked it up a few weeks ago I only read the first 28 pages and then got distracted with something else. I picked it up and 2 days and completely devour it in like 2- 3 massive sittings. I could not get enough. If you love the UFC and find it Interesting to see the sport from the eyes of a coach and how much work goes into the training of high level mma fighters this is the book for you.


I enjoyed hearing about johns early years and what lead him to teach and now run such a successful gym. It was so fun having well known fighters pop up in the stories and getting to know a little more about the notorious Connor McGregor (I really want him to write a biography) and how he started out. I found this one also extremely inspirational and there are definitely some things I will be applying to my life. This is an excellent biography and I would recommend it even if you don’t necessarily like mma.

[David Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enthralling read

Hard to put down. John gives fascinating insight into the early days of his gym and MMA in Ireland. Well written and should be on the list for a lot of sports fans

[Szabolcs Máj · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave it 3 stars because "i liked it" as the star says but nothing special. I read the translated version of the book so maybe that took away from it. It was really weird to read the submission names in Hungarian but whatever.
It felt like reading someone's journal. This happened, then that happened and then that happened. Occasionally the author switched context and gave some insight or thought process he had I never really had a "wow" moment.
Yes, you can read some insider info about Conor and his preparation style and background. Yes it's uplifting to read about the struggle of how John Kavanagh struggled with becoming a great coach. Yes it's intriguing because these things happened recently. Yet I still only felt a "yep, I finished this" feeling after I put it down.

[Matt Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Cal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quality
Good to learn about the rise of Irish mma, and who more importantly to hear it from than Coach Kavanagh himself.

[Vishal Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given Win or Learn: MMA, Conor McGregor and Me: A Trainer's Journey by a good friend of mine who also got me to into watching Mixed Martial Arts and Universal Fight Champion. This book starts with a young John Kavanagh who like me watched a MMA fight at young age that got him hooked to MMA, to how he wanted to become a MMA fighter/coach that got him thinking "WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? HOW DO I DO IT? HOW DO GET THERE?”

As John mentions there where no trainers in Ireland at the time and how he started to train by himself at home in his bedroom, as well creating his own training manual on moves and techniques that he practiced. To the point how he got into Brazilian Jujitsu, competing in fights that lead him to becoming a coach and opening SBG. How he found Conor McGregor and how their journey started as said in Star Wars Jedi Master & Padowan.

This Book explores who’s Conor McGregor? To some people he’s known as the undisputed champion. Here John takes you on the journey how he met and trained Conor. He also unfolds the history of the SBG gym that started as a shed in someone’s garden to becoming one of the biggest and well-facilitated gyms in Ireland. Therefore more SBG gyms have been opened in and around Ireland that has developed new styles and fighters like Conor McGregor, Gunner Nelson and hopefully many more to come. Hopefully this'll help children to get into martial arts instead of gangs and street violence.

I would recommend this book to anyone as it shows how a 5-6 years old boy saw a fight and it sparked something in him. That spark lead him in a direction to which he has fought in MMA, trained the undisputed champion and runs a successful gym in Ireland.

[Arber Lajqi · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a fan of combat sports in general, seeing Conor McGregor take on the MMA world by storm was inspiring, I was always curious to know about his main coach's, Jon, perspectives on this industry, as a crafty MMA coach that he is, I signed up for this book to introduce me on some fight-game philosophy, but it did not quite deliver, even though it didn't meet my expectations it was great to hear about the story of how a bullied kid from Ireland with nothing but a dream could build one of the most successful platforms in all sports for its country, breaking through barriers in a sport which was fundamentally protested against for years worldwide, and also investing in someone who would pay off as one of the most influential martial artists of all time.

[Hayk Manukyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a big fan of MMA for a long time, but as much as I love watching the fights themselves my interest has always been more in the mindset of these athletes. The willpower, discipline, sacrifice, focus, and the ability to overcome obstacles. This book might be about fighting and the journey of a team of fighters going from nothing to everything, but the overall message can be applied to anything in life. Win or learn.

[mo.problemo · Rating 5 out of 5]

An autobiography that sits amongst all the greatest. Raw, honest, educational, inspiring, emotional.
Time and time again while going through this book Viktor Frankls quote would resonate in my mind "Success like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one's dedication to a cause greater than oneself, or as the by product of one's surrender to a person other than oneself."

[Chuck Kechter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a good book on John Kavanagh's path to becoming the coach he is today. Well written, accessible structure, with some good "tidbits" about training spread throughout the book. A solid read.

As a side note, It's interesting to me how similar many trainers' backgrounds are when it comes to martial arts...

[Sunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful

Lot's of life lessons in this book, a page turner!
Looking forward to reading Connor's book which I hope will explore the epic rematch with Diaz in which he overcame adversity through honest work and learning, oh and a 'Shed' load of talent :)

[Diego Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book to understand the mind of John and hopefully gain some unique information on Conor McGregor. I got that and more! Great book and made me appreciate MMA in a way I didn’t previously. Highly recommend!

[Jonathan Mah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Win or learn great mantra. Full biographical account of the author, not just focused on Conor. Interesting tidbits on Conor just starting out to becoming a champion, and also on the rise of ufc in general. A quick and entertaining read.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cool behind the scenes look

This is such a fascinating look behind the scenes and the history of not only John Kavanagh, but also SBG Ireland and Conor McGregor.

[Jehu · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was oki, john kavanagh kinda overrated like his wrestling none
ground game does not exist
smh

entry #7 maybe 8
3.1/5

[Al Ch · Rating 5 out of 5]

such good and inspiring book that give me a hope for life... :)

[Andre · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides a great snapshot in a moment of time for the UFC, Conor McGregor, and of course John Kavanagh. Regardless of the current perception around McGregor and Kavanagh, the stories in this book are entertaining and unfiltered. Nothing can ever rival the McGregor Era. Also, while Conor is of course the star of the book, Kavanagh does also focus on his own journey/philosophies, as well as highlights of his other SBG fighters.

Mostly, I would be very interested in how Kavanaugh views this book and the opinions he expresses in it, in the current day. For all the criticisms today about Conor not wanting to fight, and John Kavanagh being a yes man, Conor’s passion and Kavanagh’s accountability are present here. But there are so many little snippets that, with the benefit of hindsight, are very interesting. For instance, Kavanagh expresses that he doesn't think Conor would be changed by money, something that is the a general consensus today, and even cites Mike Tyson as an example of the opposite. Very interesting considering the many (unfortunate) parallels between Tyson and McGregor in the latter parts of their careers. Kavanagh also expresses his deep appreciation for the support of the Irish people, which again is interesting given Conor's now divided opinion among the public. Something else Kavanagh states is his vehement opposition to PEDs, which McGregor at that time also clearly shared. But with the interesting developments in the past couple years following Conor's leg break and the speculation by fans, even though McGregor is not in competition, I just wonder how strong of a stance Kavanagh has today.

A smaller detail was Kavanagh's opinion that there isn't much technical advice a coach can give during the fight, and his seeming opinion to focus more on encouragement. While not clearly wrong, I again wonder if his opinion has changed after the last two Poirier fights. Kavanagh faced a lot of criticism for his lack of adjustment to Poirier's calf kicks in the second fight, as well as heat for his "everything is going well" attitude about the third fight. And honestly a lot of that is probably warranted, it's fair to wonder how much everything would be different if Kavanagh had just made the tactical adjustment around the kicks in the second fight. Would Conor have gotten another shot at the title? Also as a small side note it was very ironic (and painful as a McGregor fan) to see Kavanagh subtly take a shot at Poirier in the book by calling Diego Brandão a bigger threat, only to years later have Poirier seemingly end McGregor's fighting career and by extension Kavanagh's career as a high profile coach.

Another thing that stood out to me was the story of Kavanagh having to guide a young McGregor back on the right path after his first career loss. There is a direct allusion to Conor going down the wrong path and partying. But with the intervention of his family and Kavanagh, he redirects his focus to MMA. It's hard to read that story and not wonder what has happened now. Obviously Conor is his own man now, and a couple hundred million richer, but he is clearly going down a rough path today and no one is able to step in and stop it. Even when he had his recent fight with Michael Chandler booked, and Kavanagh was training him, Conor still showed public signs of being in party mode.

The rest of the book does provide a lot of fun details about Kavanagh's resilience in his MMA career, his relationship with McGregor, and all of SBG. John Kavanagh’s story is a real bottom to the top journey. It's a really great read (although I would have liked a little more about the Diaz fight and why Conor was so adamant to take that fight instead of defending his featherweight belt, maybe just the weight?), especially for someone like me who wasn't there in real time to see the rise of McGregor, but at times it's also a tough read to see the heights they reached and wonder how it got to where things are today. But maybe both Kavanagh and McGregor still keep in mind the words after the Diaz loss via Fedor – “Only those who never stand up, never fall down”.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had this book pre ordered as soon as i heard about it and received it on release day so this review should have been done a lot sooner, especially as it is such a good book.

I am obviously a huge McGregor fan but i was also fascinated with John after watching him and his passion whilst in the corner of all Conor’s fights and his mind-set he brings to the sport “We Win or We Learn”

I loved the fact that the book wasn’t just a book about the now famous Conor like some people expected.

It literally starts right back in Johns younger years and carries the reader through his triumph’s and not failures, but set backs and struggles. From being bullied at school to getting a beating when he intervened to help a woman who was being attacked, he decided to learn how to defend himself.

Kavanagh become a black belt in Kenpo Karate at the age of 12, became obsessed with Brazilian jiu-jitsu after watching the legendary Royce Gracie win the open-weight tournament and became Ireland’s first black belt 11 years later.

MMA wasn’t really heard of in Ireland so unlike all the new aspiring MMA fighters today, John didn’t have the luxury of just being able to walk into a MMA gym and having coaches to hand, so in this respect he became Ireland’s pioneer in the sport.

This book shows the willpower, discipline, sacrifice, focus, and the ability to overcome obstacles John had and still has today.

From having to travel to learn more and train and compete in the different types of mixed martial arts, this book takes us with him and back again to where he started out, training and teaching in a shed, Opening up Ireland’s first ever MMA gym, right through to his now very successful Straight Blast Gym and the amazing team he has brought together.

It also gives an insight to a very young and fresh Conor McGregor, Not McGregor the superstar he has gone on to become. He gives us the back story of their relationship that is so much more than just teacher and student and in his own words the struggles they both have overcome to become what they are and where they are today.

It is an inspiration to anybody who has a dream or aspiration to make something of themselves from nothing.

I have nothing but the up most respect for John after reading this and it’s easily a book that can be read more than once without loosing any of its appeal. I loved it and i would recommend it to not only MMA fans but to everyone. This book takes you through the very tactical side and even the scientific aspect of fighting without being boring and shows the sport as a respectable sport and not just barbaric fighting the sport has been perceived by some.

You never know, It might even make you become a UFC fan!

I hope John will find the time to write a follow-up book, i would certainly love to read more and i am sure i am not alone on that 🙂

[Desmond Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took a severe beating for one skinny kid from Dublin to help change the face of professional combative fighting globally 20 years later...

A victim of repeated bullying, John Kavanagh’s life changed when he started to learn mixed martial arts. While a notable competitor, his passion for coaching eventually lead to opening Straight Blast Gym (SBG). But then a young lad named Connor McGregor knocked at his door...

As the subtext suggests: ‘MMA, Connor McGregor and Me’, Kavanagh’s story is his central role in the rise of the sport within the relatively small country of Ireland, and how he would influence the very man who would become the face of one of the fastest growing new sport in the UFC today.

Kavavagh’s ‘Win or Learn’ pragmatic philosophy incorporates the concept of ‘flow sparring’ training: non contact intensive training v all out combative training. This is the very template which honed McGregor’s raw skill, power and technique to make him the very explosive and dynamic face of the UFC today.

MMA and the UFC is not a sport for everyone and not everyone will have an interest to read this book. Yet, there is no denying how this sport has exploded on the social scene in the last decade. This nuts and bolts story provides an fascinating insight into Kavanagah journey to success with SBG and guiding Megregor to successful claim his featherweight champion belt against Jose Aldo at UFC 194.

Kavanagah defends his sport against accusations of unnecessary aggression in light of Joao Carvalho death after a bout with one of his own fighters: Charlie Ward. He is all for a well regulated industry. He argues that longer bouts of 10 - 15 minutes would reveal a more clearer demonstration of a fighters skill in combat against fatigue. In this sense, he believes this would paradoxically reduce the amount of unnecessary damage a fighter may receive instead of timed rounds.

His accusation that obesity is a greater challenge to society than organized combative sport has credence especially when MMA statistically is no more dangerous than other risky sporting activities where deaths cause little outcry for its banishment. (Marathon running for example).

It has been argued that the rise of MMA and the UFC is on the backs of young men revelling in outdated notions of male masculinity defined through aggression and violence. Yet, Kavanagh’s story demonstrates the science, technique and focused dedication of these elite athletes. They endure much for their sport including the often painful process of ‘cutting weight’ before the regulation weigh in.

This down to earth quick read adds some interesting colour for fans of mixed martial arts and the rise of Connor McGregor through Kavana’s direction. 7/10

[Al Faisal Kanon · Rating 4 out of 5]

বইটা লিখেছেন জন কাভানাগ, যিনি আয়ারল্যাণ্ডের প্রথম মিক্সড মার্শাল আর্টস (MMA) খেলোয়াড় এবং প্রথম জু-জিতসু ব্ল্যাক বেল্ট। এই খেলার অন্যতম সেরা কোচ হিসেবে পরি���িত তিনি। তবে তিনি সবচেয়ে বেশী জনপ্রিয় Conor Mcgregor এর কোচ হিসেবে। এই বইতে তার কোচিং ক্যারিয়ারকেই তুলে ধরেছেন তিনি। মাত্র ৪ বছর বয়সে বাবার উৎসাহে কারাতে প্র্যাকটিস শুরু করেন। একদিন সিডি প্লেয়ারে ব্রাজিলিয়ান ল্যাজেন্ড John Machado এর জু-জিতসু সাবমিশন দেখে তার চোখ ছানাবড়া! এই খেলার টেকনিকগুলো তার এত ভালো লেগে যায় যে, মনস্থির করেন যেভাবেই হোক এটা তার শিখতে হবে। তারপরের ১ বছরে একটু একটু করে টাকা জমিয়ে লস এঞ্জেলেসে উড়াল দেন জন মাচাডোর একাডেমিতে ৩ সপ্তাহের একটা ট্রেনিং এ অংশ নিতে। তারপর ধীরে ধীরে MMA খেলার সাথে পরিচিত হোন। পরে নিজের দেশ আয়ারল্যান্ডে গিয়ে কোচিং শুরু করেন। এর মধ্যে খেলোয়াড় হিসেবে ছোট একটা ক্যারিয়ার করেছেন। খুব বেশি সাফল্য না পেলেও তিনি এই কোচিং করানোতে একটা ভালো লাগা খোঁজে পান। পরবর্তীতে পুরো মনোনিবেশ করেছেন এখানে। বলতে গেলে আয়ারল্যান্ডের জনপ্রিয় সব MMA খেলোয়াড় তাঁর জিম (SBG) থেকেই উঠে এসেছে। Cage Warrior, Pride, UFC সহ সেরা সব কোম্পানিতে তার খেলোয়াড়রা খেলেছেন। কীভাবে একটা পুরো ফাইট ট্রেনিং ক্যাম্প করতে হয়, ওয়েইট কাট সপ্তাহগুলোর সংগ্রাম, ৮-১০ সপ্তাহ ধরে ডায়েটের ধারণা নিয়ে লিখেছেন বইতে। পাশাপাশি ম্যাচ চলাকালীন বিভিন্ন স্ট্র্যাটেজি, তাদেরকে মটিভেট করার মতো ব্যাপারগুলো নিয়েও লিখেছেন।


বইয়ের বড় একটা অংশজুড়ে আছে Conor Mcgregor এর জীবন। তরুণ বয়স থেকেই SBG ট্রেনিং সেন্টারে প্র্যাকটিস শুরু করেছিলেন। ছোট থেকেই ছিল একটু এগ্রেসিভ, একগুয়ে টাইপের, যেটা তার পার্সোনালিটিকে সবার কাছে সহজে তুলে ধরে। ছোট থেকেই ছিলেন প্রচণ্ড পরিশ্রমী, খেলার ব্যাপারে রীতিমতো অবসেশন কাজ করত। রাত ১/২ টাতে কোচ কল দিয়ে জানতে চাইতেন খুঁটিনাটি ব্যাপার নিয়ে। আস্তে আস্তে ক্যারিয়ার বড় হতে থাকে। সবসময়ে যে জিতেছেন এমন না, অনেকগুলো ম্যাচে হেরেছেন। তবে সেগুলো থেকে শিখেছেন। কেইজ ওয়ারিয়রে ডাবল চ্যাম্প হবার পর তার UFC ক্যারিয়ার শুরু হয়য়। মাত্র ২ বছরের মধ্যে চ্যাম্পিয়ন হন। পরবর্তীতে UFC এর ইতিহাসের প্রথম ডাবল চ্যাম্প হিসেবে ২টি ডিভিশনে চ্যাম্পিয়ন হবার গৌরব অর্জন করে রীতিমতো গ্লোবাল সুপারস্টারে পরিণত হন। হয়তো শুনলে অবাক হবেন, তার সম্পদের পরিমাণ ক্রিস্টিয়ানো রোনালডো ও লিওনেল মেসির চাইতেও বেশি! বইতে ২০১৬ পর্যন্ত সময়ের কথা আছে। এর পরেও অসাধারণ কিছু ম্যাচ উপহার দিয়েছেন তিনি, যা হয়তো পরে কোন বইতে জানা যাবে।


আমরা দর্শকেরা হয়তো শুধু ম্যাচটাই দেখি, কিন্তু জয় পরাজয়ের পরের সময়, মনস্তাত্ত্বিক অবস্থার কিছুই চিন্তা করি না। আমরা আশা করি সবসময়েই প্লেয়াররা সবচেয়ে সেরা খেলাটাই দিবে, কিন্তু সবকিছুর পর তারাও তো একজন মানুষ, জীবনের নানান পরিস্থিতি আর অবস্থা মিলে তাদের-ও ভালো মন্দ সময় আছে, এ কথাটা ভুলে যাই। বইটা থেকে এটাই শিখলাম যে, জীবনে যত প্রস্তুতি নিয়েই আমরা আগাই না কেন, হার জিত থাকবেই… সবটাকেই গ্রহণ করার মানসিকতা নিয়ে প্রতিনিয়ত শিখে যাওয়াটাই গুরুত্বপূর্ণ!

[Aishwarya Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is the first image that crops up your mind when you hear about MMA? Probably images of blood spilling, cracking bones and middle-aged men/women going hammer & tongs at each other.

Win or Learn traverses through the journey of MMA coaching legend, John Kavanagh. Kavanagh's story lies at the heart of global rise of MMA. Win or Learn provides an insight to the continual struggle and is an ode to the mammoth effort put in by MMA athlete & coaches. The book is set to educate and change your perspective of the sport.

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a hybrid full-contact combat sport that allows striking and grappling, both standing and on the ground, using techniques from other combat sports and martial arts. The origins of MMA trace back to Greece around 650 BC and have roots in various other martial art forms – Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Russian Sambo, etc.
There exist a host of promotional MMA events worldwide but UFC remains the largest MMA promotion in the world featuring many top-ranked fighters of the sport. Dana White currently serves as the president of UFC.

John Kavanagh runs Straight Blast Gym (SBG) in Dublin, training the former Irish Featherweight & Lightweight UFC Champion – Conor McGregor. However, Kavanagh by his own admission, was skinny in his youth and was frequently bullied. Kavanagh shares interesting anecdotes in the book from how he was beaten nearly to death despite being All Ireland Judo Champion to Conor McGregor queuing up to collect unemployment allowances. Conor was 4th on the Forbes list of most earning athletes in 2018 while Virat Kohli was at 84th position. Need I say more?
As it usually happens with several greats, Kavanagh had his share of self-doubt, where at times he found himself at crossroads with his career choice. Kavanagh holds a graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, but by the time he was 31, he didn't have a cent in his bank account neither did he have the clarity about his prospects. Kavanagh managed to cling on to his passion at a time when most people would have thrown in the towel and put that mechanical degree to use for safer options.

The book isn't glossed up as is often the case with autobiographies rather the essence of realism in the book has been kept intact with the story telling. Kavanagh’s book primarily covers the journey of Conor McGregor but isn’t a hagiographic account by any means. The book has plenty of coverage for other Irish fighters from SBG who progressed to UFC, i.e. Gunnar Nelson, Artem Lobov and Aisling Daly. In the book, Kavanagh is empathetic with the safety concerns regarding MMA and addresses them in detail.

[Christos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was always intrigued by Conor McGregor. I cannot say that i am an MMA fan per se and i am definitely not a fan of his antics. Actually i believe that that is not who he really is. It is just part of the persona and of his strategy to achieve his goals. It is obvious to me that he is a phenomenal human being. He has achieved greatness in a very short amount of time and no matter how superficial it all seems on the surface, it is evident that this is a result of tremendous work. Both mental and physical. His journey is trully inspiring.

Of course his achievments are not a result of purely individual effort and John Kavanagh is obviously an extraordinary man himself. Reading about his upbringing and how it all shaped him and allowed him to create this MMA culture in Ireland is a great example of a person really following their dreams, achieving greatness and allowing others to realise their full potential. You wouldnt think that a coach would be a good story teller but this one really delivers a great book. It is definitely worth your time if you are looking for some inspiration. There are some great lessons in there.

I really hope that there is a sequel to this book once Conor retires.

[Cali Edwards · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only die-hard fans of Conor McGregor (if such people still exist) will find this a sound investment of time or money.

I understand the drive to cash in on the McGregor connection while the former two-time UFC champ is still a 'hot' commodity - who wouldn't spend a few days with a ghost-writer in exchange for easy money.

There is some insight here into McGregor's drive and the will which at one time did set him apart in the UFC, but not enough to justify more than a long-form article on The Athletic website.

Over half of this book is trite self-help guru fluff pretending to be insights useful in both MMA and life. Kavanagh is clearly aiming for "Yoda" zen master status here. That's quite a goal, considering his No.1 student (or did Luke Skywalker also develop a coke habit and charge around getting into random chemical fueled spats with random people?).

There may be a good book about Kavanagh's career - in about 15 years time after he's actually had one.

[Alba Guerra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nunca esperé un estilo "sencillo" en una biografía que hablase de la carrera de un peleador (en este caso entrenador) de las mma. Me ha parecido una escritura totalmente honesta y, por supuesto, inspiradora. La he devorado por completo.
De hecho, es un libro que conseguí en la biblioteca y planeo conseguirlo para mis estanterías... Como practicante de muay thai me encanta leer testimonios de cómo viven su deporte otros peleadores y de cómo se desarrollan sus cambios tanto físicos como psicológicos. Hay un montón de detalles que pueden servir de consejos que, por supuesto, son bienvenidos.
Si Connor escribe un libro -posibilidad que deja caer su entrenador- estaré ahí para leerlo, aunque sólo me mueva la curiosidad.
También he agradecido poder leer sobre algo que a día de hoy me apasiona (es raro encontrar libros sobre muay thai o boxeo).

[Serge Larose · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an interesting book and I found myself being able to crush through it quite quickly. It just felt a little one dimensional. Not to give anything away, but it talks about training, the training leading up to the MMA fights in the UFC and then cycles and repeats. John's life story is touching and what he's done for the sport of MMA in Ireland is quite impressive. I hoped for a little more sustainability in the story rather than repetition. There also wasn't much depth into win or learn as a concept, except for his fighters learning from their defeats. I thought he could get into the philosophical aspect of win or learn and further develop his modo.
Again, it was a good read and it opened my eyes to the world of MMA. I still recommend it to anyone looking for a good book.

[CHAVA GUILLEN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es increíble como se fue dando todo tras pasar adversidades de las cuales ha más de una persona hubiera hecho aventar la toalla puesto que no había un camino definido por la nula popularidad de las MMA en el momento. Desde una velada de UFC en Denver, Colorado hasta realizar eventos de PPV con millones de espectadores.

No te rindas ni abandones tus sueños escondiéndote o dejar que los cumpla alguien más. Agradece ha quien te acompañado y nunca olvides quien estuvo ahí cuando nadie creía en ti.

Si te gusta la MMA es un libro que podrás disfrutar tanto como yo lo hice desde el punto de un ex competidor amateur de boxeo o bien como un aficionado aguerrido.