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Tapped Out: Rear Naked Chokes, the Octagon, and the Last Emperor: An Odyssey in Mixed Martial Arts
The author of American Shaolin tells a hilarious and fascinating insider's account of mixed martial arts, the fastest growing sport in the country.
Since the first Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993, mixed martial arts (MMA) has punched, kicked, and wrestled its way into the public's consciousness. MMA is an often brutal sport that combines any and every unarmed fighting technique with pure grit. Today, the gross yearly profits of Ultimate Fighting Championship-the sport's premier professional league-exceed that of professional wrestling, boxing, and even the Boston Red Sox. In Tapped Out , Matthew Polly gives readers his on-the ground take of training and fighting in MMA.
At the age of thirty-six, Polly was out of shape and totally unprepared for what was a grueling journey through leading MMA training facilities in Bangkok, St. Petersburg, Rio de Janeiro, New York, and Las Vegas. After being utterly beaten down and built back up, he fought his first match against a fighter nearly fifteen years younger-and not only won, but sent his opponent to the hospital. Polly intersperses his own narrative with the history and background of fighting and interviews with top UFC stars such as GSP, Fedor Emelianenko, Randy Couture, and Gina Carano. Evocative of George Plimpton's classic Paper Lion , Polly's honest, funny, and eye-opening account of his experiences will appeal to the millions of devoted MMA fans who are as hardcore as the sport itself.
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Since the first Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993, mixed martial arts (MMA) has punched, kicked, and wrestled its way into the public's consciousness. MMA is an often brutal sport that combines any and every unarmed fighting technique with pure grit. Today, the gross yearly profits of Ultimate Fighting Championship-the sport's premier professional league-exceed that of professional wrestling, boxing, and even the Boston Red Sox. In Tapped Out , Matthew Polly gives readers his on-the ground take of training and fighting in MMA.
At the age of thirty-six, Polly was out of shape and totally unprepared for what was a grueling journey through leading MMA training facilities in Bangkok, St. Petersburg, Rio de Janeiro, New York, and Las Vegas. After being utterly beaten down and built back up, he fought his first match against a fighter nearly fifteen years younger-and not only won, but sent his opponent to the hospital. Polly intersperses his own narrative with the history and background of fighting and interviews with top UFC stars such as GSP, Fedor Emelianenko, Randy Couture, and Gina Carano. Evocative of George Plimpton's classic Paper Lion , Polly's honest, funny, and eye-opening account of his experiences will appeal to the millions of devoted MMA fans who are as hardcore as the sport itself.
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304 pages, Hardcover
First published March 3, 2011
9 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Polly
9 books73 followersMatthew Polly is an award-winning travel writer for Slate. His first book, American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch; An Odyssey in the New China, was published in February of 2007. A Princeton University graduate and Rhodes Scholar, his work has appeared in Esquire, Playboy, and The Nation. He grew up in Kansas and lives in New York City
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 27, 2023
This was, before I read it, the only Matthew Polly book that I had not read. I did not think this book would top his American Shaolin in humor, but Polly managed to do that. There were so many sections in this book that had me laughing late at night. Aside from the humor, the book was a very detailed glimpse into the life of an MMA fighter. He attempted to cover all aspects of the life of a fighter even to the point that he looked for a sponsor and an agent.
July 17, 2012
I loved this book. I'm a big fan of MMA and thought Polly's perspective was hilarious. It's good to hear from an insider what things are like versus the perception we outsiders get from watching TV.
February 4, 2012
Another interesting memoir about something I knew nothing about. Polly is a fun, entertaining writer who doesn't take himself too seriously. Enjoyed it.
December 15, 2024
A 30-something regular joe and "fanboy" of MMA gets off the couch and trains with storied professionals toward his goal (and contractual book deal obligation) of fighting at the semi-pro level just once.
This average joe also happens to be a Rhodes scholar, successful NYC journalist, and a Princeton grad who trained with Shaolin monks for two years.
If you think you will get a stuffy academic yarning on for 300 pages and waxing poetic with crispy Zen-like proverbial truisms, you are wrong.
If you think you are going to get a hard-hitting, investigative expose that uncovers the dirty underbelly of prize-fighting and its seedy antecedents: sex, drugs, gambling, mafias... wrong again.
What you get if you read this book is Matthew Polly: a self-described dork more interested in orange sodas, must-see tv, and a pre-pubescent mythos of the warrior archetype sold door-to-door by MMA pro-circuits. In a nutshell, you get a groupie.
This is not a bad thing. There are probably worse perspectives from which to observe MMA.
Though a brief glance at his career may argue otherwise, Polly is less an acdemic intellectual and more a gumshoe journalist. This is evidenced in the book by the author's anything-but-stuffy-and-bookish voice and the accuracy, clarity, and informative "stick and move" style of his storytelling. He intermingles his personal experiences with wikipedia-esque factoids from the world of MMA, stringing them as only a nerdy brainiac of MMA fan could. His economy wreaks of word-counting stinginess. He moves from topic to topic naturally and the ideas contained are entertaining and brief. The book is a personal memoir of his experiences in NYC, Vegas, Russia, and Thailand training and interviewing some of the best fighters and trainers in MMA.
There is a subplot beyond the MMA content as well. It would seem on the surface an unlikely medium, but Polly has used a book about beating people up to exercise his heartfelt adoration for a lady friend: the mysterious "Em."
During the course of the book, Em moves from girlfriend to fiance to wife. She appears on various occasions to deliver witty insights that at times builds Polly's confidence and at others delivers a much needed kick in the "reality check."
Its fun how well he does that and it works. Polly as storyteller gets a little cliched but he balances the dryness with personal asides that makes it better than just an account about MMA. It makes the book more fun and friendly.
It is quite obvious that Polly did not want to piss anyone off with this book. One of the things that makes it less memorable is that he really glosses over any potential "sticky" issues. This is a storyteller who is more interested in the bromantic depiction of octagon warrior-athletes who use the power of the mind and training to deter and overcome pain. We get repeated, surface level reminders that tease us about a world of pain killers and traumatic childhoods, but these issues are not explored in more than passing detail. Because of this I was left with the same feelings I get when politicians blankly honor cops and firemen while failing to raise issues about payraises and healthcare... it makes them seem less human.
And there are a lot of "sticky" opportunities to broach some of these less-than-glossy, yet probably very real, aspects of MMA. The book scratches the surface of private "doctors" and "supplements," promotional ethics, lifelong athletes vs. weekend warriors, the management industry, gambling on fights, personality disorders, the darker side of the "green light" signal, and a very interesting missed opportunity to understand more fully his opponent at the end of the book: a "real" average joe (not a Rhodes scholar in disguise), who for some unknown reason is pushing himself just like Polly, but WITHOUT a book deal (or too much talent)... what was his story?
Overall, its a harmless read. I've been told by a few people who have read Polly's earlier book about the Shaolin monks that this book was not as good and I actually have the Shaolin book too. If I stumble upon it on the shelf I will read that one too and review it.
This average joe also happens to be a Rhodes scholar, successful NYC journalist, and a Princeton grad who trained with Shaolin monks for two years.
If you think you will get a stuffy academic yarning on for 300 pages and waxing poetic with crispy Zen-like proverbial truisms, you are wrong.
If you think you are going to get a hard-hitting, investigative expose that uncovers the dirty underbelly of prize-fighting and its seedy antecedents: sex, drugs, gambling, mafias... wrong again.
What you get if you read this book is Matthew Polly: a self-described dork more interested in orange sodas, must-see tv, and a pre-pubescent mythos of the warrior archetype sold door-to-door by MMA pro-circuits. In a nutshell, you get a groupie.
This is not a bad thing. There are probably worse perspectives from which to observe MMA.
Though a brief glance at his career may argue otherwise, Polly is less an acdemic intellectual and more a gumshoe journalist. This is evidenced in the book by the author's anything-but-stuffy-and-bookish voice and the accuracy, clarity, and informative "stick and move" style of his storytelling. He intermingles his personal experiences with wikipedia-esque factoids from the world of MMA, stringing them as only a nerdy brainiac of MMA fan could. His economy wreaks of word-counting stinginess. He moves from topic to topic naturally and the ideas contained are entertaining and brief. The book is a personal memoir of his experiences in NYC, Vegas, Russia, and Thailand training and interviewing some of the best fighters and trainers in MMA.
There is a subplot beyond the MMA content as well. It would seem on the surface an unlikely medium, but Polly has used a book about beating people up to exercise his heartfelt adoration for a lady friend: the mysterious "Em."
During the course of the book, Em moves from girlfriend to fiance to wife. She appears on various occasions to deliver witty insights that at times builds Polly's confidence and at others delivers a much needed kick in the "reality check."
Its fun how well he does that and it works. Polly as storyteller gets a little cliched but he balances the dryness with personal asides that makes it better than just an account about MMA. It makes the book more fun and friendly.
It is quite obvious that Polly did not want to piss anyone off with this book. One of the things that makes it less memorable is that he really glosses over any potential "sticky" issues. This is a storyteller who is more interested in the bromantic depiction of octagon warrior-athletes who use the power of the mind and training to deter and overcome pain. We get repeated, surface level reminders that tease us about a world of pain killers and traumatic childhoods, but these issues are not explored in more than passing detail. Because of this I was left with the same feelings I get when politicians blankly honor cops and firemen while failing to raise issues about payraises and healthcare... it makes them seem less human.
And there are a lot of "sticky" opportunities to broach some of these less-than-glossy, yet probably very real, aspects of MMA. The book scratches the surface of private "doctors" and "supplements," promotional ethics, lifelong athletes vs. weekend warriors, the management industry, gambling on fights, personality disorders, the darker side of the "green light" signal, and a very interesting missed opportunity to understand more fully his opponent at the end of the book: a "real" average joe (not a Rhodes scholar in disguise), who for some unknown reason is pushing himself just like Polly, but WITHOUT a book deal (or too much talent)... what was his story?
Overall, its a harmless read. I've been told by a few people who have read Polly's earlier book about the Shaolin monks that this book was not as good and I actually have the Shaolin book too. If I stumble upon it on the shelf I will read that one too and review it.
January 26, 2016
I know pretty much nothing about MMA and UFC, but this turned out to be a great primer on the history of the sport and organization. Even if you don't know/care much about MMA, this is still an entertaining read. I'd imagine that if you're a fan this would be a must-read.
December 29, 2011
I thoroughly enjoyed this foray into the world of MMA. This is about the author traing for one fight, and all the trials and tribulations of his training as well as some insight into the UFC.
This is not about great writing, but a very good story told well.
This is not about great writing, but a very good story told well.
February 4, 2019
Matthew Polly gave me most of the things I wanted in this book: Amusing descriptions of fighters, well-written combat scenes, and a real sense of how it felt to step inside the ring. But the prose was usually workmanlike, without the emotional highs and lows I'd usually associate with the sport; thanks to Polly's comic stance, he felt removed from most of the scenes where he wasn't actually getting punched. A few other factors drove down the book's score: Weak editing (I found at least one spot where a sentence appeared to be missing), far too many dad jokes, and an offputting view of women. In one scene, a woman in her mid-forties comes into an elite gym and gives the heavy bag a beating, then meets her MMA idol; after acknowledging the force of her kicks, Polly then spends a page talking about the fighter's butt and making fun of her accent. This wasn't a constant -- Gina Carano gets plenty of respect -- but it happened often enough, in enough different situations, to be annoying (in a way I wouldn't have thought to be annoyed when the book first came out).
On the whole, though, my main complaint is that the author, despite his time literally fighting in the ring, felt sort of removed from the whole experience, never digging very deep into the lives of the fighters around him. (I didn't have the same problem with American Shaolin, and thought that book was considerably better, perhaps because China was deeply strange enough in the author's eyes that he didn't need to inject additional humor.)
On the whole, though, my main complaint is that the author, despite his time literally fighting in the ring, felt sort of removed from the whole experience, never digging very deep into the lives of the fighters around him. (I didn't have the same problem with American Shaolin, and thought that book was considerably better, perhaps because China was deeply strange enough in the author's eyes that he didn't need to inject additional humor.)
July 17, 2018
Witty book, engaging, inspiring, super fun to read.
The author is famous for his previous book, American Shaolin, when he traveled to China and learned Martial Arts from Chinese monks. In this book, he tried out another Martial Arts form - MMA, aiming to do a match in the end. The book described his training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, along with many funny stories in his training.
The author has a light mind and humorous writing style, I burst into laughters very often - almost once every two pages. Such an enjoyable experience to read the book.
By reading the book, I get a deeper understanding of MMA - history, athletes, match settings, the gyms. As I also want to do an MMA match, this book is very inspiring and a great learning experience.
The author is famous for his previous book, American Shaolin, when he traveled to China and learned Martial Arts from Chinese monks. In this book, he tried out another Martial Arts form - MMA, aiming to do a match in the end. The book described his training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, along with many funny stories in his training.
The author has a light mind and humorous writing style, I burst into laughters very often - almost once every two pages. Such an enjoyable experience to read the book.
By reading the book, I get a deeper understanding of MMA - history, athletes, match settings, the gyms. As I also want to do an MMA match, this book is very inspiring and a great learning experience.
May 12, 2023
I’ve never read a Polly book didn’t like. I only wish he’d written more. Every subject he takes he makes interesting, informative and above all else fun. Wether you have a passing interest, are a hardcore fan or just curious about MMA you will enjoy this book.
December 26, 2011
a super quick and enjoyable read . . i want to give it a 4, just because i liked it, it's something i'm very interested in, can relate to, etc. . . but the bottom line is: as much as i enjoyed *american shaolin* and as much as i find the author likable, i'm not sure the book was super well-written, or that he did a great job building the kind of narrative it seems like he could have, or that he covered MMA the way it could be/deserves to be, or that he spent enough time digging into the "deeper aspects" of fighting, etc. .. on that last point, to be honest, i think he (sadly) gave in a bit to some of the more negative stereotypes/misconceptions that surround the sport (strangely), reminding me a bit of the movie *warrior,* which did a similar thing . . *american shaolin* seemed much more genuine, less like polly was capitalizing on something and being superficial about it, more thoughtful . . still worth a read, but just disappointing i guess . .
January 29, 2013
As a younger man, author Matthew Polly traveled to China and studied kung fu under the Shaolin monks. Years - and pounds - later, he is a writer in New York City, unable to come up with an idea for this next big project, when he decides that he will dive head-first into the burgeoning world of mixed martial arts with the goal of training for - and finishing - an actual fight.
Like his previous book, "American Shaolin", "Tapped Out" is an easy read, filled with wit, anecdotes and a great cast of real-life characters. It is, however, very much in the vein of its predecessor, but as long as the reader doesn't require authors to "grow" from work to work, that's fine; if you liked Matthew Polly's first book, you'll enjoy his second.
Like his previous book, "American Shaolin", "Tapped Out" is an easy read, filled with wit, anecdotes and a great cast of real-life characters. It is, however, very much in the vein of its predecessor, but as long as the reader doesn't require authors to "grow" from work to work, that's fine; if you liked Matthew Polly's first book, you'll enjoy his second.
May 22, 2012
Like many young nerds of the late 80's early 90's I was obsessed with martial arts in many forms. This slipped away from me in my 20's and now in my 30's the love is returning.
This book is a great read. It places the reader into the history of the sport of MMA without being overwhelming. Of course that's why I only gave it 4 stars. To be a better book for me it would need to be more comprehensive.
I recommend this to:
1) Readers who like solid straight-forward memoir style books
2) Anyone interested in the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)beginner or advanced.
3) Beginners who are interested in learning about Martial Arts
4) Someone looking for Dieting/Workout inspiration stories
This book is a great read. It places the reader into the history of the sport of MMA without being overwhelming. Of course that's why I only gave it 4 stars. To be a better book for me it would need to be more comprehensive.
I recommend this to:
1) Readers who like solid straight-forward memoir style books
2) Anyone interested in the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)beginner or advanced.
3) Beginners who are interested in learning about Martial Arts
4) Someone looking for Dieting/Workout inspiration stories
July 29, 2016
Polly wrote the bestseller "American Shaolin", about his experiences training at the Shaolin temple in China. Years later as an overweight middle aged man he decided to immerse himself into the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) a lá George Plimpton. He started training in MMA with the goal of getting a fight.
This is a funny and fairly informative introduction to Mixed Martial Arts for those that haven't ever delved into it. After reading it you can go to YouTube and watch Polly's fight, as well as interviews with him about the book.
A fun read. I enjoyed it.
This is a funny and fairly informative introduction to Mixed Martial Arts for those that haven't ever delved into it. After reading it you can go to YouTube and watch Polly's fight, as well as interviews with him about the book.
A fun read. I enjoyed it.
December 11, 2011
Matthew Polly is 2 for 2. I really enjoyed both memoirs. Blazed through this book in 2 nights. The guy has a very likeable style, I hope he keeps writing about MMA. I'm a sucker for these George Plimpton type books where the writer immerses himself in an exotic world and recounts the tale in a clever self depracating style....gets me every time. The only reason I didn't give it 4 stars is that it's disposable, after tearing through it, it's unlikely I'll ever think about it again....
May 2, 2014
A quick, fun read, but as a hardcore MMA fan I was left wanting more from this book, especially after reading Polly's first book. In the afterword, he mentions that there were portions of his training that ended up being cut from the book, which made me wonder if it would have made the story more substantial. Still, very entertaining read, and the little stories and insights about some of the greats in the sport make it worth reading for any fan of MMA or martial arts in general.
December 15, 2011
A decent book about an out of shape journalist who decides to take on MMA. He trains for over two years, visiting various gyms and learning different techniques, to climax in his one real MMA fight. If you are a fan of the sport he gives a lot of good insight into the preparation and training the athletes go through.
December 31, 2016
Another enjoyable and entertaining memoir from Polly about his take on MMA. The whole thing about an unfit middle aged man yearning to become healthy resonated deeply with me when I picked up the book and it didn't let me down. Fun anecdotes and some quick fire history about MMA makes this a quick and lively read.
April 24, 2012
Enjoyable quick read. I did not think it was as good as his first book (American Shaolin), but enjoyed it non the less. As a out of shape, middle aged man, I could live my secret fantasies to become an MMA fighter thru this book.:)
September 8, 2013
Quick read but an often funny way through the world of MMA. The most interesting bits to me are the back stories and interactions with some of the best trainers in MMA, who you may have heard off but are never really in the spotlight.
January 3, 2016
I enjoyed American Shaolin. Tapped Out is just as good content wise, but even better writing and editing. The book is equal parts funny and interesting. There is far more to MMA than I realized.
Don't forget to check out Matt's MMA fight on youtube once you finish the book!
Don't forget to check out Matt's MMA fight on youtube once you finish the book!
September 7, 2021
very enjoyable - doesn't break any new literary ground, and doesn't really offer any deep insights into why elite fighters would put themselves through the rigours of training and fighting - but for what it is it's a fun read
January 24, 2012
A fun, quick and easy read. I laughed when they got to the part about him teasing Matt Hughes and his book. Also, there's a vague reference to Daniel Bryan in the book which I thought was cool.
April 23, 2012
Easy, fast read. My kind of book.
July 27, 2012
Return of the American Shaolin fighter. Well at 40 years old. . not quite. But the effort to get there is quite a novel read.
August 19, 2012
A quick fun read. No in-depth discussions but a very broad overview of life as an MMA wanna be.
November 3, 2012
Read his first book, interesting guy. Sort of humorous. Good story teller. Martial artist especially will like his work.
*Don't watch his YouTube fight without finishing the book, first!*
*Don't watch his YouTube fight without finishing the book, first!*
April 9, 2013
This was a fun little bit of junk food for MMA fans. Polly's writing is funny and informative.
July 13, 2016
Funny, a little profane, learned things about MMA I didn't know I wanted to know
September 16, 2019
Inspiring story
The story of regaining physical fitness and preparing for a fight (and winning) at his age is inspiring. The overly self-deprecating humor is a bit much though.
The story of regaining physical fitness and preparing for a fight (and winning) at his age is inspiring. The overly self-deprecating humor is a bit much though.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews