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Got Fight?: The 50 Zen Principles of Hand-to-Face Combat
A New York Times Bestseller, Got Fight? is an hysterical, entertaining, and in-your-face guide to fighting from the most enigmatic and unpredictable fighter in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Forrest Griffin is the light-heavyweight champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and was the winner of the first season of Spike TV’s The Ultimate Fighter ; in Got Fight?, he shows you how he did it. With Erich Krauss, Muay Thai fighter and co-author of “The Prodigy” B.J. Penn’s Mixed Martial The Book of Knowledge .
208 pages, Hardcover
First published May 28, 2009
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April 21, 2022
Got to say I am not really a fan of this book. This book is like stepping to Forrest Griffin's head. That can be a scary place. In the past and in interviews I have found Forrest funny, but that was in small doses. This book is like a lethal injection. Most of the time I don't know if he is joking or actually believes what he is saying. The one thing people can take away from this book is Forrest's belief that he should never give up and trying to install that in other. I would have liked to hear a lot more of his real though (not filtered through his "self-defecating" humour) on his fighting career. The only parts of this book that made sense were the quotes from his friends, and the first story. The quiz at the beginning was pretty good but still a little weird, and sets the tone for the book.
September 13, 2009
On Why this is Not Irony*
Book Review
This is possibly the second funniest book that will come out this year. I haven't read the funniest, but I'm guessing it is David Cross's book Why I Drink. I'm certain that this is funnier than Augusten Burrough's newest romp into his dysfunctional past, or Chuck Klosterman's milking of his generation X astuteness. Maybe it's because this book is so self-deprecating and that Forrest Griffin seems to have an active dislike for the same types of douche bags that I do that the book appeals to me so much. Or maybe it is that the term douche bag is used so often in the book that I can't help but love it.
Got Fight? is acknowledged as a bad title in the book, and it's partly about how to succeed as a fighter, but also as almost an anti-self help book on how to get through life as a cynical average person with no special skills going for you. A part of me wonders after reading this if I had been beaten up a lot as a kid if I could have turned out to be someone who enjoys having his face beaten to a pulp and doing the same to another person. Instead I have made it through my life with only having my ass kicked twice, both times when I was quite young, and deserving of one of them, but not the other, and both times laughing the whole way through it. The first time was when I was maybe six, and I used a stick as a javelin to throw at the bicycle tires of this asshole who lived two blocks over from me. This kid was like five years older than me, and for some reason took great pleasure in bullying really little kids. I don't know what I thought of him then exactly, now the term sociopathic asshole comes to mind, and he's probably in jail for fucking little boys and then burning their scrotums with a car cigarette lighter. Seriously this kid was in like sixth grade, and I was maybe in first, what kind of cheap thrills does it get you to try to torment little kids. But whatever. He verbally fucked with me, and stole my shit (like something I'd be playing with or something like that) once too often, so when he rode by, I threw the stick at his tires counting on it to topple him. It worked. The sticked got through the spokes in the front wheel, and he went over his handlebars and on to his face and he immediately charged after me and kicked me over and over again in the stomach while I laughed. He went away after a bunch of kicks. This same turd beat me up once more pretty soon after, and maybe it was once again for my skilled take down of him on his bike and once again I laughed a lot while he continued to push me down and kick me. I wouldn't call either a fight, since I did nothing to fight back.
I have never been in a fight.
I either dodge them in some kind of unmanly way, or else did things in cunning little ways to avoid them (like stealing all of the shit some neighborhood kids were going to use to beat me and my friends up with, and then burying them.... (things like steak knives, a waffle iron, a real slingshot, and broom sticks with bicycle grips on them, I have no idea what they were going to try to do with an electric waffle iron, but they did threaten us with their stash of weapons previous to our stealing them). In later life, in my twenties, I had numerous opportunities to get into fights with groups of asshole rednecks, but the idea of getting the shit beaten out of me by three to five guys who were taunting me with the word faggot, made me think it was better to just ignore them. I kind of wish at a younger age I had learned to fight, it seems like something that is good to know, just the idea that you can get hit and it's not the end of the world. I know this mentally but the idea of really getting hit is still a kind of scary idea to me, and I'm sure it always will be.
Even though I haven't been in a fight and I'm only a casual fan of MMA, and I'm not the type of person who is usually associated with liking MMA (I don't own an Affliction T-shirt, or try to walk around looking like a fighter), there was still a lot of pretty interesting stuff in this book. I think one should have some knowledge of the UFC before reading this book, but it's not just a fighting book. I'm actually really surprised at how much I have enjoyed this book, from interviews and seeing him as a coach on one season of the reality TV show I have a certain respect for Forrest Griffin, and he is one of my top five or so favorite fighters, I wasn't really sure if reading a book by him (well sort of, co-written by him), would be an experience that I'd enjoy at all, but it turned out to be.
For some reason, writers like to thank people at the beginning of the their books. I understand if the book is really good, like Hemingway good, but what if the book sucks? I'm pretty sure the the book you are currently holding will only make you stupider, and I don't want to insult anyone I care about by putting them in the acknowledgements. It would be like dropping a turd into a napkin, setting the greasy bundle on the shelf in a bookstore, and then calling home and saying 'Hey Mom, I just wanted to thank you for making the dump in a napkin possible.'
*This is not a book I have read ironically. I schlep around low-culture sometimes ironically (see my Penetrator reviews, my 2 week obsession with Christian Rock back in December 1997, and my month long Left Behind binge of ought O), but I like to think that I don't do this in a hipster kind of way. I take it back, my interest in all of the above were not meant ironically, my interest in The Penetrator is a true interest in pulp-fiction, my Christian Rock binge was based on humor, the shit was so un-ironically sincere that I couldn't help laughing (go youtube "Boycott Hell" and then tell me that after discovering this gem, you too wouldn't 'borrow' a majority of the Christian Rock CD's from the college radio station you were working at to try to find something this fucking funny again (I didn't find anything so funny again, and gave up soon after starting), and Left Behind I read because I am a)fascinated by Born Again Christians, (and at the time they were just kind of like retarded children, kind of cute and harmless in their strange ways, or that's how I viewed them), and b) I was very baffled by their appeal to millions of readers so I had to find out first hand what the fuck was going on.
I will assume that most people who may read my reviews probably have a pretty negative view of Ultimate Fighting (which sounds stupid, from here on I'm going to use the term MMA, it's easier to type, it means mixed martial arts). And I understand. I thought the idea of watching some guys beat the shit out of each other was really dumb. Like what people who are angered that the WWF (or whatever they are called now) isn't on 24/7 and need something else to watch when wrestling isn't on. Since I don't have cable, and would never pay 49.95 to watch a pay per view event I was pretty much shielded from having to ever come into contact with the UFC.
Then a friend of mine started mentioning fights he watched in emails every now and then. I eventually asked, 'are you fucking serious?' and he told me that he was. He recommended watching the reality TV show Ultimate Fighter, as it was some of the funniest and most absurd shit around. That seemed separate from his enjoyment of watching fights though. So I watched a season of Ultimate Fighter and started to get hooked.
I recommend watching the show. You take sixteen guys, most of them with some serious fucking issues and little self control. Have them train and fight for something like six weeks, but when they aren't training just lock them in a house with no entertainment except a pool table, and as much booze as they want and then watch the fireworks. Every season has a couple of really smart guys who are intelligently trying to break into the big leagues of professional fighting, then there are the majority that are a bunch of sort of bonehead but harmless guys who start to go stir crazy towards the end, and a couple of guys who get wasted every night and try to kill one another. As far as reality tv goes it's pretty funny.
But from the show I started watching some of the older UFC events and some very old Pride events (Japanese fighting league where most of the early 'stars' of MMA got their start, and which was The Shit when it came to fighting until the UFC usurped them, now most of the big talent is with the UFC, with the exception of the lighter weight classes that aren't represented in UFC fights, so they are in a league called the WEC (which lately has better fights, maybe more on this later), and a contender for trying to draw fans from the UFC, Affliction (makers of t-shirts for douche bags everywhere), which is kind of a sad affair, that has only managed to put on two events in over a year, but they have Fedor Emelianenko fighting for them, and he is an amazing fighter who is definetly worth watching.
That all said, for what reason these details were given I have no idea, I enjoy watching MMA fighting, it's pretty fascinating to watch, and much more then two boneheads beating the shit out of each other for fifteen minutes. Not being a fan of other sports, this one has been surprisingly good for a person who wants to be a fan but doesn't like the idea of being a sports fan. Why? 1) There is no commitment to MMA on the part of me. The events are maybe once a month. I don't feel the need to even watch an event within a month of when it airs, i can watch it at my leisure and still not know the results, because it's very easy to stay in the dark about what happened at say UFC 102- 'revenge of the old farts' (this is clever on my part, trust me). 2) There is no off season. While it seems like I want a lack of commitment in my sports, I also don't want there to be too long of a time that I can't get a fix of the new. 3) The last minute on the clock during an MMA fight lasts a minute, not a half fucking hour like in basketball or football. I'm convinced as of an hour ago that my dislike of sports stems from Sunday afternoon football games cutting into the TV shows I liked to watch on Sunday evening as a kid. All those fucking time outs and shit when I just wanted to watch Silver Spoons. Besides football to me is pointless, there seems to be little strategy, it's predictable and slow; to football fans I know I'm wrong, but that's what it seems like to me. 4) The fights last at most 25 minutes, if it's a championship fight, or else just 15 minutes; and with the possibility of being over much quicker. This is perfect for me and my attention span for sports. and finally 5) You see some great and violent things and lots of blood, this is barbaric, but it's pretty cool to see someone's forehead get split open by an elbow.
Oh and I should add, that I like it because it's not boxing. Boxing is two guys punching each other. I found it boring previous to watching MMA, and since watching MMA it's even worse. There seems to be minimal strategy in boxing. You move, and you punch. You don't have to worry about being kicked, your opponent isn't going to clip you with an elbow, try to break your nose with his knee in a clinch, and you never have to worry about getting taken down with a wrestling move or having your arm or leg broken by a submission hold. You stand, move and punch. It's kind of boring. Not that MMA isn't kind of boring too at times. Currently most of the main fights in a UFC event are getting kind of dull and predictable, but there was a time a couple of years ago that the same could be said, when it seemed like jujitsu was too dominant in the sport. Watching fights that are all about jujitsu can be kind of boring (and possibly more than a little gay, it's two guys laying on each other doing little moves trying to get a hold of the other, sometimes with their heads shoved in the other ones crotch), just like some of the stand up fights that are happening now are getting to be a little too cautious and boring (but I have reason to believe this is going to change soon with the new interjection of karate as the surprise weapon of the current light heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida. I can't adequately describe it, since I"m sort of dumb when it comes to martial arts, but seeing him him take apart Rashad Evans to win the championship one can see that his 'unorthadox' skills are going to change the way the sport is played out. ).
That in a long winded footnote is kind of why I like watching MMA fights and why this book was read un-ironically.
Book Review
This is possibly the second funniest book that will come out this year. I haven't read the funniest, but I'm guessing it is David Cross's book Why I Drink. I'm certain that this is funnier than Augusten Burrough's newest romp into his dysfunctional past, or Chuck Klosterman's milking of his generation X astuteness. Maybe it's because this book is so self-deprecating and that Forrest Griffin seems to have an active dislike for the same types of douche bags that I do that the book appeals to me so much. Or maybe it is that the term douche bag is used so often in the book that I can't help but love it.
Got Fight? is acknowledged as a bad title in the book, and it's partly about how to succeed as a fighter, but also as almost an anti-self help book on how to get through life as a cynical average person with no special skills going for you. A part of me wonders after reading this if I had been beaten up a lot as a kid if I could have turned out to be someone who enjoys having his face beaten to a pulp and doing the same to another person. Instead I have made it through my life with only having my ass kicked twice, both times when I was quite young, and deserving of one of them, but not the other, and both times laughing the whole way through it. The first time was when I was maybe six, and I used a stick as a javelin to throw at the bicycle tires of this asshole who lived two blocks over from me. This kid was like five years older than me, and for some reason took great pleasure in bullying really little kids. I don't know what I thought of him then exactly, now the term sociopathic asshole comes to mind, and he's probably in jail for fucking little boys and then burning their scrotums with a car cigarette lighter. Seriously this kid was in like sixth grade, and I was maybe in first, what kind of cheap thrills does it get you to try to torment little kids. But whatever. He verbally fucked with me, and stole my shit (like something I'd be playing with or something like that) once too often, so when he rode by, I threw the stick at his tires counting on it to topple him. It worked. The sticked got through the spokes in the front wheel, and he went over his handlebars and on to his face and he immediately charged after me and kicked me over and over again in the stomach while I laughed. He went away after a bunch of kicks. This same turd beat me up once more pretty soon after, and maybe it was once again for my skilled take down of him on his bike and once again I laughed a lot while he continued to push me down and kick me. I wouldn't call either a fight, since I did nothing to fight back.
I have never been in a fight.
I either dodge them in some kind of unmanly way, or else did things in cunning little ways to avoid them (like stealing all of the shit some neighborhood kids were going to use to beat me and my friends up with, and then burying them.... (things like steak knives, a waffle iron, a real slingshot, and broom sticks with bicycle grips on them, I have no idea what they were going to try to do with an electric waffle iron, but they did threaten us with their stash of weapons previous to our stealing them). In later life, in my twenties, I had numerous opportunities to get into fights with groups of asshole rednecks, but the idea of getting the shit beaten out of me by three to five guys who were taunting me with the word faggot, made me think it was better to just ignore them. I kind of wish at a younger age I had learned to fight, it seems like something that is good to know, just the idea that you can get hit and it's not the end of the world. I know this mentally but the idea of really getting hit is still a kind of scary idea to me, and I'm sure it always will be.
Even though I haven't been in a fight and I'm only a casual fan of MMA, and I'm not the type of person who is usually associated with liking MMA (I don't own an Affliction T-shirt, or try to walk around looking like a fighter), there was still a lot of pretty interesting stuff in this book. I think one should have some knowledge of the UFC before reading this book, but it's not just a fighting book. I'm actually really surprised at how much I have enjoyed this book, from interviews and seeing him as a coach on one season of the reality TV show I have a certain respect for Forrest Griffin, and he is one of my top five or so favorite fighters, I wasn't really sure if reading a book by him (well sort of, co-written by him), would be an experience that I'd enjoy at all, but it turned out to be.
For some reason, writers like to thank people at the beginning of the their books. I understand if the book is really good, like Hemingway good, but what if the book sucks? I'm pretty sure the the book you are currently holding will only make you stupider, and I don't want to insult anyone I care about by putting them in the acknowledgements. It would be like dropping a turd into a napkin, setting the greasy bundle on the shelf in a bookstore, and then calling home and saying 'Hey Mom, I just wanted to thank you for making the dump in a napkin possible.'
*This is not a book I have read ironically. I schlep around low-culture sometimes ironically (see my Penetrator reviews, my 2 week obsession with Christian Rock back in December 1997, and my month long Left Behind binge of ought O), but I like to think that I don't do this in a hipster kind of way. I take it back, my interest in all of the above were not meant ironically, my interest in The Penetrator is a true interest in pulp-fiction, my Christian Rock binge was based on humor, the shit was so un-ironically sincere that I couldn't help laughing (go youtube "Boycott Hell" and then tell me that after discovering this gem, you too wouldn't 'borrow' a majority of the Christian Rock CD's from the college radio station you were working at to try to find something this fucking funny again (I didn't find anything so funny again, and gave up soon after starting), and Left Behind I read because I am a)fascinated by Born Again Christians, (and at the time they were just kind of like retarded children, kind of cute and harmless in their strange ways, or that's how I viewed them), and b) I was very baffled by their appeal to millions of readers so I had to find out first hand what the fuck was going on.
I will assume that most people who may read my reviews probably have a pretty negative view of Ultimate Fighting (which sounds stupid, from here on I'm going to use the term MMA, it's easier to type, it means mixed martial arts). And I understand. I thought the idea of watching some guys beat the shit out of each other was really dumb. Like what people who are angered that the WWF (or whatever they are called now) isn't on 24/7 and need something else to watch when wrestling isn't on. Since I don't have cable, and would never pay 49.95 to watch a pay per view event I was pretty much shielded from having to ever come into contact with the UFC.
Then a friend of mine started mentioning fights he watched in emails every now and then. I eventually asked, 'are you fucking serious?' and he told me that he was. He recommended watching the reality TV show Ultimate Fighter, as it was some of the funniest and most absurd shit around. That seemed separate from his enjoyment of watching fights though. So I watched a season of Ultimate Fighter and started to get hooked.
I recommend watching the show. You take sixteen guys, most of them with some serious fucking issues and little self control. Have them train and fight for something like six weeks, but when they aren't training just lock them in a house with no entertainment except a pool table, and as much booze as they want and then watch the fireworks. Every season has a couple of really smart guys who are intelligently trying to break into the big leagues of professional fighting, then there are the majority that are a bunch of sort of bonehead but harmless guys who start to go stir crazy towards the end, and a couple of guys who get wasted every night and try to kill one another. As far as reality tv goes it's pretty funny.
But from the show I started watching some of the older UFC events and some very old Pride events (Japanese fighting league where most of the early 'stars' of MMA got their start, and which was The Shit when it came to fighting until the UFC usurped them, now most of the big talent is with the UFC, with the exception of the lighter weight classes that aren't represented in UFC fights, so they are in a league called the WEC (which lately has better fights, maybe more on this later), and a contender for trying to draw fans from the UFC, Affliction (makers of t-shirts for douche bags everywhere), which is kind of a sad affair, that has only managed to put on two events in over a year, but they have Fedor Emelianenko fighting for them, and he is an amazing fighter who is definetly worth watching.
That all said, for what reason these details were given I have no idea, I enjoy watching MMA fighting, it's pretty fascinating to watch, and much more then two boneheads beating the shit out of each other for fifteen minutes. Not being a fan of other sports, this one has been surprisingly good for a person who wants to be a fan but doesn't like the idea of being a sports fan. Why? 1) There is no commitment to MMA on the part of me. The events are maybe once a month. I don't feel the need to even watch an event within a month of when it airs, i can watch it at my leisure and still not know the results, because it's very easy to stay in the dark about what happened at say UFC 102- 'revenge of the old farts' (this is clever on my part, trust me). 2) There is no off season. While it seems like I want a lack of commitment in my sports, I also don't want there to be too long of a time that I can't get a fix of the new. 3) The last minute on the clock during an MMA fight lasts a minute, not a half fucking hour like in basketball or football. I'm convinced as of an hour ago that my dislike of sports stems from Sunday afternoon football games cutting into the TV shows I liked to watch on Sunday evening as a kid. All those fucking time outs and shit when I just wanted to watch Silver Spoons. Besides football to me is pointless, there seems to be little strategy, it's predictable and slow; to football fans I know I'm wrong, but that's what it seems like to me. 4) The fights last at most 25 minutes, if it's a championship fight, or else just 15 minutes; and with the possibility of being over much quicker. This is perfect for me and my attention span for sports. and finally 5) You see some great and violent things and lots of blood, this is barbaric, but it's pretty cool to see someone's forehead get split open by an elbow.
Oh and I should add, that I like it because it's not boxing. Boxing is two guys punching each other. I found it boring previous to watching MMA, and since watching MMA it's even worse. There seems to be minimal strategy in boxing. You move, and you punch. You don't have to worry about being kicked, your opponent isn't going to clip you with an elbow, try to break your nose with his knee in a clinch, and you never have to worry about getting taken down with a wrestling move or having your arm or leg broken by a submission hold. You stand, move and punch. It's kind of boring. Not that MMA isn't kind of boring too at times. Currently most of the main fights in a UFC event are getting kind of dull and predictable, but there was a time a couple of years ago that the same could be said, when it seemed like jujitsu was too dominant in the sport. Watching fights that are all about jujitsu can be kind of boring (and possibly more than a little gay, it's two guys laying on each other doing little moves trying to get a hold of the other, sometimes with their heads shoved in the other ones crotch), just like some of the stand up fights that are happening now are getting to be a little too cautious and boring (but I have reason to believe this is going to change soon with the new interjection of karate as the surprise weapon of the current light heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida. I can't adequately describe it, since I"m sort of dumb when it comes to martial arts, but seeing him him take apart Rashad Evans to win the championship one can see that his 'unorthadox' skills are going to change the way the sport is played out. ).
That in a long winded footnote is kind of why I like watching MMA fights and why this book was read un-ironically.
August 2, 2009
If you're a fan of low brow male chauvinist, poop and fart joke sophomoric humor (and who isn't?), this book is for you. If you are not a fan of poop or fart jokes, you are a liar, fart jokes are funny. Of course this book is more than sophomoric humor, it also gleans the nutty fellow that is Mr. Forrest Griffin, and what it took for him to become a championship level mixed martial arts fighter. Simply the very best martial arts theme book I have had the pleasure to sit down with.
January 3, 2013
Fear is a good thing because it keeps you alive,
but if if becomes so great that it hinders you from doing what you want,
you need to confront it head on.
- Forrest Griffin
Forrest Griffin is a Mixed Martial Arts fighter, a.k.a. a UFC Fighter...
And he's published his own book. How cool is that?!
Well, there are a few things that I learned about Mr. Griffin from his book, as early as the first page. Aside from being one of the top-ranked light-heavyweight MMA artists in the world...
~ He graduated with a degree in Political Science (That deep...)
~ He worked as a Police Officer before he became a fighter. (Oh well, this guy's photo must appear first in the list when you Google images of "police officers". The perfect picture.)
~ He can grow a set of muttonchops (Read: sideburns... And all this time I thought this was some kind of plant or mushroom. Men who can grow plants? Adorable.)
~ He's married. (Sorry ladies...and gents too.)
~ Forrest Griffin co-authored GOT FIGHT? with Mr. Erich Krauss, a Muay Thai fighter who has written at least 25 other books.
from various sources in the net
So what's so special about this book, anyway? This was the book I was referring to in this other post.... Remember the book that S found to be too pricey for his pocket? Turns out that I found the perfect occasion to buy the book for him so that it doesn't have to come from HIS pocket. I bought it as a Happy Trip Gift for him when he left for the Land of Pandas last July. It was also him who introduced me to the amazing world of UFC and MMA. I can still remember the nights when we go to local bars in eLBi on certain Saturday nights, order a single beer, and watch UFC for free.
Aside from the 50 Zen Principles of Hand-to-Face Combat which this book tells about (which only my dear husband enjoyed, because between the two of us, he's the only one who can relate to the technicalities of MMA), GOT FIGHT? is an informal instructional guide on exercising and asserting your own sense of MANHOOD, whatever personal interpretation you may have of such word. Tips on how to score chicks, get into (and hopefully survive!) street fights, endless bantering sessions with other testosterone-high guys, and a whole lot more.
Now you must be wondering why I read this book. I'm a girl. Well, hello Mr. Griffin! I'm probably one of the few little girls you've mentioned in your book, who would actually read your book from cover to cover. Haha! Oh yes, I may be a girl, but I believe that I think more like a man most of the time. I'm not your average dainty doe. Perhaps because I grew up with boy cousins and brothers all along. And I've been living with my 8-year-boyfriend-turned-husband bestfriend for the longest time.
I had a lot of fun with GOT FIGHT? Both my husband and I have finished the book but until now, we still recall and share with each other the funniest and most memorable lines we've found. Grab a copy of this book as a gift to the special boy in your life and you're guaranteed lots of guffaws from the toilet...
And a hug too. :)
*** This is the first book I ever bought at Fully Booked.
And oh, pardon the rants and drama in this post. I "tried" so hard to make a decent review. I guess I need to work harder on the serious stuff. LOL
but if if becomes so great that it hinders you from doing what you want,
you need to confront it head on.
- Forrest Griffin
Forrest Griffin is a Mixed Martial Arts fighter, a.k.a. a UFC Fighter...
And he's published his own book. How cool is that?!
Well, there are a few things that I learned about Mr. Griffin from his book, as early as the first page. Aside from being one of the top-ranked light-heavyweight MMA artists in the world...
~ He graduated with a degree in Political Science (That deep...)
~ He worked as a Police Officer before he became a fighter. (Oh well, this guy's photo must appear first in the list when you Google images of "police officers". The perfect picture.)
~ He can grow a set of muttonchops (Read: sideburns... And all this time I thought this was some kind of plant or mushroom. Men who can grow plants? Adorable.)
~ He's married. (Sorry ladies...and gents too.)
~ Forrest Griffin co-authored GOT FIGHT? with Mr. Erich Krauss, a Muay Thai fighter who has written at least 25 other books.
from various sources in the net
So what's so special about this book, anyway? This was the book I was referring to in this other post.... Remember the book that S found to be too pricey for his pocket? Turns out that I found the perfect occasion to buy the book for him so that it doesn't have to come from HIS pocket. I bought it as a Happy Trip Gift for him when he left for the Land of Pandas last July. It was also him who introduced me to the amazing world of UFC and MMA. I can still remember the nights when we go to local bars in eLBi on certain Saturday nights, order a single beer, and watch UFC for free.
Aside from the 50 Zen Principles of Hand-to-Face Combat which this book tells about (which only my dear husband enjoyed, because between the two of us, he's the only one who can relate to the technicalities of MMA), GOT FIGHT? is an informal instructional guide on exercising and asserting your own sense of MANHOOD, whatever personal interpretation you may have of such word. Tips on how to score chicks, get into (and hopefully survive!) street fights, endless bantering sessions with other testosterone-high guys, and a whole lot more.
Now you must be wondering why I read this book. I'm a girl. Well, hello Mr. Griffin! I'm probably one of the few little girls you've mentioned in your book, who would actually read your book from cover to cover. Haha! Oh yes, I may be a girl, but I believe that I think more like a man most of the time. I'm not your average dainty doe. Perhaps because I grew up with boy cousins and brothers all along. And I've been living with my 8-year-boyfriend-turned-husband bestfriend for the longest time.
I had a lot of fun with GOT FIGHT? Both my husband and I have finished the book but until now, we still recall and share with each other the funniest and most memorable lines we've found. Grab a copy of this book as a gift to the special boy in your life and you're guaranteed lots of guffaws from the toilet...
And a hug too. :)
*** This is the first book I ever bought at Fully Booked.
And oh, pardon the rants and drama in this post. I "tried" so hard to make a decent review. I guess I need to work harder on the serious stuff. LOL
April 18, 2020
This is the worst fighting book I have ever read. Before going into the book I was a fan of Forest and had a respect for him as a fighter and officer due to his career, but seeing his disregard for practical decency in even the simplest matters was disheartening. Though I can see much sarcasm in his writing, the bluntness and rudeness he uses to address manhood, females, the mentally disabled, and overall mentality of “bro-ness” unfortunately made my outlook and respect for Forest lessen.
If you think that being a man is all about swinging cock, head butting your way to victory, and prioritizing your guns and football trophies during an apartment fire instead of helping others out, then this book is perfect for your adolescent mind.
If however you have respect for yourself and are a young man wanting to grow to be more than a cave man, avoid this book entirely.
If you are sound in who you are and are looking for insight into one of the various fighters of MMA, go for it knowing you may be disappointed.
Close to burning this book upon completion I am, against my better judgment, donating it to a book store where hopefully it can be used to someone’s betterment and not detriment.
If you think that being a man is all about swinging cock, head butting your way to victory, and prioritizing your guns and football trophies during an apartment fire instead of helping others out, then this book is perfect for your adolescent mind.
If however you have respect for yourself and are a young man wanting to grow to be more than a cave man, avoid this book entirely.
If you are sound in who you are and are looking for insight into one of the various fighters of MMA, go for it knowing you may be disappointed.
Close to burning this book upon completion I am, against my better judgment, donating it to a book store where hopefully it can be used to someone’s betterment and not detriment.
February 17, 2021
This was a funny book. Even if you are not into fighting, his life is crazy to read about and has some good points to a lot of his tellings. Fun read, and fun to get to know Forrest Griffin.
September 12, 2021
UTTER. TRASH.
I could not finish this book because it was pure sexist, toxic masculinity garbage from beginning to end. Within the first 10 pages he had slandered women at least twice, and just continued to do so more and more to the point that even if this was some sort of act it has crossed any lines that existed on the floor. Someone needed to stand in front of him and say "HOW DID YOU MAKE IT THIS FAR DOWN THIS ONE WAY ROAD, YOU DISGUSTING PIG?" while wearing an orange crossing guard vest and blowing a whistle.
Let me catch my breath for a second, I'm just FLOORED, truly, by how horrible this book is. Who let this get published? And don't give me then "it was 2009" crap because that cannot be an excuse for describing wrestling with someone in dirty equipment as the same as GETTING SEXUALLY ASSAULTED.
...
You read that correctly. Apparently dirty gis are at the same level as rape. He goes on to explicitly describe what he thinks sexual assault victims must act like and proceeds to say something like "scrubbing yourself to erase the memories" or something, as if that's something you forget.
I can't.
Like, do I even need to say more?
Who.
Allowed this.
To be published?
Instead of being anything about fighting, this book slanders members of the LGBTQIA+ community, women, differently abled people, and literally anyone else who isn't a gun toting white man from the south.
This book is LITERAL FLAMING GARBAGE and I want it burned immediately.
I could not finish this book because it was pure sexist, toxic masculinity garbage from beginning to end. Within the first 10 pages he had slandered women at least twice, and just continued to do so more and more to the point that even if this was some sort of act it has crossed any lines that existed on the floor. Someone needed to stand in front of him and say "HOW DID YOU MAKE IT THIS FAR DOWN THIS ONE WAY ROAD, YOU DISGUSTING PIG?" while wearing an orange crossing guard vest and blowing a whistle.
Let me catch my breath for a second, I'm just FLOORED, truly, by how horrible this book is. Who let this get published? And don't give me then "it was 2009" crap because that cannot be an excuse for describing wrestling with someone in dirty equipment as the same as GETTING SEXUALLY ASSAULTED.
...
You read that correctly. Apparently dirty gis are at the same level as rape. He goes on to explicitly describe what he thinks sexual assault victims must act like and proceeds to say something like "scrubbing yourself to erase the memories" or something, as if that's something you forget.
I can't.
Like, do I even need to say more?
"What many people don't know, however, is that [herpes] is not just transmitted by engaging in dirty deeds with filthy whore bags."
Who.
Allowed this.
To be published?
Instead of being anything about fighting, this book slanders members of the LGBTQIA+ community, women, differently abled people, and literally anyone else who isn't a gun toting white man from the south.
This book is LITERAL FLAMING GARBAGE and I want it burned immediately.
June 28, 2009
While I had no real idea what to expect when I first cracked this book open, it didn't take long to stumble upon the off-kilter sense of humor that UFC fans know as Forrest Griffin.
The thing that startled me, though, was that Forrest was actually imparting (what seems to be) sound fighting/conditioning/survival advice. In between one-liners and zingers about sex, he was imparting his views on how to break into the fight game, what to expect, and what to look out for. You also got a little more information on the young (and entirely imbalanced) Forrest Griffin, as well as his history prior to becoming the first TUF winner.
Now I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't a fan of Forrest when I first saw him (coming in very late after the first season of TUF). But then, the more of Forrest I saw, the more I liked him. He's just so humble, fun and quirky that you get kind of drawn in. I mean, you can't help but like a guy who, after his second bout with Stephan Bonnar, told the entire viewing audience that he had fought that fight with an inflamed vagina.
At any rate, this is a hi-freaking-larious read, and is made even better by additional short-stories and asides that were added by Big John McCarthy, Adam Singer and Luke (all of which are titled "Dick in a Box"). He writes like he's having a normal conversation, and doesn't hold back on his opinions, rants or ideas. In the end, it's mostly funny, slightly juvenile, but entirely entertaining.
The thing that startled me, though, was that Forrest was actually imparting (what seems to be) sound fighting/conditioning/survival advice. In between one-liners and zingers about sex, he was imparting his views on how to break into the fight game, what to expect, and what to look out for. You also got a little more information on the young (and entirely imbalanced) Forrest Griffin, as well as his history prior to becoming the first TUF winner.
Now I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't a fan of Forrest when I first saw him (coming in very late after the first season of TUF). But then, the more of Forrest I saw, the more I liked him. He's just so humble, fun and quirky that you get kind of drawn in. I mean, you can't help but like a guy who, after his second bout with Stephan Bonnar, told the entire viewing audience that he had fought that fight with an inflamed vagina.
At any rate, this is a hi-freaking-larious read, and is made even better by additional short-stories and asides that were added by Big John McCarthy, Adam Singer and Luke (all of which are titled "Dick in a Box"). He writes like he's having a normal conversation, and doesn't hold back on his opinions, rants or ideas. In the end, it's mostly funny, slightly juvenile, but entirely entertaining.
September 30, 2012
Many a moon have I followed Forrest's MMA career and scratched my head trying to understand what goes on in his head. Griffin was kind of an enigma to me - I'll tell you why. The guy fights like a dog inside the cage, projects this fun and humorous persona outside the cage, but when he loses a fight, he breaks down in hysteria on national television sobbing with tears of deep emotional pain. Shouldn't he be this "I don't care" kind of a tough S.O.B.? Why is he losing his cool in front of millions of viewers? Well, I've got my answer. This book perfectly illustrated how [with age] this man developed a thick shell of sarcasm and comedy to cover the deep emotional trauma of his teenage years. Hell, I'm no psychiatrist (I even slept through my mandatory psychology classes), but I see a messed up childhood when I read one. Little Forrest was emotionally abused by his peers, beaten up on a constant basis and even tried taking his own life at an early age. Of course, staying true to his silly style of writing, Griffin sprinkles in these disturbing facts along with chuckles and giggles, so to speak, but it doesn't make them any less unsettling. After reading this short book and learning of his troubled early years of life, you find it hard to root against the guy in his fights.
April 21, 2010
Who Moved My Nose?...
No seriously, its a comedy!
Forrest Griffin's "Got Fight?" isn't just the next autobiograhy about an MMA fighter, ala Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes, Randy Couture & Jens Pulver. In fact, this book won't really tell you all that much about Griffin's life, but it will make you laugh and fill your mind with absurd stories that Forrest has actually lived through.
From Forrest's college days, to his dirty apartment where he played the movie "Good Will Hunting" on a continous loop to his first MMA fight, the hilarious stories pile up quickly.
My favorite part of the book was the mini stories, told by Forrest's friends, I've retold each one a dozen times to friends that I know are Griffin & MMA fans.
Forrest so kindly even has a whole section in the back of the book where he shows you his MMA moves step by step, although I probably wouldn't recommend his Asain Dart technique.
Funny, funny book and if I could give you one piece of advice after reading "Got Fight?", do not, EVER, cut Forrest Griffin off if you see him driving.....
No seriously, its a comedy!
Forrest Griffin's "Got Fight?" isn't just the next autobiograhy about an MMA fighter, ala Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes, Randy Couture & Jens Pulver. In fact, this book won't really tell you all that much about Griffin's life, but it will make you laugh and fill your mind with absurd stories that Forrest has actually lived through.
From Forrest's college days, to his dirty apartment where he played the movie "Good Will Hunting" on a continous loop to his first MMA fight, the hilarious stories pile up quickly.
My favorite part of the book was the mini stories, told by Forrest's friends, I've retold each one a dozen times to friends that I know are Griffin & MMA fans.
Forrest so kindly even has a whole section in the back of the book where he shows you his MMA moves step by step, although I probably wouldn't recommend his Asain Dart technique.
Funny, funny book and if I could give you one piece of advice after reading "Got Fight?", do not, EVER, cut Forrest Griffin off if you see him driving.....
November 3, 2010
As "one of the five women who bought this book," and the "one woman who read it," I have to say that I found this book so hilarious that I bought his second book Be Ready When the Sh*t Goes Down: A Survival Guide to the Apocalypse the week it came out. To be honest, I was a Forrest fan before I picked this book up and initially purchased it for my boyfriend, but after reading the first few pages, Forrest's self-deprecating style of humor won me over a second time. My boyfriend and I both found ourselves laughing out loud so frequently with this book came out that we decided to take turns reading so as to not give anything away.
April 9, 2013
I'm a fan of MMA, so this was a "must read" for me. The writing is funny, but it is also a bit (ok, really, really) misogynistic and homophobic and just kind of "big dumb guy" stuff. I liked it and there were times when I laughed out loud, but it isn't for the sensitive and doesn't contain any "game plan" type of information. The book is made up of funny anecdotes, some common sense "fight tips," a few crude jokes, and what I hope is a little insight into the personality of one of MMA's toughest fighters.
I'd recommend this to a Griffin fan, but not to a casual fan or someone who I wanted to check out the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.
I'd recommend this to a Griffin fan, but not to a casual fan or someone who I wanted to check out the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.
January 3, 2010
Forrest Griffin is a real treat--in the Octagon and between the covers of this sweet surprise of a book. I expected to find the essence of a ghost writer rather than Griffin's--but not so. It's clever and cutting and "knock you the f out" funny. As tenacious as he is in the cage, Griffin does not give up until he has his reader in a belly laugh. My highest recommendations--even a reader who hasn't seen this Mayberry RFD look-alike fight will find something to love in this book. A great read for anyone interested in the world of Mixed Martial Arts and the developing subculture.
May 15, 2010
Not bad! From reading this book, Forrest Griffin sounds like a shrewd, funny, and pretty decent character, although he's also about as crude, vulgar, non-PC, and sometimes sophomoric as they get - those latter traits might offend me more if my own sensibilities hadn't been warped by a lot of years in the military and then working in the prison system, both cultures where he'd fit right in.
Anyway, if he ends up fighting anywhere within a reasonable distance of where I live I'll go watch his match, and if he writes another book, I'll read it.
Anyway, if he ends up fighting anywhere within a reasonable distance of where I live I'll go watch his match, and if he writes another book, I'll read it.
February 17, 2010
I laughed really hard.
But I also became paranoid that Jim is going to get herpes at jiu-jitsu practice.
But I also became paranoid that Jim is going to get herpes at jiu-jitsu practice.
June 12, 2014
Finished it last night, still laughing. Although I feel that I actually might be a little dumber now.
October 6, 2024
This book is a lot of things. It certainly has advice about fighting, but that is everything.
First, I want to say that I was surprised by how modest Forrest Griffin is in this book, especially given the over-the-top review he gives himself on the backcover. When he wants to illustrate an example of a lessons, he is just as likely to bring up a mistake he's made or a loss he suffered than a victory. In fact, he'll mention several fighters favorably to himself. For instance, "X is manlier than me" or "Y is a better fighter than me" or "I underestimated Z and he beat the stuffing out of me."
Humor is part of the book's appeal. There is a lot of humor here. Mind you, much of it is low-brow humor. There's a joke everywhere, in the mentality tips, the fighting techniques, the physical conditioning, etc. He also has his fighter buddies writing side-column stuff about what a nutjob he is that had me howling with laughter.
Then again, there are a LOT of tangents here. Some of the stuff goes a /little/ outside of the book's stated focus, such as how to lose weight prior to weighting in before a fight and then quickly regain it before the fight. That would only be useful for someone who is trying to be a mixed martial artist. Then there is stuff that is totally irrelevant, like how to get into fancy bars or the movies he likes.
There is a lot of, for lack of a more concise term "Forest Griffin-ness" in this book. The humor is crude and a lot of his personal opinions are on display. He has good advice on fighter mentality, preparing for fights physically, how to deal with stress, etc. You'll just have to wade through his thoughts on many other topics. I doubt Forrest Griffin has any filter to speak of. To be fair to him, the vast majority of the jokes are at his own expense.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "Got Fight?" a B+
First, I want to say that I was surprised by how modest Forrest Griffin is in this book, especially given the over-the-top review he gives himself on the backcover. When he wants to illustrate an example of a lessons, he is just as likely to bring up a mistake he's made or a loss he suffered than a victory. In fact, he'll mention several fighters favorably to himself. For instance, "X is manlier than me" or "Y is a better fighter than me" or "I underestimated Z and he beat the stuffing out of me."
Humor is part of the book's appeal. There is a lot of humor here. Mind you, much of it is low-brow humor. There's a joke everywhere, in the mentality tips, the fighting techniques, the physical conditioning, etc. He also has his fighter buddies writing side-column stuff about what a nutjob he is that had me howling with laughter.
Then again, there are a LOT of tangents here. Some of the stuff goes a /little/ outside of the book's stated focus, such as how to lose weight prior to weighting in before a fight and then quickly regain it before the fight. That would only be useful for someone who is trying to be a mixed martial artist. Then there is stuff that is totally irrelevant, like how to get into fancy bars or the movies he likes.
There is a lot of, for lack of a more concise term "Forest Griffin-ness" in this book. The humor is crude and a lot of his personal opinions are on display. He has good advice on fighter mentality, preparing for fights physically, how to deal with stress, etc. You'll just have to wade through his thoughts on many other topics. I doubt Forrest Griffin has any filter to speak of. To be fair to him, the vast majority of the jokes are at his own expense.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "Got Fight?" a B+
July 29, 2021
If you miss living in a frat/military barracks/communist work camp with your bros and repeating the same fart and shit jokes ad nauseum, comparing dicks and foreskins, and arguing about Kevin's claim that the first guy to contract AIDs was a scientist that got busy with a lab monkey, this is the correct background to enjoying the content of Forrest Griffin's mind. When you remember the first time most people were introduced to Forrest was on the first season of the Ultimate Fighter where he mashed a banana in his face, peel and all while screeching like a monkey, it really shouldn't come as much a surprise. With all the casual misogyny, racism, and homophobia such a background implies, Forrest pretends he's gonna teach you about fighting, but really it's just an excuse to go off on whatever tangents he wants, which is just fine. Hilarious stories by his friends, stone-faced sarcasm that you sometimes can't quite tell if he's joking, it's the sort of juvenile humor every young adult male loves.
April 18, 2020
Some juvenile humour and writing style was what I craved and I found it here.
Not anything earth shattering, but I did learn a thing or two.
I watched the UFC early on in its infancy.
A couple of drinks, watch the fights, head out to the bar (or watch the fights at the bar).
I never studied it and didn’t think much of the fighters.
Fighting, like anything when you actually take time to analyze it, is like a chess match. There is much more going on in the octagon then the uneducated are led to believe. This is not just swinging your arms and hoping to connect - if that’s you MO in any fight, you should get your clock cleaned.
Enjoyable read with some off colour commentary and jokes.
As stated, exactly what I was seeking.
Thanks Forrest.
Not anything earth shattering, but I did learn a thing or two.
I watched the UFC early on in its infancy.
A couple of drinks, watch the fights, head out to the bar (or watch the fights at the bar).
I never studied it and didn’t think much of the fighters.
Fighting, like anything when you actually take time to analyze it, is like a chess match. There is much more going on in the octagon then the uneducated are led to believe. This is not just swinging your arms and hoping to connect - if that’s you MO in any fight, you should get your clock cleaned.
Enjoyable read with some off colour commentary and jokes.
As stated, exactly what I was seeking.
Thanks Forrest.
February 4, 2025
Probably my favorite UFC fighter. Sure, there were other guys with more skill & talent, but Forrest Griffen had heart. And probably a little crazy too. Some fighters are boring to watch, Not Forrest Griffen,- his fights were always entertaining. I don't think the guy could do boring if he tried. Quite possibly one of the nicest guys in the UFC, so of course I snatched up his book, and the other one. They are nicely displayed on my UFC shelf along with Matt Hughes and Michael Bisping, and others. But his books are more like "What the Hell did I just read?!?" While the others follow a more traditional memoir type of story.
Should you read it? Of course you should! Everybody should!! The guy is a legend.
Should you read it? Of course you should! Everybody should!! The guy is a legend.
September 25, 2017
This is by far my favorite book, it is really funny but also very informative. This book goes through the mental and physical aspects of fighting. Forrest Griffin (the author) explains his points of views on many things and teaches how to turn your love for mma into a career. It also teaches and shows how hard it really is to make a career out of fighting professionally. This book really captivated my attention as a reader because of the writing style and humor incorporated into the book. I would really recommend this book to anyone who is getting into the sport or wants to know more about mma. Overall 5 stars!
October 12, 2021
Not sure what this book is supposed to be. It’s not listed as humor, but sports on the back cover. But it’s obviously not serious... or very funny. It’s part auto-biography, part actual fighting advice...I think. Any moment biographical details were mentioned I would become interested, only to have things end in a punchline that left me uncertain if they were real or not.
I have to finish books- unless they’re too technical. It took me forever to read this one because I kept putting it down in frustration every 3 pages, but could not bring myself to just throw it out.
I have to finish books- unless they’re too technical. It took me forever to read this one because I kept putting it down in frustration every 3 pages, but could not bring myself to just throw it out.
July 16, 2021
Forrest is my favourite fighter, but I was not a fan of this book. It certainly has not aged well and even though you can tell some bits are to get a laugh they still aren’t very funny. Lots of comments made about being gay, women, and toxic masculinity. That being said, the pictures included at the end were a highlight especially the one with the dog. Still wondering why the pictures weren’t in colour though…
February 3, 2023
Loved it,not sure if it was ment to be a humor book or instructional. Either way well worth the read
Very good read even if you have no idea who Forrest is. This is the first book I've finished reading in last few years. I've started more then I care to mention but this book I found hard to put down.
Next up I'll try his other book, hopefully it's just as humorous.
GO FORREST GO!!!!-
Very good read even if you have no idea who Forrest is. This is the first book I've finished reading in last few years. I've started more then I care to mention but this book I found hard to put down.
Next up I'll try his other book, hopefully it's just as humorous.
GO FORREST GO!!!!-
May 14, 2017
I am a fighter...
...
jaja
Ha
Ha
....
ha
...
Jospa
....
50 Zen Master
...
(Note: Just messing with ya... not bad book but few tactics and I bet that there weren't 50...
... the test was strange as hell.)
...
jaja
Ha
Ha
....
ha
...
Jospa
....
50 Zen Master
...
(Note: Just messing with ya... not bad book but few tactics and I bet that there weren't 50...
... the test was strange as hell.)
October 8, 2021
Weird, strange trip into Forrest’s head. I read it in a day and a half and I’m still not sure I liked it.
MMA fans, mostly male, would enjoy this book. It’s a very odd structure with no real coherent story, but it’s a fun, easy read and I think that’s the point. I think.
MMA fans, mostly male, would enjoy this book. It’s a very odd structure with no real coherent story, but it’s a fun, easy read and I think that’s the point. I think.
Read
January 26, 2025I love Forrest, as do all MMA fans, but the writing style of this parody self defense book hasn't aged well and/or my tolerance for bro humour is now barely existent compared to when I read this 15+ years ago. Any number of stars 1 through 5 feels wrong
July 6, 2017
Funny enough, but not for the easily offended. Good for a quick read.
July 18, 2017
quite amusing... also informative
November 30, 2018
Funny for sure.
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