Sport biographies are often predictable and tend to focus on athletic prowess. Duh, right? Perhaps that's what makes the majority of these stories boring to me...I've heard it all before. Which is why Heart For The Fight: A Marine Captain's Journey from Assault Platoon Leader to Mixed Martial Arts Cagefighting Champion was such a refreshing read. You see, Heart For The Fight tells the story of former WEC champion Brian Stann, and it's hardly about MMA alone. In fact, I wouldn't even call this a book about an MMA fighter specifically.
Rather, it's the story of war hero that's already done more with his life than most.
The Specifics
- Title: Heart For The Fight: A Marine Captain's Journey from Assault Platoon Leader to Mixed Martial Arts Cagefighting Champion
- Author: Brian Stann, with John R. Bruning
- List Price: $28.00
- Publisher: Quayside Publishing Group (Zenith Press)
- Published Date: September 2010
- Type: Trade Paperback
How It All Goes Down
You'll learn of Stann's early years growing up on the tough streets of Scranton, Pennsylvania, his experience playing football for the Naval Academy, his exploits as a platoon commander in Iraq, and the emotions that he went through as multiple friends of his were killed in combat. In addition, you'll learn of his MMA beginnings and how they're tied to his military service, while hearing the story of how he gained a WEC Championship and a revenge match UFC victory.
Think about that: Stann made it through tough times in Scranton, played football for Navy, served his country as a platoon commander in Iraq, and now fights professionally in MMA. That's a book by itself. Add in his relationship with his wife and some controversy surrounding allegations made by a woman and you have one gripping page turner.
In The End
Heart For The Fight is one of the better sports biographies I've read in a long time because it's not all about sports- it's about the heroic spirit of a man that has done more in his short time on earth than many do in a lifetime. Don't pick this book up if you're looking for a cookie cutter story on an MMA athlete. Rather, pick it up if you want to be inspired. I highly recommend it.
