Note: Ali vs. Inoki Wins Wrestling Observer Book of the Year 2016

Josh Gross' Ali vs. Inoki: The Forgotten Fight That Inspired Mixed Martial Arts and Launched Sports Entertainment picks up the 2016 Wrestling Observer Award for Best Pro Wrestling Book. Runners up were: Accepted by Pat Patterson and Rowdy: The Roddy Piper Story by Ariel and Colt Toombs.

Review will be posted in the coming days.

Available at Amazon USA CAN UK

Released: The Official WWE Book of Rules: (And How To Break Them)

The Official WWE Book of Rules: (And How To Break Them)
By WWE Editors, Daniel Bryan (Foreword)

The Official WWE Book of Rules has been released by Media-Lab Books for the WWE. 

From Amazon: 
Do you know the difference between a Hollywood Backlot Brawl and a Brooklyn Street Fight? What happens at the end of an Iron Man match if there's no clear victor? Which move is off-limits inside a WWE ring? With The Official WWE Book of Rules, you'll no longer need to ask. This complete guide to every single style of WWE match-stipulation or otherwise, lays out all of WWE's rules (many published for the first time) and also calls out Superstars who have no problem breaking them. With insight and commentary from WWE's brightest Superstars as well as veteran referees, it's the ultimate companion to anyone who believes rules were made to be broken.

It is currently available in Paperback at Amazon.com and Amazon.ca

Released: I'm A Mark Dreams And Destiny of A Wrestling Fan By Fred Esposito

I'm A Mark: Dreams and Destiny of a Wrestling Fan by Fred Esposito with a foreword by Wrestling Observer / Figure Four Weekly's Bryan Alvarez was released in the Fall of 2016. I'm A Mark is the autobiographical account of a long-time wrestling fan who fell short of attaining his dream of working for the WWE. For an independent release, the book has been generating a fair bit of internet buzz. It is available on ebook and paperback. 

Available at Amazon. USA CAN

New Release: "Teeny" Professional Wrestling's Grand Dame. By Brennon Martin

Brennon Martin, grandson of Christine Jarrett (AKA Teeny) has released a new book chronicling the life and times of one of the most influential females in the pro wrestling business. Jarrett was a key figure in the office of the Memphis wrestling territory for several decades. She was the mother of promoter/booker Jerry Jarrett and grandmother of Jeff Jarrett.

The book has been added to the Amazon stores: USA CAN

Review: The Three Count: My Life In Stripes As A WWE Referee By Jimmy Korderas

The Three Count: My Life In Stripes As A WWE Referee
Jimmy Korderas, Adam "Edge" Copeland (Foreword)
ECW Press, 2013
Paperback, Ebook

For over 20 years, Jim Korderas was a main stay with the WWF/E. While best remembered as a referee, Korderas began his career with the WWF in 1985 as a driver and member of the ring crew working for Jack Tunney at the WWF Toronto office. Korderas soon became a full-time referee and held the position - apart from a brief hiatus - until 2009. The book recounts Korderas' career from his entry into the business - at the apex of the Hulkamania era, through the New Generation, Attitude and Ruthless Aggression Eras - until the years immediately following his 2009 departure. Since leaving the WWF/E, Korderas has made a name for himself in the broadcasting world as a regular co-host of

Announced: Saint Mick By Mick Foley

Earlier this week, Polis Books announced the upcoming release Saint Mick by Mick Foley. The book is described as a "part jolly memoir, part whimsical ode to a lifetime love affair with Christmas, part time solemn tribute to the power of finding the best part of oneself in the unlikeliest of places." The book is due for release on Oct 17, 2017.

Available for pre-order at Amazon. US CAN UK

Review: Fritz Von Erich: Master Of The Iron Claw By Ron G. Mullinax

Fritz Von Erich: Master Of The Iron Claw
By Ron G. Mullinax
Hats Off Books, 2005
Paperback, Ebook

Note: This review was a difficult one to write due to the amount of conflicting information and debated subject matters relating to the Von Erich family. As I did while reading the book, I looked at the book as a purely autobiographical piece. I've tried to avoid falling down a rabbit hole of over analysing things about Fritz Von Erich and the Von Erich family that are based on rumour and/or conjecture. The book was written posthumously by a friend of Von Erich and took the form of a basic autobiography. Many readers may prefer a more in-depth work or a salacious tell-all, however, the author (whose own motives have been questioned) opted to tell Von Erich's story from his perspective. He does not question Von Erich's narrative as a typical biographer is likely to do.

The story of the rise and fall of the Von Erich family is a tragic yet captivating story that has intrigued wrestling fans for several decades. Fritz Von Erich was a successful wrestler and promoter. Von Erich was the guiding force behind the revolutionary Texas promotion