Let's Get It On!: The Making of MMA and Its Ultimate Referee (Spirit of the River Series)

I had no idea the debt that the sport of MMA, especially professional MMA owes Big John Mc Carthy, but it's huge. This book is a must read for those interested in the sport of mixed martial arts. John helped organise the original pre Zuffa, pre SEG UFC when it was nothing but an info-mercial for Rorion Gracie's gym He literally wrote the rule book for the sport - and then was a massive influence in getting the rules recognise by state regulators. To me the biggest down side of this book is John's integrity - he spoke of a few times he saw weakness, doubt etc in a fighter or organisation, but unless it is already out there is some form, he pretty much has not told us much that was pretty much unique to his viewpoint. Highly recommended despite that. If you're into MMA and want to understand the sport today, you should read this book to understand where it came from and how it got to where it is.

Most pro sports referees fade into the background and they like it like that. Few NFL refs are noticed, unless they blow a pass interference call. Major league baseball umps vie for notoriety with outlandish gyrations on strike-out calls, but please just try to name one. NBA refs only make headlines when they are caught betting on games, perhaps during their sentencing hearings. If fans know your name as a ref in most sports, that's not necessarily a good thing. Not so in mixed martial arts. Here we have a cast of characters almost as well known as some of the fighters. These refs in this increasingly popular sport are well known, somewhat celebs in their own right. Many have their own "signature" way of starting the fights. Some are understated and quietly professional, like Mario Yamasaki. Some just bark, "Fight!" Others, like Steve Mazzagatti, yell "Let's hook em'-up!" Perhaps the most iconic MMA ref tag-line, though, belongs to "Big" John McCarthy and his patented start to each contest, as he shakes his hand and exhorts the two fighters, "Let's get it on!" Big John has been around since the start of MMA and the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC). Now along comes his long-awaited autobiography, co-authored by Loretta Hunt. Hunt is one of the nation's premier MMA journalists. She attained some unintended notoriety of her own a few years ago in a well-publicized dust-up with UFC Emperor Dana White, who launched into a profanity-laced tantrum after one of Hunt's journalistic forays. In a sense, the story of Big John is the story of modern MMA. He was there at the beginning, from UFC 1 when a slender dude in white pajamas somehow was able to choke out and submit a succession of incredible hulks. So ... does Big John "get it on" in this book? Does he give us the inside scoop on the modern world of mixed martial arts? From his vantage point inside the octagon, does he bring us there in a credible way? To get to the good stuff, you first have to wade through about 100 pages of back story on Big John's upbringing. This is not bad, because it gives you a context for his interest in athletics and combative sports. As a member of the LAPD during the time of the Rodney King race riots, he became interested in non-lethal ways to control suspects. This led him to intersect with Rorion Gracie who, at the time, was popularizing his own variant of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Southern California. In turn, this growing collaboration with the Gracies gave McCarthy a front-row vantage point regarding the very first UFC events. He was, literally, "present at the creation" of the modern UFC and the phenomenon of mixed martial arts. Little known fact: before becoming the iconic ref for MMA events, Big John wanted to compete in UFC 2. Rorion Gracie nixed the idea, though, as he did not want Big John potentially having to fight Royce. Instead, he suggested that McCarthy wait until after Royce's reign ended, then get involved as a competitor. In the meantime, McCarthy continued reffing, grew increasingly comfortable in the role, and abandoned any thoughts of entering MMA as a competitor. Another little-known fact: the yardstick of "intelligently defending yourself" is a phrase and standard coined by McCarthy in the early days of MMA.. Before the ref had the power to stop a one-sided fight, he had to rely on the fighter either tapping out or the fighter's corner literally throwing in the towel. Stubborn corners often refused to do the latter, creating situations where Big John genuinely feared for a fighter's safety. Concerned about this, McCarthy prevailed upon Rorion Gracie to tweak the rules to enable the referee to end a fight when, in the ref's judgment, one of the fighters was not "intelligently defending himself." This made MMA safer, which in turn likely hastened its acceptance by a growing number of state athletic commissions. Much of the meat of book involves Big John going back, event by event, through the early days of the UFC. For some, this may be a tedious journey. For others, it is an interesting perspective on the early years of some fighters who are now luminaries but who were relative unknowns at the time, including Randy Couture, Vitor Belfort and B.J. Penn. He notes the way the sport was professionalized once Zuffa and the Fertita brothers purchased the franchise. This circumscribed the role which McCarthy had played during the SEG/Meyrowitz years of UFC ownership. Further, McCarthy found himself pulled in opposite career directions, trying to balance his police career with a growing involvement in MMA. In the final phase of LGIO, McCarthy traces the fall-out he had with Zuffa and the UFC. His take is that much of it started over a misunderstanding about travel logistics to an UFC event in London. As a jumbo-sized humanoid, McCarthy asked to be upgraded to business class for the marathon flight from Los Angeles to the UK. By the time this was relayed to Dana White and the UFC brass, they got the impression that McCarthy was holding them up by demanding a first-class upgrade. From there, the relationship frayed. Still, in time, Big John returned to the UFC fold, exited his self-imposed "retirement" and is once again one of the most recognizable features on the UFC/MMA landscape. McCarthy comes across as an earnest, no B.S. kind of guy, with no taste for bureaucracy or office politics. If you are a UFC or MMA fan, you will enjoy this book. You may never view Big John the same after you read this book and hear him exhort the fighters, "Let's get it ON!"

From start to finish this book is a must read for the true MMA fan. "Big John" has been around since UFC 2, from the days of style vs. style till today, which has seen MMA become a sport, and one of the fastest growing ones at that. If you're a true MMA fan, his unique insights and his point of view in the cage is a true gem for the reader to behold. Big John talks about greats such as Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock and some of the forgotten cage blazers like, Fred Ettish and Cal Worsham. Give it a try; I think you'll like it.

Loved the insights of Johns methodology of the in-fight process, and his opinion of fighter welfare etc. wasn't really interested in the background of the ufc as it's all been covered before ( however, if you're not familiar, prepare to get educated!). Some have criticized the "look at me" aspect of the story, but, In my opinion, that's a backstory that goes toward his mindset/explains where he's at. I've even written down a few of his quotes that struck a chord which I have put on my garage/gym wall. Well worth the read.

A few months ago, when the UFC was first airing on FOX, I went to a TGIFs to have dinner with a few friends. We wanted to watch the fight while we had dinner, and we asked one of the waitresses if she could put the channel on FOX sports. She asked me directly about what sport we were trying to view, and of course I told her that it was mixed martial arts - or, since she seemed to have no clue, I used the misnomer "Ultimate Fighting." She quickly frowned and replied, "That sport is too violent for this family restaurant; we don't show sports like that here," and she walked away. This was in 2011. This situation gave me a small glimpse into the resistance MMA enthusiats like John McCarthy have had to wrestle (no pun intended) against since the sport's inception in North America in 1993. John McCarthy has been defending the sport since UFC II, and has continuously argued against some of the sport's harshest critics. Yet, with an unflinching belief in the sport, McCarthy has not only defended the sport in front of various athletic commissions and a multitude of critics, but he has moved the sport forward by creating rules, training referees, and opening up a MMA gym. The book begins with McCarthy's troubles while growing up, which involved some bullying and some frequent street fights. He talks about his stint in power lifting and in bodybuilding. He goes on to discuss his time in the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and his first introduction to the sport of MMA. He talks - in candid detail - about training with Rorion Gracie and the early UFCs. Lastly, McCarthy spares no detail in this book. He goes into his falling out with the UFC and his time working for The Fight Network (TFN). This is undoubtedly one of the best books on the MMA market right now, and any true MMA fan will enjoy reading this book. Give this book a read, and I promise you that you won't be disappointed.

"The propaganda of the victor becomes the history of the vanquished." The TRUE history of MMA is now available in John McCarthy's "Let's Get it On!" Most everything else is just propaganda. John's incredible life story is the no holds barred (pun intended) history of what really went on in the traveling circus days of the early UFC,followed by its ascent to its current popular status. In typical John McCarthy fashion, he takes every opportunity to give credit where credit is due without being overly critical of those who would have killed MMA in its infancy. As an extra bonus, John's book objectively details the events in the years surrounding the riots in Los Angeles. Not unlike his service as the best referee in all of MMA, John served as one of LAPD's finest Officers, an Officer that many of us who served in those years actively sought to partner with. As luck would have it, John was "in the right place at the right time," to take his objectivity and consummate professionalism into what would become MMA. MMA as we know it exists because of John's early efforts. Disagree, agree? Doesn't matter, get this book, disregard the propaganda, and read the compelling TRUE history. Thanks John, truth reigns, un-vanquished! Joe Hamilton

The first half of the book describes John's life preceeding his involvement with the UFC. Many good anecdotes about his younger days, and his time with the LAPD. The book then transitions to his involvement in the organization's creation, and it's rules, and regulations. From no holds barred grappling, to today's unified rules. John clears up some myths about his falling out with Zuffa, and states in his own words why he left refereeing for a time. Overall it's a fun read if you are a fan of MMA.

Quite interesting, gives a good insight into the struggle the UFC had when first starting. I would have liked a bit more behind the scenes gossip on Dana and the fighters though. Big John did a lot for the UFC, more than I realised, although at times he comes across a little bit like he thinks he's tougher and meaner than the fighters. But definitely worth reading.