Tough Guys (book)

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Tough Guys
AuthorBill Viola Jr, Dr. Fred Adams[1][2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreMixed Martial Arts
Published2017
PublisherKumite Classic Entertainment[3]
Media typePrint, Kindle[4]
Pages447
ISBN978-0-9961633-0-9

Tough Guys is non-fiction mixed martial arts book inspired by CV Productions Inc., and the Tough Guy Contest.[1][2][5] The book was written by Bill Viola Jr., and Dr. Fred Adams and published by Kumite Classic Entertainment in 2017.[6][7][8][9] It was the basis for the 2017 film Tough Guys which made its network television debut on Showtime.[10][11][12][13][14]

Background[edit]

Tough Guys was originally published under the title Godfathers of MMA (2014).[1][2][15] The Heinz History Center, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, discovered the book and subsequently established a permanent exhibit to recognize Pittsburgh as the birthplace of modern sport of MMA in the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum.[3][16][17][18]

New York based MinusL Productions secured the rights to produce a documentary film about the history of MMA and used the book as the basis for the film named Tough Guys co-starring Bill Viola Sr., the author's father.[12] Tough Guys made its world premiere June 15, 2017 at the AFI Docs Film Festival in Washington, D.C.[19][20]

The book was updated and rebranded as Tough Guys (2017) and published the same day as the network television debut of Tough Guys on Showtime.[2][21] The re-released commemorative edition peaked at No. 1 on the Amazon individual sports charts September, 2017.[5][6][22][17][18]

Summary[edit]

The book is a noted MMA resource and historical reference for early competition.[5][23][24][25] Tough Guys documents mixed martial arts in the late 1970s-1980s.[26][27] In 1979, Bill Viola Sr. and Frank Caliguri established CV Productions Inc. and created a new sport that combined martial arts, boxing, wrestling, jujutsu and various forms of combat sports. The “anything goes” Tough Guy Contest[12][20][8] introduced regulated mixed martial arts competition to America and launched the first MMA league, later rebranded as “Super Fighters.”[27][28][15]

Tough Guys chronicles mixed martial arts a decade before the term became popular or the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was created.[12][23][29] It details the Toughman (boxing) vs Tough Guy (MMA) controversy, the death of Ronald Miller and the Tough Guy Law which outlawed mixed martial arts in 1983.[24][30] Tough Guys documents the sports early history and legal issues with the Pennsylvania State Legislature and Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission.[27][24] It concludes with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania outlawing mixed martial arts.[24][31]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "40 Under 40: 2016". October 19, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d Guth, Jonathan. "'Tough Guys' book an inspiring read". heraldstandard.com.
  3. ^ a b Madarasz, Anne. "Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum". journals.psu.edu. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  4. ^ "Amazon listing". www.amazon.com. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  5. ^ a b c Trombola, Nick. Martial arts master. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. (September 27, 2019).
  6. ^ a b "Forging a Path for Half a Century". Black Belt Magazine. September 12, 2019.
  7. ^ Bowen, Jessie.(2017). Who’s Who in the Martial Arts. Elite Publication. ISBN 9781387161539
  8. ^ a b "Alumni Updates: Winter 2018". Pitt Magazine.
  9. ^ "/ccpa/". TribLIVE.com.
  10. ^ "Showtime's 'Tough Guys' documentary explores MMA's early roots in 1980s Pittsburgh". September 13, 2017.
  11. ^ "Tough Guys". June 15, 2017 – via IMDb.
  12. ^ a b c d Chiappetta, Mike (September 15, 2017). "'Tough Guys' documentary sheds welcome light on forgotten MMA tourney that pre-dates UFC 1". MMA Fighting.
  13. ^ Guerry, Matthew. Book Review: “Godfathers of MMA” WHIRL Magazine. (8/24/2016)
  14. ^ "/ccpa/". TribLIVE.com.
  15. ^ a b "How Pennsylvania's Tough Guy Contest Gave Birth to Modern Day MMA". June 16, 2020.
  16. ^ Golden Gloves. Senator John Heinz History Center
  17. ^ a b "City Council meeting minutes" (PDF). www.alleghenycounty.us. 2019. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  18. ^ a b "WHIRL Magazine: December 2017". Issuu.
  19. ^ Page-Kirby, Kristen. "AFI Docs is your ticket to 3 world-premiere films" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  20. ^ a b McNary, Dave (June 13, 2017). "Morgan Spurlock to Exec Produce MMA Origins Documentary 'Tough Guys' (EXCLUSIVE)".
  21. ^ "Showtime documentary proves Pittsburgh-area early mixed martial arts fighters were 'Tough Guys'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  22. ^ "Tough Guys MMA Book reaches #1 on Amazon best sellers list". September 19, 2017.
  23. ^ a b "From Pittsburgh roots, MMA, UFC have grown to staggering heights". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  24. ^ a b c d "Two Pittsburgh Tough Guys Made MMA Safe for Everyone But Themselves". MEL Magazine. May 14, 2019.
  25. ^ "The Early Years of MMA Were a 'No-Holds-Barred Freakshow' That Couldn't Be More Different From…". MEL Magazine. July 7, 2018.
  26. ^ "The Zuffa myth and UFC auteur theory". ESPN.com. August 24, 2010.
  27. ^ a b c Nash, John S. (May 23, 2012). "Before Fighting Was Ultimate It Was Super". Bloody Elbow.
  28. ^ Blinebury, Fran. "No Holds Barred as the Super Brawlers Take Over the Civic Center." Philadelphia Journal: Jun 13, 1980, 27.
  29. ^ Gross, Josh. Ali vs Inoki - The Forgotten Fight that Inspired MMA ISBN 9781942952190
  30. ^ Benagh, Jim (May 18, 1981). "Toughman Boxing Brings Controversy (Published 1981)" – via NYTimes.com.
  31. ^ "MMA's Forgotten Forefathers" (PDF). toughguycontest.com. 2013. Retrieved 2020-12-01.

Further reading[edit]

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