Tough Guys (book)

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]

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

Background

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

The book is a noted MMA resource and historical reference for early competition.[5][23][24][25] Tough Guys documents mixed martial arts in the late 1970s-1980s.[26][27] In 1979, Bill Viola Sr.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
  1. "40 Under 40: 2016". October 19, 2016.
  2. Guth, Jonathan. "'Tough Guys' book an inspiring read". heraldstandard.com.
  3. Madarasz, Anne. "Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum". journals.psu.edu. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  4. "Amazon listing". www.amazon.com. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  5. Trombola, Nick. Martial arts master. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. (September 27, 2019).
  6. "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 9871974413218
  8. "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. 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. "How Pennsylvania's Tough Guy Contest Gave Birth to Modern Day MMA". June 16, 2020.
  16. Golden Gloves. Senator John Heinz History Center
  17. "City Council meeting minutes" (PDF). www.alleghenycounty.us. 2019. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  18. "WHIRL Magazine: December 2017". Issuu.
  19. Page-Kirby, Kristen. "AFI Docs is your ticket to 3 world-premiere films" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  20. 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. "From Pittsburgh roots, MMA, UFC have grown to staggering heights". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  24. "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. 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
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