Mixed Martial Arts

MMA, mixed martial arts, is a relatively new form of professional sports that has experienced steadily increasing popularity over the past few decades. These graphics-rich titles offer stirring descriptions and lively action photos that aptly convey the intensity of these matches. MMA Heroic History explains how fights featuring two opponents that allow just about anything except biting and eye-gouging go back to ancient Greece and traces how schools of manual combat evolved around the world. MMA Ferocious Fighting Styles reviews the most common arts (boxing, wrestling, Brazilian Ju-Jitsu, kickboxing) and their strategic uses. MMA Lasting Legends profiles superstars of the sport, past and present, along with rising newcomers. MME Female Fighters profiles women competitors (and it’s notable that women are routinely included throughout the series). The writing in all four books is straightforward and authoritative, and the volumes share the same format: brief, photo-filled chapters; numerous subheadings, insets, and fact boxes; and title-specific timelines, glossaries, and QR-code bibliographies. There is some repetition across the titles (MMA vocabulary, how winners are determined, occasional images) and some books’ timeliness could be better (MMA Ferocious Fighting Styles is cur?rent through about 2020 and MMA Heroic History through 2019). That said, fans won’t care. There’s a dearth of material on this topic for this age group, and the attention-grabbing covers are sure to please. -Kathleen McBroom

—Mixed Martial Arts - Booklist (Jul 2023)

This fun and fact-packed series introduces readers to the exciting world of mixed martial arts. From the stars of the sport to the thrilling world of UFC, each book explores the history, cultural impact, rules, and living legends associated with this physically demanding and exhilarating sport. Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards. Abdo & Daughters is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.