About this item

An intimate profile of the legendary mixed martial arts (MMA) referee, this first full-length autobiography of pop culture icon “Big” John McCarthy details every aspect of his life—from his strong-handed Los Angeles upbringing to his involvement in the naming of the sport, his role in its regulation, and MMA’s rise in stature. The narrative follows “Big” John through his 22-year career as a Los Angeles police officer, where he taught recruits arrest and control procedures as well as survival tactics, then his 15-year career as MMA’s premier official in the chain-linked cage. A fixture of the sport, “Big” John started refereeing at UFC 2 in 1994 when MMA was in its infancy and went on to officiate at every major UFC event but two until 2007.



About the Author

Loretta Hunt

Loretta Hunt is a 15-year veteran sports, entertainment and human interest writer, as well as a New York Times bestselling co-author. Loretta was regular contributor to SportsIllustrated.com and CNN.com for four years. Loretta has been published by People.com, Sports Illustrated Magazine, LATimes.com, and ESPN.com, among others.

Loretta has co-written books with UFC legend Randy Couture, iconic MMA referee "Big" John McCarthy, and Fight for the Forgotten founder Justin Wren.



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