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A number of new professional wrestling books will be released over the next several months. Here is the breakdown, in chronological order of release:
4/2 - Macho Man: The Untamed, Unbelievable Life of Randy Savage by by Jon Finkel
Oooohhh yeahhhh!
Macho Man: The Life of Randy Savage is the sensational, definitive biography of the WrestleMania headlining, Spider-Man fighting, Slim Jim snapping, minor league baseball playing American original: Randy Savage.
Savage, a WWE wrestling hall of famer, was an A-list celebrity who sat atop the entertainment universe for much of the ’80s and ’90s. His outfits were as flamboyant as anything worn by Liberace, Elton John, or Prince. His charisma surpassed Hulk Hogan’s and is rivaled only by “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and The Rock. His millions of fans are more loyal than followers of any sports team.
Macho Man starred in cartoons, was featured on lunchboxes, sold a slew of action figures and toys, was in multiple video games, guest starred on Baywatch, Mad About You, and Walker, Texas Ranger, and made multiple appearances on iconic ’90s talk shows. He supported a myriad of kids’ charities, emceed Christmas events at hospitals for George Steinbrenner, played minor league baseball with Pete Rose, was the Harvard Lampoon’s “Real Man of the Year,” and held his family’s wrestling legacy above all else.
With catchphrases and a voice still imitated by millions to this day, and with his GIFs reaching hundreds of millions of views on social media, the Macho Man is a transcendent figure who led an extraordinary life.
***
4/2 - The Six Pack: On the Open Road in Search of Wrestlemania by Brad Balukjian
From the bestselling author of The Wax Pack, comes another eye‑opening road trip adventure into a pocket of iconic pop culture—professional wrestling—starring the Iron Sheik, Hulk Hogan, Tito Santana, and many more larger‑than‑life characters of the WWF of the 1980s.
In 2005, Brad Balukjian left his position as a magazine fact-checker to pursue a dream job: partner with his childhood hero, The Iron Sheik (whose real name was Khosrow Vaziri), to write his biography. Things quickly went south, culminating in the Sheik threatening Balukjian’s life. Now seventeen years later, Balukjian returns to the road in search of not only a reunion with the Sheik, but something much bigger: truth in a world built on illusion.
Balukjian seeks out six of the Sheik’s contemporaries, fellow witnesses to the World Wrestling Federation’s (WWF) explosion in the mid-‘80s, to unearth their true identities. As Balukjian drives 12,525 miles around the country, we revisit the heady days when these avatars of strength, villainy, and heroism first found fame and see where their journeys took them. From working out with Tony Atlas (Tony White) to visiting Hulk Hogan’s (Terry Bollea) karaoke bar, we see where these men are now and how they have navigated the cliffs of fame.
The Six Pack combines the spirit of a fan with the rigor of an investigative reporter, tracking down former WWF employees, childhood friends, and mutually curious archivists. Wrestling is perceived as a subculture without a cultural home, somewhere between sport and theater—often dismissed as silly and low‑brow. But what makes this book so compelling is the humanity beneath each wrestler. The Iron Sheik, Hulk Hogan, and the rest of the cast were not characters in a comic book movie. They were real people, with families and feelings and bodies that could break. Most of them did, in fact, break; some have been repaired, but none of them will ever be the same.
***
4/2 - Our Fight: A Memoir by Ronda Rousey
From New York Times bestselling author and trailblazing athlete Ronda Rousey, an unfiltered chronicle of loss, resilience and finding meaning in life’s journey.
From the moment she burst onto the MMA scene, Ronda Rousey was unbeatable. She repeatedly strung together back-to-back flawless victories, racking up a collection of records and forever changing the face of sports as the UFC’s first female champion. A superstar in her sport, she transcended athletics, appearing in blockbuster films and becoming a role model for women everywhere. Then, on November 15, 2015, it all came crashing down.
In OUR FIGHT, Rousey explores the greatest challenge of her life and, ultimately, how she rebuilt her life into something better in the aftermath. She recounts how she replaced her pursuit of perfection with the pursuit of happiness and found an opportunity in disguise amongst the wreckage. Following Rousey’s relatable journey, OUR FIGHT is a courageous narrative of career changes, marriage, motherhood, and facing your fears.
****
5/7 - Business Is About to Pick Up!: 50 Years of Wrestling in 50 Unforgettable Calls by Jim Ross and Paul O'Brien
Experience 50 years of wrestling history through the iconic voice of Jim Ross.
For wrestling fans, Jim Ross’ voice is the soundtrack of an era. This book is your ringside ticket to wrestling’s most unforgettable moments—from the announcer who made them iconic.
In the last 50 years, professional wrestling has risen up from a collection of regional territories to become a global phenomenon—and Jim Ross has been there for it all. From the grit and glory days of the 1970s with NWA, to the rise of WCW and the heyday of WWF and WWE, to signing on as on-air talent and senior advisor for wrestling’s newest chapter at AEW, Jim Ross has long had the best seat in the house.
Now, in 50 definitive chapters, chronicling 50 iconic calls across 50 unforgettable years, Business Is About to Pick Up! takes you into the ring, and behind the scenes, as only Jim Ross can.
Immerse yourself in sports entertainment’s most dramatic moments, biggest shocks, and history-making firsts—from watershed collisions like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin versus Bret “Hitman” Hart to industry-shaping milestones like the debut of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the rise of John Cena and Dave Bautista as Hollywood A-list stars, and the birth of All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Then debate which moments Jim Ross just had to include . . . and what else should’ve made his list.
This book is a celebration of pro wrestling’s past, present, and future—narrated by the Voice of Wrestling himself, who was ringside to call it all.
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