Combat Sports Books

The focus of my research is combat sports from 1866 to 1928.  I do have to admit that most of my research has focused on legitimate professional wrestling prior to the 1920s but I do cover other subjects.  Here is the current list of books, which are all available on Amazon in e-book, audiobook, paperback, and hardcover.

Divided Championship: Stecher and Lewis After the Double-Cross – June 20, 2025 – In April 1925, Stanislaus Zbyszko double-crossed Wayne “Big” Munn legitimately beating Munn for the world title. On Memorial Day 1925, both men lost to their opponents. For the next two years and nine month, Ed “Strangler” Lewis and Joe Stecher each claimed the world title.

While researching Shooter in a Worked World, I discovered nearly all the information published about this era is not true. I wrote this book to correct the information on this era.

Shooter in a Worked World: John Pesek and the 1920s Promotional Wars – September 6, 2024 – John “The Nebraska Tigerman” Pesek was born twenty years too late. A legitimate wrestler who debuted as the sport transitioned to working matches. Pesek was made for the late 19th Century wrestling ring. Promoters were wary of Pesek but only too happy to use his legitmate skills to end promotional wars and to double-cross adversaries.

Pesek would have been better off in the 19th Century where he could have used his legitimate skills to wrestle more contests. By his debut, professional wrestling had evolved into a worked exhibition with rare exceptions.

Origins of a Legend: The Making of Ed “Strangler” Lewis – January 27, 2024 – Myths and tall tales obscure the true history of Ed “Strangler” Lewis’ early years in professional wrestling. How many legitimate matches did Lewis wrestle prior to 1916? How did he really meet Billy Sandow? Why did he change his name to Ed “Strangler” Lewis? Learn the true history of Lewis’ first five years in professional wrestling.

Lewis and his manger, Billy Sandow, told a number of tall tales in their wrestling and training course in the mid-1920s, which led to the myths around Lewis’ early career. Lewis found himself in Kentucky.

Wayfarer in a Foreign Land: Sorakichi Matsuda Wrestles in America – July 16, 2023 – In late 1883, Kojiro Matsuda, a former Sumo wrestler named Torakichi, traveled to the United States to learn professional wrestling. Matsuda also won strong man competitions and could have been a professional strongman. Learn the true history of this groundbreaking wrestler.

Matsuda was the first former Sumo wrestler to travel to the United States to learn professional wrestling and take it back to Japan. A dread disease interupted his plans.

Shooting or Working? The History of the American Heavyweight Wrestling Championship – October 18, 2022 – In January 1881, Edwin Bibby defeated Duncan C. Ross to establish the first American based catch wrestling title, the American Heavyweight Wrestling Championship. For the next thirty-two years, the best wrestlers in American competed for the prestigious title. Learn the true history of the first catch wrestling championship in the United States.

From Joe Acton to Frank Gotch, all the great catch wrestlers for thirty years held this title, the first American catch wrestling title.

Gotch vs. Zbyszko: The Quest for Redemption – February 2, 2022 – Wrestling fans believed no living man could defeat World Champion Frank Gotch. To stimulate fan interest, Gotch’s manager lured Stanislaus Zbyszko, a European Greco-Roman wrestling champion, to America for a match with Gotch. The pairing produced one of the most controversial falls in Gotch’s lengthy career. The controversy dogged both men for the next four years.

This book and Double-Crossing the Gold Dust Trio document Stanislaus Zbyszko’s entire American wrestling career. World War I caused a seven year break in Stanislaus’ stellar career. Was Zbyszko the only wrestler Frank Gotch feared in his long career?

Double-Crossing the Gold Dust Trio: Stanislaus Zbyszko’s Last Hurrah – August 6, 2021 – Between 1923 and 1928, the Gold Dust Trio of World Champion Ed “Strangler” Lewis, manager Billy Sandow and promotional genius Joseph “Toots” Mondt dominated professional wrestling. Riding a high tide of full houses and big gates, poor decisions led to trouble for both the Trio and professional wrestling.

Most of the matches covered in this book are worked but it also includes one of the most famous double-cross in professional wrestling.

Masked Marvel to the Rescue: The Gimmick That Saved the 1915 New York Wrestling Tournament – September 24, 2020 – When Frank Gotch retired as World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion in 1913, it left a void that many promoters tried to fill with their hand-picked successors. One of the more interesting attempts was Samuel Rachmann staging the 1915 New York International Wrestling Tournament. Rachmann’s Spring Tournament was a big success but attendance fell off badly in the Fall Tournament. Rachmann was forced to employ a gimmick to save his tournament. The gimmick was a huge success but was it worth it, if it hurt his contender and exposed professional wrestling at the same time.

In researching this book, I found more disinformation exists about the 1915 New York International Wrestling Tournament, which was two tournaments in the spring and fall, than any other topic I tackled.  I hope this book clears up all the confusion about the topic.

Gotch vs. Hackenschmidt: The Matches That Made and Destroyed Legitimate American Professional Wrestling – May 2, 2016 –  In 1908, George Hackenschmidt had been the touring World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion for 8 years. Considered one of the strongest men in the world, “Hack” was undefeated at the time and considered unbeatable. He was returning to the United States for the first time in three years to face the formidable Frank Gotch. Gotch harbored hard feelings for not getting a title shot in 1905. The result was two controversial but legitimate wrestling matches, whose effects would be felt for the next decade.

This book is my most popular by far.  I started the research as a big fan of George Hackenschmidt but came out of it with a lot of respect for Frank Gotch.  It is between Gotch and Ed “Strangler” Lewis for the best legitimate American professional wrestler.

Evan “Strangler” Lewis: The Most Feared Wrestler of the 19th Century – March 26, 2015 – Powerfully built, skilled at submissions and vicious, Evan “Strangler” Lewis became the most feared professional wrestler of the 19th Century. Even a squad of Buffalo, New York police officers couldn’t stop Lewis’ viciousness. This book takes a detailed look at Lewis’ career inside and outside the ring.

Wow!  A fascinating subject to research.  I had limited knowledge of Lewis before I started researching Martin “Farmer” Burns.  I paused on the Burns research to write this book.  Lewis was the greatest submission wrestler of the 19th Century and undoubtedly the meanest.  Don’t make him mad!

Morrissey vs. Poole: Politics, Prizefighting and the Murder of Bill the Butcher – January 27, 2015 – On July 26, 1854, World Prizefighting Champion John Morrissey challenged part-time prize-fighter and New York Whig enforcer William “Bill the Butcher” Poole to a street fight. The fight at the Amos Street Pier proved a humiliation for the champion. The bad blood between the Tammany Hall enforcers led by Morrissey and Know-Nothing enforcers led by Poole culminated in Stanwix Hall on February 25, 1855. The outcome would lead to three trials and a twenty-year campaign to rebuild a reputation.

My only non-wrestling combat sports book so far and my favorite book to-date.  I found this story of redemption a joy to write.

William Muldoon: The Solid Man Conquers Wrestling and Physical Culture – October 10, 2014 – William Muldoon is largely forgotten but he introduced the health resort to America at the end of the Nineteenth Century after a highly successful professional wrestling career. Muldoon defeated many great wrestlers including Sorakichi Matsada, Evan “Strangler” Lewis and his most formidable challenger Clarence Whistler. Muldoon and Whistler set a ring time record with a seven hour draw. The book also examines whether Muldoon took part in fixed matches in the largely legitimate era. Towards the end of his wrestling career, his training methods helped a woefully out of shape John L. Sullivan beat his most formidable challenger Jake Kilrain. This book tells the story of Muldoon’s struggle to stay on top of the wrestling world while building a successful training business on the side. Muldoon’s story will inspire you as you learn how Muldoon built two successful careers, helped found the New York State Athletic Commission and lived a fascinating life.

John L. Sullivan reportedly feared Muldoon.  It was a book I had to write.