From bulging muscles to adoring fans, pro wrestling superstars Roman Reigns and Hulk Hogan have a lot in common. But only one can be king of the ring. Compare their careers and choose your champion.
In My Life Outside the Ring, Hulk Hogan, legendary wrestler come reality star, reflects on his life, family, and career, and shares how he has found inspiration during difficult times. Hulk Hogan, born Terry Bollea, burst onto the professional wrestling scene in the late seventies and went on to become a world wrestling champion many times over. From humble beginnings, this giant of a man escaped a pre-ordained life of dock and construction work in Port Tampa, Florida, to become one of the most recognizable celebrities on the planet. He did it through sheer will, grit, determination, and a drive to always go over the top and do more than what others thought possible. From the outside, his story was one of a charmed life—he was at the top of his career, had a wonderful and loving family, and a lifelong fan base who worshiped him. Of course he had his up and downs—including hints of steroid abuse and his falling out with WWE and Vince McMahon—but two years tested Hogan more than any other in his lifetime. In 2007, while riding the massive success of his VH1 reality show, Hogan Knows Best, his son Nick was involved in a tragic car accident that left his best friend in critical condition. Then Linda, his wife, left him after 23 years of marriage, his beloved daughter Brooke blamed him for the breakup, and his son went to jail. The tabloid media had a field day. When unflattering jailhouse conversations between him and his son were released to the press the tabloids were in a frenzy. The sudden turmoil and tragedy surrounding Hogan took its toll. He fell into a deep depression, seeing no way out, until one fateful phone call. In My Life Outside the Ring, Hogan will unabashedly recount these events, revealing how his newfound clarity steadied him during the most difficult match of his life—and how he emerged from the battle feeling stronger than ever before. I was right there leaning on the side of the car with my hands when I finally saw Nick—my only son—folded up like an accordion with his head down by the gas pedal. "Nick!" I yelled. I could see he was alive. He turned his head, he stuck his hand out, and gave me a thumbs-up. For a second I was relieved. Then the chaos set in. The noise of engines. Sirens. A saw. Paramedics pulling John from the passenger seat. So much blood. I can't even describe to you how panicked I was. The police and firefighters surrounding us seemed panicked, too. The firefighters started cutting the side of the car open to try to get Nick out, and I'm still standing right there when I hear my boy screaming, "No, no, no, stop! Stop! You're gonna cut my legs off. Dad! Just unbuckle the seatbelt. I can get out!" So I reach in and I push the button on his seat belt, and Nick just crawls right out. His wrist was broken. His ribs were cracked. None of that mattered. He was gonna be okay. But not John. John wasn't moving. —from MY LIFE OUTSIDE THE RING
Poems and comic strips about sex and gender as viewed through the lens of professional wrestling. In poems written to or about wrestlers like Junkyard Dog, Roddy Piper, Ox Baker, and CM Punk, Colette Arrand teases out the homoerotic roots of wrestling and how its warped, cartoon masculinity plays itself out over the course of a fan's life.
Whether WWE fans love him or hate him, Roman Reigns is a force to be reckoned with as a sports entertainer. From retiring the legendary Undertaker at Wrestlemania to winning the 2015 Royal Rumble, Roman Reigns, or Joe Anoa'i, is sure to draw readers interested in his rapid rise in the WWE. The story of his family connections in the wrestling business and his thwarted attempt at NFL stardom are all covered in the accessible, interesting main text. Full-color photographs add Anoa'i's dominating presence to each page.
Discover how Roman Reigns went from college football player to WWE's big dog, claiming his yard from The Undertaker at Wrestlemania. This title will go through Reigns' time in NXT, The Shield, and his championship wins along the way. The easy to read text is joined with beautiful photographs showing some of Reigns' best moments in the ring. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards, Fly! is an imprint of Abdo Zoom, a division of ABDO.
The Three Count highlights the triumphs and tragedies that referee Jimmy Korderas experienced over his career as a WWE official, from humble beginnings in Toronto to being a part of the main event at WrestleMania. He divulges stories from both inside and outside the ring and highlights the bonds he formed with superstars like Edge, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Chris Jericho. A fun read from a man who doesn't have an axe to grind, but who wants to inspire wrestling fans, The Three Count shows that there's much more to the industry than scandals and dirty laundry.
From the top 10 Champions to the most popular matches ever, WWE: Book of Top 10s ranks everything in the world of WWE in fun and bite-sized lists. WWE: The Book of Top 10s is packed with information and trivia and will provide hours of ammunition and controversy as fans debate the lists, arguing positioning, surprise inclusions, and snubs from 100 lists spanning five decades of sports entertainment history. The greatest stars from WWE's past and present are featured, including John Cena, Dean Ambrose, Undertaker, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, Andre the Giant, Randy "Macho Man" Savage, and so many more.