Fighting & MMA

Inside the cage

Unlocking the Cage began with a question: why would anyone choose to fight?

I visited one hundred gyms and interviewed hundreds of mixed martial artists, coaches and people around the sport. The answers were rarely simple. Competition, fear, poverty, identity, discipline, violence, family and belonging kept appearing in different combinations.

The book is not a celebration of damage or a condemnation of fighters. It is an attempt to listen closely to the people who understand the cage from the inside.

Explore Unlocking the CageWhere the Damage Led