Mixed martial arts are a form of extreme combat that combines karate, boxing, Thai boxing (or kickboxing), judo, jujitsu and more. Initially developed in Brazilian gyms, MMA was then exported to the United States and from there spread throughout the world. MMA has become a very popular sport, by far the most watched on pay-tv. It is an exceedingly violent and bloody activity, in both its male and female versions: kicks, elbow blows, punches and chokeholds are typical moves, some of which could even be lethal if the referee were not to interrupt the action. What explains the success of a vicious practice that it is difficult to call a sport? What drives spectators to be passionate about the sight of brutal, bloody fighters, willing to let themselves be thrashed in an octagonal cage? The book situates the world of MMA against a backdrop of public violence in a globalized society.

Alessandro Dal Lago formerly taught at the Universities of Pennsylvania, California, Milan, Bologna and Genoa.