Tough Guys is non-fiction mixed martial arts book inspired by CV Productions Inc., and the Tough Guy Contest.Trombola, Nick. Martial arts master. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. (September 27, 2019). The book was written by Bill Viola Jr., and Dr. Fred Adams and published by Kumite Classic Entertainment in 2017.Bowen, Jessie.(2017). Who’s Who in the Martial Arts. Elite Publication. ISBN 9781387161539 It was the basis for the 2017 film Tough Guys which made its network television debut on Showtime.Guerry, Matthew. Book Review: “Godfathers of MMA” WHIRL Magazine. (8/24/2016)
Background Tough Guys was originally published under the title Godfathers of MMA (2014). The Heinz History Center, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, discovered the book and subsequently established a permanent exhibit to recognize Pittsburgh as the birthplace of modern sport of MMA in the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum.Golden Gloves. Senator John Heinz History Center
New York based MinusL Productions secured the rights to produce a documentary film about the history of MMA and used the book as the basis for the film named Tough Guys co-starring Bill Viola Sr., the author's father. Tough Guys made its world premiere June 15, 2017 at the AFI Docs Film Festival in Washington, D.C.
The book was updated and rebranded as Tough Guys (2017) and published the same day as the network television debut of Tough Guys on Showtime. The re-released commemorative edition peaked at No. 1 on the Amazon individual sports charts September, 2017.
Summary The book is a noted MMA resource and historical reference for early competition. Tough Guys documents mixed martial arts in the late 1970s-1980s. In 1979, Bill Viola Sr. and Frank Caliguri established CV Productions Inc. and created a new sport that combined martial arts, boxing, wrestling, jujutsu and various forms of combat sports. The “anything goes” Tough Guy Contest introduced regulated mixed martial arts competition to America and launched the first MMA league, later rebranded as “Super Fighters.”Blinebury, Fran. "No Holds Barred as the Super Brawlers Take Over the Civic Center." Philadelphia Journal: Jun 13, 1980, 27.
Tough Guys chronicles mixed martial arts a decade before the term became popular or the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was created.Gross, Josh. Ali vs Inoki - The Forgotten Fight that Inspired MMA It details the Toughman (boxing) vs Tough Guy (MMA) controversy, the death of Ronald Miller and the Tough Guy Law which outlawed mixed martial arts in 1983. Tough Guys documents the sports early history and legal issues with the Pennsylvania State Legislature and Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission. It concludes with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania outlawing mixed martial arts.
References
Further reading Samuel Brace June 14, 2017. Yahoo entertainment: September 14, 2017. Academy Award Nominated Morgan Spurlock Joins Academy Award Winner Ross Kauffman For The Mixed Martial Arts Documentary “Tough Guys”. Johnson, Ted. May 12, 2017: AFI Docs Line Up Includes ‘Atomic Homefront,’ ‘Saving Brinton,’ ‘Tough Guys’ Premieres. Stefano, Dan. (6/2/2011). Heather, Hlotschlag. Preserving Tough Guys Heritage. IC Mag. (3/14/2018) Zuchowski, Dave. Book and Film Chronicle Brownsville Native's Creation of New Sport. Pennsylvania Bridges. November 2017