A Fighter's Heart

In 1999, Sam Sheridan—after a series of wildly adventurous jobs around the world—found himself in Australia, loaded with cash, and intent on not working until he’d spent it all. It occurred to him that, without distractions, he could finally indulge a long-dormant obsession: fighting. Within a year, he was in Bangkok training with the greatest fighter in muay Thai (Thai kickboxing) history and stepping through the ropes for a professional bout. That one fight wasn’t enough. Sheridan set out to test himself on an epic journey into how and why we fight, facing Olympic boxers, Brazilian jiu-jitsu stars, Ultimate Fighting champions—and even cavemen, who were once known to settle disputes with fists and clubs. Along the way, Sheridan delivers an insightful look at violence as a career and a spectator sport—and offers an inspiring message about embracing our animal nature to become our best selves.