We’ve seen some amazing books about the fight game over the years. From the obligatory fighter autobiographies, to outstanding historical accounts, to artful and heartfelt sports writing, the combat arts have been covered from almost every angle and perspective. The focus, however, has always been squarely on the action underneath the bright lights. That’s where Dempsey, Couture, and even referee Mills Lane operated. But there’s also hidden facets of the fight game, men who operate in the shadows. And that’s where Jacob “Stitch” Duran plies his trade.
Duran is a cutman, one of three official cutmen employed by the UFC. He wraps fighters’ hands before the bouts and then disappears, only to be seen if something has gone horribly wrong. All too often, it has. You’ve likely only seen Duran during these high pressure moments, doing his best to fix the unfixable, to give a fighter that will need plastic surgery later those extra few minutes he’ll need to win the fight.
From his humble beginnings as a laborer, Stich traveled the world. He’s worked for the biggest names in boxing and in the mixed martial arts. Personally recruited by Dana White himself, Stitch has had a ringside seat for the amazing growth of the industry. Side by side with his friend Josh Barnett, he saw the Japanese scene at its height with PRIDE. It’s been quite a ride, and he shares it with you here.
Reading the book is, quite literally, like spending a couple hours with Stich, listening to him spin tales. Hey Stitch, do you remember Marvin Eastman’s gaping cut against Vitor Belfort? Your damn right he does. Hey Stitch, what were the Klitschkos like? Tall and smart business men.
From the Fields to the Garden is Stitch’s story, so it is logically fairly tightly focused. If you are exclusively an MMA fan, be aware that boxing is a huge part of Stitch’s life and we never even see the Octagon for 100 pages. Almost every story involves him wrapping a fighters hands or fixing a cut, with some of the background surrounding the fight ably provided by co-author Zac Robinson. It’s breazy, conversational, and a new perspective on what happens inside and outside the cage on fight night.
From the Fields to the Garden is available in bookstores everywhere and online at Amazon.com.