It’s never too late in Tapped Out

Once upon a time a former Topekan, the young Matthew Polly, went to China and trained with monks in kung fu for two years, but times have changed. Fast forward fifteen years and Polly, nearing middle age, a weight of 250, and high blood pressure, is a physical wreck. So what does he decide to do? -train in mixed martial arts and get in the cage for a real match.

Mixed martial arts, MMA, is one of the fastest growing sports today, though the image of the sport has not always been positive especially when many states initially banned the sport, but with improved regulations the bans have been lifted. In Tapped Out: Rear Naked Chokes, The Octagon, and The Last Emperor: An Odyssey in Mixed Martial Arts Polly follows the sport, it’s stars and his own grueling training that takes him across the globe.

It’s a journey covered in sweat and humor, as Polly discovers how to get a good seat on a New York subway, the motivation of the fighters, and that it is not too late to start. This account goes deeper than the sport itself and finds the dreams and aspirations behind it.