An intimate profile of the legendary mixed martial arts (MMA) referee, this first full-length autobiography of pop culture icon ?Big� John McCarthy details every aspect of his life?from his strong-handed Los Angeles upbringing to his involvement in the naming of the sport, his role in its regulation, and MMA�s rise in stature. The narrative follows ?Big� John through his 22-year career as a Los Angeles police officer, where he taught recruits arrest and control procedures as well as survival tactics, then his 15-year career as the MMA�s premier official in the chain-linked cage. A fixture of the sport, ?Big� John started refereeing at UFC 2 in 1994 when the MMA was in its infancy and went on to officiate at every major UFC event but two until 2007. Following a one-year hiatus as a color commentator and on-camera analyst for MMA and boxing events, he returned to MMA refereeing in 2008. In his own words, "Big" John relates his insider�s perspective from the midst of many of the sport�s greatest moments?from Tito Ortiz?Ken Shamrock I at UFC 40 in 2002 to Randy Couture?Tim Sylvia at UFC 68 in March of 2007?along with his account of the birth of the sport in America, its evolution, and MMA�s ongoing struggles for acceptance.