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"With all the zeal of a
back-alley surgeon, Matthew Randazzo V wields the scalpel of reason to
flay alive the corrupt, drug-addled, incestuous, racist world of pro
wrestling, creating what is probably the first ever history of 'Sports
Entertainment' that appeals to somebody besides wrestling fans.
Alternately hilarious and depressing ... Ring of Hell is a
must-read."
K.
Thor Jensen, author of Red Eye, Black Eye.
"Ring of Hell is an admirable, at times dazzling,
penetration of a nearly impenetrable netherworld. Congratulations, Matt
Randazzo." Irv Muchnick, author of Wrestling Babylon.
"This is Easy Riders,
Raging Bulls for the pro wrestling industry. ... The level of access
[Randazzo] has had is unprecedented, and the stories he has managed to
coax from his subjects are truly astounding ... This is a MUST READ."
Luke Dormehl, Fighting Spirit Magazine.
"One of the best books ever
written about professional wrestling – certainly the best ever written by
a non-wrestler" Shelton Hull, Columnist for Folio Weekly
"Fans of the wrestling business will experience real shock and awe with
Matthew Randazzo's new knockdown, drag-out page-turner Ring of Hell.
This hard-hitting, no-holds-barred account of the industry takes a
shocking look behind the curtain of a secretive subculture where
performers die young, promoters get rich and broken families are the
norm."
Mike Mooneyham, author of
the NY Times bestseller Sex, Lies, and Headlocks and columnist for
the Charleston Post and Courier.
"While dissecting what made Chris Benoit tick, Matthew Randazzo takes a
scathing look at the sleazy manner in which the pro-wrestling business
operates. Randazzo adroitly exposes the elements that contributed to
Benoit's demise. So much sordid behavior is described from Benoit's time
in WWE and the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling that hard-partying
rock stars seem like choirboys in comparison. I would tell wrestling fans
to read Ring of Hell with one caveat: You may no longer be a fan
when you're done with it."
Alex Marvez, columnist for
Fox Sports and Scripps-Howard News Service.
"Randazzo is to the Benoit
tragedy as Woodward and Bernstein were to Watergate."
Jerome Cusson, National
Sports Review.
"Matthew Randazzo has gone
where no other book on pro wrestling has gone before; delving into the
deep, dark crevices of the business and uncovering a gritty, detailed look
at the destructive yet sad story of Chris Benoit whose life was totally
absorbed by the cruel, unforgiving side of the industry. A must read for
anyone who follows the wrestling business or wants to know more about it."
Brian Fritz, host of Between the Ropes on ESPN Radio.
"Whether you're a die-hard fan, a casual observer or know absolutely
nothing about the pro wrestling business - Ring of Hell is an
eye-opening book that reveals - with a vengeance - the dark underbelly of
one of the most secretive and least understood subcultures in American
popular culture." Jack Hunter, Charleston City Paper
"Randazzo takes
a scalpel to the dark underbelly of the wrestling business and slices away
with a butcher's intensity and surgeon's skill and carves out a tale of
desperation, frustration, misplaced loyalties and heartbreak." Dan
Madigan, former World Wrestling Entertainment writer, and author of
Mondo Lucha a Go-Go and the 2006 feature film See No Evil.
"Matthew Randazzo has written a great pro wrestling book that requires no
knowledge of the business. But if you are a fan, there's a deeper
experience to be gained. Ring of Hell challenges your perception of
these heels and high-flyers -- and confronts you with the flesh-and-blood
price paid for your precious childhood memories."
Chad Damiani, former
World Championship Wrestling announcer.
"Ring Of Hell is an
unfiltered, unbiased look into the world of professional wrestling and
sheds light upon the shortcomings of an industry that has shrouded itself
in paranoid secrecy for years. A must-read book for anyone." Domenic
Cotter, former World Wrestling Entertainment producer.
"I know [Matthew Randazzo V],
and he is legit. For an outsider to the industry, if that's the correct
term, he seemed to have more access to inside info than all but a few
people. No matter what the book says about this period [in wrestling],
it's a viewpoint that should be looked at and thought about." Dave
Meltzer, Yahoo! Sports and Editor of The Wrestling Observer.
"It's an amazing story well-told and an honest look inside a
brutal and backwards business." Jon Snowden, author of Total MMA
and editor of the Total MMA Newsletter.
"Were it not for fact that pro wrestling is the redheaded
stepchild of American society, Randazzo would likely be up for a Pulitzer
Prize for the journalism contained in this book. ... This book sets a new
standard for exposing the truth about pro wrestling, one that may never be
topped and certainly won't be anytime soon." Rick Morris, Sports
Talk Network radio host and McGraw-Hill business journalist.
"The best book about the wrestling business I have ever read."
Eric Gargiulo, radio host and former announcer for Extreme Championship
Wrestling and Ring of Honor.
"It has been compared by some reviewers to Upton Sinclair's The
Jungle, but I think it is more like H.L. Mencken doing Helter Skelter with
pro wrestling being the topic of choice. ... It is hard to imagine a more
chilling and accurate epitaph for Chris Benoit and the wrestling industry
at-large." Dylan Hales, The Left Conservative Blog.
"Ring of Hell's a comprehensive and engaging read that is
unlike any previous wrestling books and a must-read for all wrestling
fans." David Bixenspan, Indy Wrestling News.
"For wrestling fans ... people
interested in a broad view of Benoit's life, you can't go wrong with
Ring of Hell. But don't be surprised if you never look at wrestling
the same way again." Johnny North, The Link Newspaper |
