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Death Clutch: My Story of Determination, Domination, and Survival
The “baddest man on the planet,” undisputed, three-time WWE Champion and current UFC World Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesner, shares his true personal story of determination, domination, and survival in Death Clutch. A raw, no-holds-barred memoir from one of the most popular—and polarizing—figures in sports entertainment and professional mixed martial arts, Death Clutch is an essential volume for every WWE and Ultimate Fighting fan.
210 pages, Hardcover
First published May 11, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
June 2, 2011
I'm sure Heath Herring doesn't like me, either ... after all, I broke his face.
I've read a lot of biographies written by professional wrestlers. They all talk about the passion it takes to be the best, the crowning achievements of their careers, their most memorable feuds and experiences. Lesnar, who spent 2 years at the top of the WWE mountain, spoke of how it was just "a job" that helped him pay off his student loans and make some money. That blew me away! He spoke to the fact that most guys spend their lives stuck in the business, never really branching out and escaping the vicious road schedule and often horrendous lifestyle. It basically backs up what Chris Jericho had been saying all these years, that you need to be able to have a life beyond professional wrestling.
At the time he was leaving WWE in 2004, I didn't quite understand why. How could he leave at this point in his career? The man was a monster who took the industry by storm. Lesnar was such a natural in the ring and clearly had his best years ahead of him. However, after reading about his desire to be more of a family man in spending as much time as possible with his wife and children, you have to hand it to him getting out when he did.
The guy does speak pretty highly of himself but how do you avoid doing that when you've achieved the levels of success that Lesnar has? He's dominated almost everything he's ever tried. With the exception of his venture into the NFL, he's been a pretty impressive force in amateur wrestling, professional wrestling and mixed martial arts.
Overall, Lesnar's story is actually pretty refreshing. If anything, he's incredibly honest as well as very direct and to the point. In other words, he doesn't beat around the bush a lot. Despite the fact that he doesn't look back at his years as a professional wrestler fondly, he doesn't get bogged down in mud-slinging and trash talking. He speaks well of the guys he enjoyed working with and very little about those he dislikes. Even in his lengthily legal battles with Vince McMahon, he still gives the man credit for being a successful businessman.
Even though I did like the book, you're not really going to get a whole lot of surprises here. While his athletic career is pretty impressive, he's not a man who is surrounded by controversy. With the exception of his post fight interview in 2008 where he went on a tirade against his opponent and several UFC sponsors, Lesnar notoriously keeps to himself and is a devoted family man.
I've read a lot of biographies written by professional wrestlers. They all talk about the passion it takes to be the best, the crowning achievements of their careers, their most memorable feuds and experiences. Lesnar, who spent 2 years at the top of the WWE mountain, spoke of how it was just "a job" that helped him pay off his student loans and make some money. That blew me away! He spoke to the fact that most guys spend their lives stuck in the business, never really branching out and escaping the vicious road schedule and often horrendous lifestyle. It basically backs up what Chris Jericho had been saying all these years, that you need to be able to have a life beyond professional wrestling.
At the time he was leaving WWE in 2004, I didn't quite understand why. How could he leave at this point in his career? The man was a monster who took the industry by storm. Lesnar was such a natural in the ring and clearly had his best years ahead of him. However, after reading about his desire to be more of a family man in spending as much time as possible with his wife and children, you have to hand it to him getting out when he did.
The guy does speak pretty highly of himself but how do you avoid doing that when you've achieved the levels of success that Lesnar has? He's dominated almost everything he's ever tried. With the exception of his venture into the NFL, he's been a pretty impressive force in amateur wrestling, professional wrestling and mixed martial arts.
Overall, Lesnar's story is actually pretty refreshing. If anything, he's incredibly honest as well as very direct and to the point. In other words, he doesn't beat around the bush a lot. Despite the fact that he doesn't look back at his years as a professional wrestler fondly, he doesn't get bogged down in mud-slinging and trash talking. He speaks well of the guys he enjoyed working with and very little about those he dislikes. Even in his lengthily legal battles with Vince McMahon, he still gives the man credit for being a successful businessman.
Even though I did like the book, you're not really going to get a whole lot of surprises here. While his athletic career is pretty impressive, he's not a man who is surrounded by controversy. With the exception of his post fight interview in 2008 where he went on a tirade against his opponent and several UFC sponsors, Lesnar notoriously keeps to himself and is a devoted family man.
May 8, 2014
I swear to Odin, this is the very first time I felt cheated out of my money after reading a "book".
Now I am going to be a bitter little troll in this review, so proceed at your own risk and feel free to tear me a new asshole if you disagree.
First of all, when I got the book via mail, I thought I might have gotten a book sample or some kind of a pamphlet for the real book, because this tiny little thing couldn't be the autobiography of an accomplished NCAA, WWE and UFC champion. Oh, how wrong was I...
Judging by it's thickness or lack thereof, this could hardly be an autobiography of my cat. To be fair, though, my cat lived a rich and storied life full of wonder, but still - this is a superstar athlete and entertainer 36 years of age, so I couldn't take this book seriously.
Believe it or not, I am a Lesnar fan and we all know that he is a private man of few words, but this is ridiculous. If you are that much of a private person, then why even bother to half-ass it? This is a perfect example of a book written with the sole purpose of making a buck and that's no surprise, considering Paul Heyman's involvement. Hey, I can respect those kind of books - for example, Justin Bieber's foray into publishing was nothing more than P.R. and marketing scheme, but his stuff was carefully crafted by someone and I could feel that people put their time and effort into those glossy books. Here, on the other hand, I felt like they simply commissioned a chimp editor and had two-cups-of-coffee-worth of conversation with a running tape recorder.
Believe me when I tell you this, Dave Meltzer, professional wrestling's leading journalist [YES, there is such a thing] writes obituaries longer than this book. And I am dead serious (pardon the pun).
Still, I have to give credit where credit is due. You can't help but respect the utter lack of shit he gives about what other people think of him. This is especially interesting when you read his recap of the WWE days. I've read quite a few biographies of former and current WWE wrestlers: some published by "WWE Books" and carefully portraying the company and Vince McMahon in favorable light; some by independent publishers, but still written in a manner that burns no bridges with Vince or the Fed. Brock?.. Not his style, SON! It's no holds barred on the "delicate" subjects. The man hated the road, hated the backstage politics, felt double-crossed by Vince and his own peers (sharing names and offering examples) - he even goes out of his way to point out how much he hated shaking hands with everyone every single night in the locker-room.
Yet, the most fascinating thing in this sorry excuse for a book, is the fact of how much this man has accomplished in spite of himself. He'll be the first one to admit this, and it becomes painfully obvious a few chapters in, that Lesnar is no man of genius. In some instances, his decision making skills can be rivaled by that of a bag of Cheetos (i.e. the non-compete clause). But there is a lesson in his life story: hard work, dedication, ambition and discipline can overcome even the most monstrous of brain-farts. So, basically, you can afford to be a reckless manchild if you have a work-ethic of a Brock Lesnar.
Otherwise, you best know your role and "play ball" like everyone else;)
Now I am going to be a bitter little troll in this review, so proceed at your own risk and feel free to tear me a new asshole if you disagree.
First of all, when I got the book via mail, I thought I might have gotten a book sample or some kind of a pamphlet for the real book, because this tiny little thing couldn't be the autobiography of an accomplished NCAA, WWE and UFC champion. Oh, how wrong was I...
Judging by it's thickness or lack thereof, this could hardly be an autobiography of my cat. To be fair, though, my cat lived a rich and storied life full of wonder, but still - this is a superstar athlete and entertainer 36 years of age, so I couldn't take this book seriously.
Believe it or not, I am a Lesnar fan and we all know that he is a private man of few words, but this is ridiculous. If you are that much of a private person, then why even bother to half-ass it? This is a perfect example of a book written with the sole purpose of making a buck and that's no surprise, considering Paul Heyman's involvement. Hey, I can respect those kind of books - for example, Justin Bieber's foray into publishing was nothing more than P.R. and marketing scheme, but his stuff was carefully crafted by someone and I could feel that people put their time and effort into those glossy books. Here, on the other hand, I felt like they simply commissioned a chimp editor and had two-cups-of-coffee-worth of conversation with a running tape recorder.
Believe me when I tell you this, Dave Meltzer, professional wrestling's leading journalist [YES, there is such a thing] writes obituaries longer than this book. And I am dead serious (pardon the pun).
Still, I have to give credit where credit is due. You can't help but respect the utter lack of shit he gives about what other people think of him. This is especially interesting when you read his recap of the WWE days. I've read quite a few biographies of former and current WWE wrestlers: some published by "WWE Books" and carefully portraying the company and Vince McMahon in favorable light; some by independent publishers, but still written in a manner that burns no bridges with Vince or the Fed. Brock?.. Not his style, SON! It's no holds barred on the "delicate" subjects. The man hated the road, hated the backstage politics, felt double-crossed by Vince and his own peers (sharing names and offering examples) - he even goes out of his way to point out how much he hated shaking hands with everyone every single night in the locker-room.
Yet, the most fascinating thing in this sorry excuse for a book, is the fact of how much this man has accomplished in spite of himself. He'll be the first one to admit this, and it becomes painfully obvious a few chapters in, that Lesnar is no man of genius. In some instances, his decision making skills can be rivaled by that of a bag of Cheetos (i.e. the non-compete clause). But there is a lesson in his life story: hard work, dedication, ambition and discipline can overcome even the most monstrous of brain-farts. So, basically, you can afford to be a reckless manchild if you have a work-ethic of a Brock Lesnar.
Otherwise, you best know your role and "play ball" like everyone else;)
October 12, 2011
The book Death Clutch is about Brock Lesnar and his lifes jerney to be the best at anything he does. His life was full of road blocks. He went from having nothing as a child that lives on a farm to having everything and being the UFC world champion. What struck me the best about the book was how if he really wanted something he got it no matter how hard it was he got it. This book is not a part in a series so I cant read more of them. The lesson I learned from this book was that no matter how hard it is to get what you want you can reach it if you want it bad enough. I would recomend reading this book because its a good book and it had alot of life lessons to learn from it. I have read a lot of books but this is the first book that has made me wanna work hard for what I want. This book kept me wanting to read it more and more. So that means it was a good book because I dont like to read much. So I strongly recomend you read this book!
January 1, 2012
If you are a big fan of Brock Lesnar, read this book. But, I'd be surprised if you finish it being a bigger fan of his. The ego and sense of entitlement that Lesnar has pretty much shown throughout his life is mind boggling. It especially comes out in his description of his time in WWE. He acts like because he was making big money for himself and the WWE, that he was entitled to be the champion at all times. Hey Brock, it's worked sports entertainment. The only reason you're on top is because they've written it that way and somebody else has to agree to put you over. So, when you get pushed down the card, like everyone else, you quit. Now you've quit UFC because once again, if you can't be champion, guess you'll just quit. I really hope that WWE doesn't waste their time bringing Lesnar back to the fold. But if they do, I hope he has to pay his dues to get to the top. Something he doesn't seem to feel he needs to do.
June 1, 2020
3.5 stars
My favorite fighter.. Period
So i obviously enjoyed it..
Seeing his business man/family man way of thinking about Mma/wrestling was refreshing.. I really think Lesnar is the smartest fighter/wrestler out there..
Short and sweet...nothing more or less to it..
My favorite fighter.. Period
So i obviously enjoyed it..
Seeing his business man/family man way of thinking about Mma/wrestling was refreshing.. I really think Lesnar is the smartest fighter/wrestler out there..
Short and sweet...nothing more or less to it..
July 19, 2021
a concise, matter-of-fact summary of lesnar's career up to the velasquez loss. lesnar is an uncomplicated man - he wants to get paid, full stop - but the book does cover his drug/alcohol addiction, his early life on the farm and as an unheralded (perhaps pre-steroid) HS wrestling prospect, and his uncomplicated thoughts about former employers, opponents, and so on ("I wanted to smash him to get money," "I wanted to work less but earn more," "I had to win the NCAA title because I wanted to be champion"). more depth might have been interesting, but it seems unlikely that still waters run deep in lesnar's case. it also would be nice to have brock discuss how critical "the juice" has been to his athletic career - I suspect few have "grown" as much as he has, in conjunction with whatever natural advantages he has - but he'll likely take those secrets to his grave.
June 17, 2011
Good read, although it made me wish he had written more about his WWE career. His thoughts and personal relations with certain names in the business. But Brock gives good reasoning as to why he doesn't. He didn't grow up loving WWE or dream of being the next Hulk Hogan. He was recruited into the business and was offered more money than he could refuse. It was what he was commited to at the time and he always strives to be that best at whatever he does. His WWE career was short and meteoric and his UFC career has semmed even shorter. So by the end of this book it just left me the feeling that there wasn't a whole lot to reveal. Felt like a short read. But if he can overcome his health issues and go on to have a long and storied MMA career, a second book could be a more interesting read.
January 2, 2025
My respect for Brock Lesnar has increased tremendously.
Read
May 8, 2020I wanna read this book while drinking a Coors light. Cos Bud light won't pay me nothing
February 7, 2012
My brother and his wife gave me this book for my birthday because I've been a huge Brock Lesnar fan for a long time and almost got them in trouble with their downstairs neighbor once during the Shane Carwin fight by jumping up and down when Brock survived the first round of the fight. There is literally nothing exciting about how I finished this book, though.
For the longest time, I could honestly say that my favorite fighter is Brock Lesnar. I vividly remember hearing the stories of the 300 pound NCAA Division I Heavyweight champion training at OVW who could do a shooting star press. His WWE debut is seared into my brain because poor Maven, Al Snow and Spike Dudley had to take all of those vicious slams the night after Wrestlemania. His time in the WWE was something to behold because he took to pro wrestling so well and so quickly that it was clear he had the potential to be an all-time great. Then he quit. And while I'm still a pro wrestling fan, I started looking at UFC and found myself even more intrigued with a sport that essentially answered the question "What if pro wrestling were real?" And wouldn't you know it? Two years after I became a fan of the sport, rumors started circulating about Brock Lesnar trying his hand at MMA. I've bought every single one of his fights on pay per view, from his debut to his retirement, and even attended his loss to Cain Velasquez live. It was really easy to call the guy my favorite fighter...until I read his book.
All the athletic skill Brock Lesnar possesses makes him fun to watch. All of the bombast and egotism that drives him makes it fun to anticipate when a person can watch him again. But all of those things that make him perfect as a draw are the exact kind of things that make it really hard to like him. Part of Brock's appeal is that he is an intensely private person. He enjoys putting on the show, but he figures that putting on the show is his job. Once he's done with his job, he just wants to go home and be a family man that's left alone. It makes him more intriguing that he wants to play the game on his own terms. I'm not one to spite him that mindset, however he makes a big point on the dust jacket of the book that this is the one time he's letting everyone into his private world. Too bad that it never actually feels that way.
Case in point: during the beginning of his WWE tenure, his daughter Mya was born. The passive voice is key here because he never mentions before that he has a wife or a girlfriend, that he even got someone pregnant. From the book's point of view, Mya was delivered by a stork that decided that Brock Lesnar needed a baby. There's never any insight into what would have probably made a very interesting story. It's all surface level information that could have been gleaned through a quick read of his Wikipedia page.
His daughter's story is not the only time this occurs. The pattern of the book is as follows: Brock wants to be number one at [insert athletic achievement here]. Brock fails or succeeds. Brock moves on to [insert next athletic achievement here]. People get in Brock's way. Brock SMASH! It's repetitive and, really, kind of boring. He comes across as someone who is hard working, who doesn't buy into any of the hype surrounding the endeavors he engages, but instead wants to make the most amount of money that he can due to his humble beginnings.
There are two ways to consider Brock Lesnar after reading this biography: either he never lets the reader penetrate the mystique that surrounds him, or the mystique was never really there from the beginning. There's some interesting information from a fan perspective, but, ultimately, it's a disappointing read.
For the longest time, I could honestly say that my favorite fighter is Brock Lesnar. I vividly remember hearing the stories of the 300 pound NCAA Division I Heavyweight champion training at OVW who could do a shooting star press. His WWE debut is seared into my brain because poor Maven, Al Snow and Spike Dudley had to take all of those vicious slams the night after Wrestlemania. His time in the WWE was something to behold because he took to pro wrestling so well and so quickly that it was clear he had the potential to be an all-time great. Then he quit. And while I'm still a pro wrestling fan, I started looking at UFC and found myself even more intrigued with a sport that essentially answered the question "What if pro wrestling were real?" And wouldn't you know it? Two years after I became a fan of the sport, rumors started circulating about Brock Lesnar trying his hand at MMA. I've bought every single one of his fights on pay per view, from his debut to his retirement, and even attended his loss to Cain Velasquez live. It was really easy to call the guy my favorite fighter...until I read his book.
All the athletic skill Brock Lesnar possesses makes him fun to watch. All of the bombast and egotism that drives him makes it fun to anticipate when a person can watch him again. But all of those things that make him perfect as a draw are the exact kind of things that make it really hard to like him. Part of Brock's appeal is that he is an intensely private person. He enjoys putting on the show, but he figures that putting on the show is his job. Once he's done with his job, he just wants to go home and be a family man that's left alone. It makes him more intriguing that he wants to play the game on his own terms. I'm not one to spite him that mindset, however he makes a big point on the dust jacket of the book that this is the one time he's letting everyone into his private world. Too bad that it never actually feels that way.
Case in point: during the beginning of his WWE tenure, his daughter Mya was born. The passive voice is key here because he never mentions before that he has a wife or a girlfriend, that he even got someone pregnant. From the book's point of view, Mya was delivered by a stork that decided that Brock Lesnar needed a baby. There's never any insight into what would have probably made a very interesting story. It's all surface level information that could have been gleaned through a quick read of his Wikipedia page.
His daughter's story is not the only time this occurs. The pattern of the book is as follows: Brock wants to be number one at [insert athletic achievement here]. Brock fails or succeeds. Brock moves on to [insert next athletic achievement here]. People get in Brock's way. Brock SMASH! It's repetitive and, really, kind of boring. He comes across as someone who is hard working, who doesn't buy into any of the hype surrounding the endeavors he engages, but instead wants to make the most amount of money that he can due to his humble beginnings.
There are two ways to consider Brock Lesnar after reading this biography: either he never lets the reader penetrate the mystique that surrounds him, or the mystique was never really there from the beginning. There's some interesting information from a fan perspective, but, ultimately, it's a disappointing read.
April 12, 2012
I read the book Death Clutch by Brock Lesnar which is his Autobiography that he wrote. He wrote this to set the record straight about his life. Brock Lesnar was a former NCAA Champion in Division I wrestling, a WWE Superstar, and a UFC fighter. Brock grew up in South Dakota on a farm. He was a decent wrestler, never had a chance to get a scholarship to a DI school, so he went to community college. He won the Junior College National Championship in 1998, after that he went to Minnesota to wrestle. He won the NCAA DI Heavyweight Championship in 2000. He joined the WWE in 2002 after training for Profession Wrestling. He won the WWE Championship, and had a very good run in the WWE until it was cute short in 2004. He decided to train in MMA, and he joined the UFC in 2008 and won the UFC Heavyweight championship at the end of the year. After UFC 100 he took a hiatus because he had a disease called diverticulitis which sidelined him for a year. He returned at UFC 116 and lost the title Cain Velazquez at UFC 121. This book is meant for an Advanced age, which is 12-18, because of the content and the words might be harder for a younger child to understand. There are pictures in the middle of the book which are photographs of Brock in important events of his life. I read this book, and it is great, it gives you a view into the world of Brock, who doesn’t let many people into his home life at all.
September 11, 2018
I looked for this book everywhere till I got to know that you do not get a hardcopy of it. (Now you do a few years ago we didn't.) I finally bought myself an e-copy and it was totally worth the wait. Who knew that the 'beast incarnate' is actually a very devoted family man who misses his kids and wife. Former WWE and UFC Champion, Brock Lesnar may not be a proficient writer but he very well knows how to tell his tale without beating around the bush. He is brutally honest and arrogant AF. But c'mon you have to give him credit for fighting a man as powerful as Vince McMahon. I loved this book and will urge any WWE fan to read it. If you are a Brock Lesnar fan then you just can't afford to miss this book as he finally gives a slight peek into his fiercely guarded personal life.
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Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest
November 12, 2012
When people say,"Brock lesnar is the baddest dude alive" they aren't lying. In this book, he talks about all the sacrifices he made to become a national heavyweight champion, and the determination and hard work he had to put in in order to be the baddest "dude" on the planet. He starts off talking about his child hood and why he started wrestling, he talks about his high school career and his achievements through out that time. After that Brock goes into talking about the life of being a WWE superstar and talking about all the cons their are compared to the pros. the last part of the book is about his carrier in the UFC and the his road to success and becoming a UFC champion
This book was a great eye opener to all of his fans that though he just lives, breathes, eats fighting. He talks in the book about how much he loves his family and that he had to basically quit the WWE for his family. Overall I really liked the book but i was disappointed that Brock ended his book before he announced his retirement.
This book was a great eye opener to all of his fans that though he just lives, breathes, eats fighting. He talks in the book about how much he loves his family and that he had to basically quit the WWE for his family. Overall I really liked the book but i was disappointed that Brock ended his book before he announced his retirement.
February 20, 2015
Being a wrestling fan, I'm always interested in finding out more about those I like, and even those I don't like. Brock Lesnar isn't one of my favorites. I find him a far too dangerous guy to be in a ring with, whether that means WWE or UFC. However, I heard a few things about him, and decided I give this a look to see what was fact and what his thoughts were on a great many things.
Let me be clear, Brock Lesnar can come across as one of the biggest a-holes in the business. In his case though, I'm not so sure it's a bad thing. He seems honest to fault, and he's definitely got a work ethic that more people need in this world. He doesn't apologize for the way he is, but instead just speaks his mind about why he made the decisions he has over the years. He's full of himself, but it's a mindset the guy has had to have due to what he does for a living. It's interesting to see what he's thinking and why, if you're into the fighting sports at all.
Let me be clear, Brock Lesnar can come across as one of the biggest a-holes in the business. In his case though, I'm not so sure it's a bad thing. He seems honest to fault, and he's definitely got a work ethic that more people need in this world. He doesn't apologize for the way he is, but instead just speaks his mind about why he made the decisions he has over the years. He's full of himself, but it's a mindset the guy has had to have due to what he does for a living. It's interesting to see what he's thinking and why, if you're into the fighting sports at all.
November 1, 2012
What do you expect from a man who is protective of his life and family.... This book is basically the only information he's willing to share, to anyone, about his life and all the crap he went through to get where he is today. I for one love him so it's not hard to believe that I enjoyed getting more information on his life... But honestly, he's a meathead, what do you expect from someone who takes a beating to their body every day for money... Not a lot of intellect there but a good resource for insight.
January 30, 2014
Brock Lesnar is my idol and he has proven himself to be one of the best. He may not be a crossfitter, but he is a great power lifter and lots of people could learn a thing or two from him. He is a motivational man who puts his heart and soul into everything he does. Brock Lesnar is a freakishly strong athlete who stops at nothing. The key to success is working hard and to rise up above others. Brock proved that when he became the first NCAA Division 1 Heavyweight champion.
October 23, 2015
This is an amazing book...if u r a fan of Brock Lesnar!
Some ppl might find it gud ...some ppl not.If u looking for something particular then you might be disappointed. But despite that..its an amazing book.You can't expect much ..cause it's not a fiction,Its an auto-biography.Some thing might excite you..some things don't.And read this one...for things you don't knw about brock..and also WWE.
Some ppl might find it gud ...some ppl not.If u looking for something particular then you might be disappointed. But despite that..its an amazing book.You can't expect much ..cause it's not a fiction,Its an auto-biography.Some thing might excite you..some things don't.And read this one...for things you don't knw about brock..and also WWE.
March 9, 2015
As though you might find the attitude and words used in this book a bit cocky and arrogant on Brock Lesnar's behalf, it shows the determination, hardwork, discipline and commitment to perusing his dreams.
the book uses easy and understandable language for all and is a must for all WWE, wrestling or The Beast Incarnate Brock Lesnar himself.
the book uses easy and understandable language for all and is a must for all WWE, wrestling or The Beast Incarnate Brock Lesnar himself.
September 17, 2015
Lesnar is awesome wrestler and a Godly Man ..He is Christian and write this wonderful book which is for everyone.when he destroyed taker at WM 30 HE Become the first man in history to beat him at wm ..He is loving and gentle person
March 26, 2017
The back cover and dust jacket cover warns you: Enjoy this book while it lasts. This is the one and only time that Brock Lesnar is going to share anything, no matter how basic on a personal level, with you. He also reiterates in both these few pages and in his recent ESPN interviews that Brock Lesnar is all about one thing: business. He is all about making the money and spending as much time with his family (whether in Minnesota or Canada) as possible.
Lesnar has been a prize fighter since he won the NCAA Division 1 Heavyweight Championship in 2000. After getting burned out after only two years on the road (though at a rate of ~300 days per year) with the WWE, it was clear that the various promoters who handle The Beast need to remember exactly that: Lesnar is best used as a prize fighter who is not overexposed and utilized in your big-money, big-exposure spots. Lesnar wrote this book near the end of his time with the UFC. Between his time with the UFC and his eventual return to the WWE, it is clear in these pages that Brock finally felt that sense of relief that his current promoter (Dana White, and later Vince McMahon) began to accept and embrace Lesnar as a seldom, though effectively, used prize fighter.
Lesnar explores quite a bit more than I expected him to cover in this book. His upbringing on a family farm in South Dakota, the strong family influence he felt on being consistently successful in athletics, and his academic and wrestling journey from community college to the University of Minnesota are all topics that are well-explored by the timid, private Lesnar. Later on, his near-death experiences during his reign as UFC Heavyweight champion is extensively covered. I found great pleasure in Lesnar's openness on all of these life events, as they aren't familiar subjects of conversation and with even fewer details shared with the public (even to the knowledge of avid wrestling and MMA fans).
The fact that Lesnar was open on subjects that I was surprised for him to share on is why I am sort-of okay in Brock practically passing over his initial WWE run from 2002-04 entirely in this book. Do we really need to hear Lesnar recap his iconic two years in WWE? The entire world knows how he was billed as "The Next Big Thing" and quickly became the youngest and quickest to win the WWE championship in history. Many remember him bulldozing over the competition, which included legends Ric Flair, The Rock, and The Undertaker. However, many try to forget how he walked away from the WWE following a brutal, embarrassing final match at Wrestlemania 20. And several more turn a blind eye to why Lesnar really walked away, which all came down to the 300 day work schedule. In order to manage that extreme pain and stress, Lesnar developed harmful additions to daily abuse of drinking multiple bottles of vodka and pain pills. Do you really want to hear THE BEAST, THE CONQUERER, open up that blast from the past? Thus, I am very understanding when Lesnar simply explains that he "doesn't really remember" his 2 year run in the WWE. *Whew, we dodged a bullet there!
The rest of the book surprisingly makes up for this lack of coverage of a significant time in his life. But not by much. Lesnar still remains guarded about certain things, and only reveals as much as he has to and felt like sharing with Paul Heyman on that particular day that they were co-writing this book. Very few details - and even a mere mention of their names - regarding his wife, Sable, and their two children make it into the finished cut of this autobiography. The book overall is a quick read, though I hung on every word, as I knew this was one of the few, if only, times that the public would get such a "detailed" glance into his life. If Lesnar had given us a few more inside stories that we hadn't heard before, this book easily would've received a 5 star rating. As it is, it is still a good book that everyone should give a day to read.
Brock, please don't come after me for only giving you 4 stars. I'm a Minnesotan, a Gopher fan through and through. Please don't destroy one of your own. Thanks.
Lesnar has been a prize fighter since he won the NCAA Division 1 Heavyweight Championship in 2000. After getting burned out after only two years on the road (though at a rate of ~300 days per year) with the WWE, it was clear that the various promoters who handle The Beast need to remember exactly that: Lesnar is best used as a prize fighter who is not overexposed and utilized in your big-money, big-exposure spots. Lesnar wrote this book near the end of his time with the UFC. Between his time with the UFC and his eventual return to the WWE, it is clear in these pages that Brock finally felt that sense of relief that his current promoter (Dana White, and later Vince McMahon) began to accept and embrace Lesnar as a seldom, though effectively, used prize fighter.
Lesnar explores quite a bit more than I expected him to cover in this book. His upbringing on a family farm in South Dakota, the strong family influence he felt on being consistently successful in athletics, and his academic and wrestling journey from community college to the University of Minnesota are all topics that are well-explored by the timid, private Lesnar. Later on, his near-death experiences during his reign as UFC Heavyweight champion is extensively covered. I found great pleasure in Lesnar's openness on all of these life events, as they aren't familiar subjects of conversation and with even fewer details shared with the public (even to the knowledge of avid wrestling and MMA fans).
The fact that Lesnar was open on subjects that I was surprised for him to share on is why I am sort-of okay in Brock practically passing over his initial WWE run from 2002-04 entirely in this book. Do we really need to hear Lesnar recap his iconic two years in WWE? The entire world knows how he was billed as "The Next Big Thing" and quickly became the youngest and quickest to win the WWE championship in history. Many remember him bulldozing over the competition, which included legends Ric Flair, The Rock, and The Undertaker. However, many try to forget how he walked away from the WWE following a brutal, embarrassing final match at Wrestlemania 20. And several more turn a blind eye to why Lesnar really walked away, which all came down to the 300 day work schedule. In order to manage that extreme pain and stress, Lesnar developed harmful additions to daily abuse of drinking multiple bottles of vodka and pain pills. Do you really want to hear THE BEAST, THE CONQUERER, open up that blast from the past? Thus, I am very understanding when Lesnar simply explains that he "doesn't really remember" his 2 year run in the WWE. *Whew, we dodged a bullet there!
The rest of the book surprisingly makes up for this lack of coverage of a significant time in his life. But not by much. Lesnar still remains guarded about certain things, and only reveals as much as he has to and felt like sharing with Paul Heyman on that particular day that they were co-writing this book. Very few details - and even a mere mention of their names - regarding his wife, Sable, and their two children make it into the finished cut of this autobiography. The book overall is a quick read, though I hung on every word, as I knew this was one of the few, if only, times that the public would get such a "detailed" glance into his life. If Lesnar had given us a few more inside stories that we hadn't heard before, this book easily would've received a 5 star rating. As it is, it is still a good book that everyone should give a day to read.
Brock, please don't come after me for only giving you 4 stars. I'm a Minnesotan, a Gopher fan through and through. Please don't destroy one of your own. Thanks.
April 19, 2020
Many people with modest upbringing, upon gaining celebrity and the fame and fortune that goes with it allow their character to change, turning themselves into (for want of a better word) a real jerkass. Not so in the case of Brock Lesnar. I am thoroughly convinced that had he not struck stardom and remained a poor dairy farmer from South Dakota, he would have been just as big of an all-around jerkass. His poor dairy farmer background is one that I assure you shan't forget upon reading this literary masterpiece as he mentions it 64 times in it's 210 pages.
You'll also ascertain that nobody among his millions of fans love Brock Lesnar as much as Brock Lesnar. Apart from his wife, children and The Undertaker (or Taker as Brock refers to him) that is indeed the sum of the people he loves. There is not an organization that he's participated in (U of M wrestling, WWF, Japanese wrestling, NFL etc...) who hasn't gone out of their way to screw the poor dairy farmer. There is rarely a person he has encountered in his life that is a real human being, but rather frauds and a-holes. Even his best friends are extremely jealous of everything about him. The great irony of the book is that it was written when he was at the peak of his powers in the UFC, rambling about how none of his opponents stood a chance. In fact a large portion of the book is calling out these WWE lifers who for lack of alternatives have to stay in wrestling as their bodies break down, something he knew he was always above.
Well the book hasn't aged well as the poor dairy farmer from Dakota has since been exposed as a mixed martial artist and is back wrestling in the WWE as a lifer. Tough one to rate. The negativity in this book first annoyed, then angered, before finally humoring me to great levels! Brock Lesnar might be a worse person than...(gulp)....Lance Armstrong!
Death Clutch...Four stars!
You'll also ascertain that nobody among his millions of fans love Brock Lesnar as much as Brock Lesnar. Apart from his wife, children and The Undertaker (or Taker as Brock refers to him) that is indeed the sum of the people he loves. There is not an organization that he's participated in (U of M wrestling, WWF, Japanese wrestling, NFL etc...) who hasn't gone out of their way to screw the poor dairy farmer. There is rarely a person he has encountered in his life that is a real human being, but rather frauds and a-holes. Even his best friends are extremely jealous of everything about him. The great irony of the book is that it was written when he was at the peak of his powers in the UFC, rambling about how none of his opponents stood a chance. In fact a large portion of the book is calling out these WWE lifers who for lack of alternatives have to stay in wrestling as their bodies break down, something he knew he was always above.
Well the book hasn't aged well as the poor dairy farmer from Dakota has since been exposed as a mixed martial artist and is back wrestling in the WWE as a lifer. Tough one to rate. The negativity in this book first annoyed, then angered, before finally humoring me to great levels! Brock Lesnar might be a worse person than...(gulp)....Lance Armstrong!
Death Clutch...Four stars!
October 25, 2025
Brock Lesnar. Just from his first name, you can tell a lot about him.
The first thing I'm going to say about this book is that Brock Lesnar is a meathead. But of course he is. A high school wrestler turned NCAA champ, pro wrestling was an obvious choice. Even there, he gave absolutely ZERO respect to his opponents.
As someone who trains BJJ and MMA, respect is key, in both sports. But Brock over here apparently didn't get the memo, as he slams almost all of his opponents in the UFC, both verbally and physically (see what I did there?). And, of course, I am not disrespecting Brock Lesnar in any way, shape or form. I think he is and outstanding physical specimen and his achievements in both MMA and wrestling are unbelievable.
But....
He never gives any credit to Frank Mir (again, amazing fighter) for beating him the first time around with a submission (kneebar) in the very 1st round. But hey, Brock was dominating for 85 out of 90 seconds, until he wasn't. So discrediting someone who beat you fair and square, is not cool. Then when the rematch came around, and Lesnar won, he continued the disrespect by getting in Frank Mir's face and berating him after Mur was just trying to shake hands with the man that had just brutally knocked him unconscious. But hey, who am I to judge?
Overall: 3.1/5
Could've included more information, very disrespectful
The first thing I'm going to say about this book is that Brock Lesnar is a meathead. But of course he is. A high school wrestler turned NCAA champ, pro wrestling was an obvious choice. Even there, he gave absolutely ZERO respect to his opponents.
As someone who trains BJJ and MMA, respect is key, in both sports. But Brock over here apparently didn't get the memo, as he slams almost all of his opponents in the UFC, both verbally and physically (see what I did there?). And, of course, I am not disrespecting Brock Lesnar in any way, shape or form. I think he is and outstanding physical specimen and his achievements in both MMA and wrestling are unbelievable.
But....
He never gives any credit to Frank Mir (again, amazing fighter) for beating him the first time around with a submission (kneebar) in the very 1st round. But hey, Brock was dominating for 85 out of 90 seconds, until he wasn't. So discrediting someone who beat you fair and square, is not cool. Then when the rematch came around, and Lesnar won, he continued the disrespect by getting in Frank Mir's face and berating him after Mur was just trying to shake hands with the man that had just brutally knocked him unconscious. But hey, who am I to judge?
Overall: 3.1/5
Could've included more information, very disrespectful
November 12, 2023
Rating: 5
I really enjoyed this book. Brock Lesnar narrated story of his life with real honesty. Through this book, I learned about the dedication required to become the absolute best in wrestling and the physical and mental hardships that accompany the journey. I have always been a great admirer of Brock Lesnar, whether it's his entrance, his theme song, his vibe, or anything related to him. He was a real beast(a gorilla as he has described himself in the book) and opponents would genuinely get scared as he walked down to the ring.
In his book, he speaks highly of himself, but considering his track record, I will give him that. But good thing is that, every word is unfiltered. Back when I was a child, I often wondered where Brock had suddenly disappeared to from WWE. In this book, he has given out every detail of almost every single match he played, along with his rift with WWE management and why he backed out from WWE contract.
Lastly, I must say brock earned my respect for being an amazing son, husband and a father. Every decision he made in his life was taken keeping his family and children in center.
I highly recommend this book if you have even the slightest admiration for Brock.
I really enjoyed this book. Brock Lesnar narrated story of his life with real honesty. Through this book, I learned about the dedication required to become the absolute best in wrestling and the physical and mental hardships that accompany the journey. I have always been a great admirer of Brock Lesnar, whether it's his entrance, his theme song, his vibe, or anything related to him. He was a real beast(a gorilla as he has described himself in the book) and opponents would genuinely get scared as he walked down to the ring.
In his book, he speaks highly of himself, but considering his track record, I will give him that. But good thing is that, every word is unfiltered. Back when I was a child, I often wondered where Brock had suddenly disappeared to from WWE. In this book, he has given out every detail of almost every single match he played, along with his rift with WWE management and why he backed out from WWE contract.
Lastly, I must say brock earned my respect for being an amazing son, husband and a father. Every decision he made in his life was taken keeping his family and children in center.
I highly recommend this book if you have even the slightest admiration for Brock.
May 1, 2018
I'm not the biggest Brock Lesnar fan, but this was a short audio book I decided to give a chance. I'm glad I did. There wasn't an overkill of particular wrestling matches, although the UFC fights were detailed a bit more.
The best thing about this book is that Brock tells it like it is. His opinions, in his own words, and he doesn't give a damn. It caught me off guard because he is a soft spoken character on television and keeps privacy more than others. He is relentless in the book.
I wish Brock would write a second book, or rerelease Death Clutch with added chapters. It would be interesting to hear him talk about more people in the wrestling/fighting business and things that have happened to him. There won't be any literature awards, but Brock is pretty good at giving brutal honesty.
The best thing about this book is that Brock tells it like it is. His opinions, in his own words, and he doesn't give a damn. It caught me off guard because he is a soft spoken character on television and keeps privacy more than others. He is relentless in the book.
I wish Brock would write a second book, or rerelease Death Clutch with added chapters. It would be interesting to hear him talk about more people in the wrestling/fighting business and things that have happened to him. There won't be any literature awards, but Brock is pretty good at giving brutal honesty.
March 4, 2023
I'm a martial artist and on occasion watch a UFC fight, but don't follow who's who. I do like reading what fighters do to train, think and grow as people. Lesnar tells his story and he has a method to his process and likes to entertain in and out of the ring. I feel for him and his survival story with diverticulitis, this is something that could have been much worse and his motorcycle accident was pretty bad too. Reading up on saga after this book, I think this was written when he was at the top of his game, but he has had a long career since then in the WWE. He is a big, very strong, entertaining guy, who provided some good insight into the WWE world. It is fixed fighting for show, but sounds like a terrible ordeal.
November 16, 2023
Don’t expect anything well written and you will be ok.
I have amassed a small collection of wrestling books and decided to read this one first, as he is the wrestler I find most fascinating.
Obviously reading this book 12 years after it was written means there’s an awful lot of events that have happened since, but it’s interesting seeing the inside - to a point because of lawyers - about what happened during his early years and his UFC time.
The whole diverticulitis episode is the most impactful, and you can feel Brock’s fear during these pages. You should never take your health for granted, and if an athlete at the absolute pinnacle of fitness can succumb so easily and quickly, so can anyone.
I have amassed a small collection of wrestling books and decided to read this one first, as he is the wrestler I find most fascinating.
Obviously reading this book 12 years after it was written means there’s an awful lot of events that have happened since, but it’s interesting seeing the inside - to a point because of lawyers - about what happened during his early years and his UFC time.
The whole diverticulitis episode is the most impactful, and you can feel Brock’s fear during these pages. You should never take your health for granted, and if an athlete at the absolute pinnacle of fitness can succumb so easily and quickly, so can anyone.
August 15, 2024
This book tells the life story of Brock Lesnar. The opening portion of the book discussed his upbringing and competitive wrestling career. The book then ventures into how Brock started in WWE and his tenure with WWE. Brock's next adventure was the NFL, but thanks to a motorcycle accident he faced some setbacks. Brock divulges the meanings of some of his tattoos. He also speaks highly of his relationship with his wife. 70% of this book is Brock's drama with Vince/WWE. The ending portion of the book details Brock's MMA/UFC career. Overall, this book is fair, but I didn't like the narrator. There were no inflections in his voice, which made the reading process dull.
March 16, 2019
After done reading the book, I find out why he named his book "Death Clutch". You can learn a lot from Brock who came out from farm in Dakota to Hollywood and become a rock star. I will definitely recommend this book to young youth to learn about his life and how Brock achieved everything what he wanted. When you start reading the book, you carried away and you want to learn everything about the person in the book. This book is that kind, you will not feel bored and you will learn a lot from this guy about life, how you should stick with your family and what you want to achieve in life.
April 19, 2025
I read this book to learn more about Brock and see if it would change my opinion on how he is perceived as just a big meat head and the book started of well talking about his amateur wrestling days and which I was very interest to learn about and then getting into the WWE and UFC side of the book Brock just comes off as very arrogant and the way he words/talks about situations nothing was ever his fault or when he lost there was reasons which there could very well be but just doesn’t help the image a lot of people have of Brock.
November 2, 2017
Memoir by a wrestler/MMA fighter? Better book than I expected. The most interesting parts focus on Lesner's rise through the legit wrestling ranks as an amateur. What exactly does a collegiate wrestler do after his competitive days are over? Lesner, unfortunately, comes off as a bit of an egotist, no doubt continuing in the WWE tradition of "shooting" (bragging and calling out his opponents/enemies).
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