Book review: ‘All In: Lessons On and Off the Mat’
Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Alberto
Crane suffers from multiple sclerosis, a chronic auto-immune
disease that disrupts communication between the brain and body.
However, that’s neither the beginning nor the end of his story.
“All In: Lessons On and Off the Mat,” the Mexhele Deuxlemarr-penned biography of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu master and mixed martial artist, paints a complex and engaging picture of the oft-embattled Crane. I suppose if the subject matter had involved a dominant force like Jon Jones or a master self-marketer like Conor McGregor, the book might have written itself.
Crane may have been the first American to earn a Brazilian
jiu-jitsu black belt from the acclaimed Gracie Barra academy, but
he remains very, very human. Along the way, he excelled in major
BJJ tournaments and posted a 15-5 record in MMA that includes a 0-2
stint in the UFC. The book shines in spots where Crane shoots for
the proverbial moon, from flying to Brazil with little money and
even less of a handle on Portuguese to dealing with the pressures
as an underdog under the bright lights in the UFC’s hallowed
Octagon.
Other men may surrender under such strains, but the story constantly reminds us that Crane is made of sterner stuff. Each setback—whether physical, mental or financial—results in a redoubling of his efforts. Ultimately, Crane finds his solid ground in family. Now in his late 40s and living with his multiple sclerosis diagnosis, he aims to lay the foundation for the second half of his life by passing on his values and lessons to a new generation. In reading Crane’s story, I can’t help but think of Queen’s “Flash’s Theme” from 1980:
Just a man with a man’s courage
You know he’s nothing but a man
And he can never fail.
“All In: Lessons On and Off the Mat,” the Mexhele Deuxlemarr-penned biography of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu master and mixed martial artist, paints a complex and engaging picture of the oft-embattled Crane. I suppose if the subject matter had involved a dominant force like Jon Jones or a master self-marketer like Conor McGregor, the book might have written itself.
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No retreat, no surrender
Other men may surrender under such strains, but the story constantly reminds us that Crane is made of sterner stuff. Each setback—whether physical, mental or financial—results in a redoubling of his efforts. Ultimately, Crane finds his solid ground in family. Now in his late 40s and living with his multiple sclerosis diagnosis, he aims to lay the foundation for the second half of his life by passing on his values and lessons to a new generation. In reading Crane’s story, I can’t help but think of Queen’s “Flash’s Theme” from 1980:
Just a man with a man’s courage
You know he’s nothing but a man
And he can never fail.
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