A personal and insightful look at the sport of wrestling, this memoir explores how and why professional wrestling captivates millions of loyal fans. Exposing how wrestling really works—how it is booked, promoted, reported on, and broadcast, as well as how steroids come into play—this book scrutinizes the sport’s power brokers, including Dave Meltzer and Vince McMahon, and analyzes how announcers and wrestlers are reshaping the sport through illusion and spectacle that, despite mistakes and controversies, continues to win the devotion of fans. Revealing personal experiences with zeal, this tell-all is the ultimate take on what it means to be a wrestling fan from someone who understands the inner workings of the business.

Larry Matysik's profile page

Larry Matysik is an independent promoter who has worked in the professional wrestling industry for more than 45 years. He is a former television announcer and publicist who worked for the World Wrestling Federation from 1984 to 1993. He is the author of Brody and Wrestling at the Chase. He lives in Belleville, Illinois.

"Matysik astutely explains that McMahon's dominance of the industry allows him to regularly change the face of pro wrestling into his own ever-evolving vision of . . . 'sports entertainment.'"   —Scripps Howard News Service

"Larry Matysik wonderfully sums up how wrestling should work and how it really does . . . This is a man who knows his stuff and it shows in his writing."  —411Mania.com

Larry Matysik may not be on your short list of professional wrestling greats, but he should be . . . If you have a keen interest in the nature of professional wrestling . . . this is the best book written on the subject."  —Figure Four Online and WrestlingObserver

"I have really enjoyed reading Larry Matysik’s book Wrestling at the Chase, the story of St. Louis wrestling, featuring legendary promoter Sam Muchnick. St. Louis was as well promoted as any city in the world for many, many years. Nice job, Larry!” —Jim Ross, Raw Superstar, wwe.com