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Deathmatch Book Club #1 : Memoirs of a Mad Man by Mad Man Pondo with John Cosper

Growing up, I was never a fan of reading; I would honestly even go as far to say that I hated reading. I always associated reading with school and having to understand a book a certain way to be tested. And why would I wanna read when I could go watch cartoons? Or play with my wrestling figures and video games? Though as the years have passed, I’ve slowly but surely become a lover of reading and literature. I’m now more accustomed to reading and have been trying my best to catch up on all the reading I’ve missed in my formative years. With this newfound enjoyment of reading, I’ve decided to mix this activity with something else I enjoy: Deathmatch Wrestling. And at this cross-section of interests is where I’ve decided to start this new segment: the Deathmatch Book Club.

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For my first entry in this series, I decided to dive into the story of one of the essential figures of American Deathmatch Wrestling: Mad Man Pondo. His book, Memoirs of a Mad Man, follows the life and times of the titular Mad Man. You’ll hear tales of his travels to countries like Japan and Australia, trying-out for Extreme Championship Wrestling during its heyday, and even using a stale Little Caesars’ bread stick as a weapon against a promoter during a match. You also get to hear some of Pondo’s experiences outside of the squared circle. Stories like how he was banned from the Jerry Springer Show, and then hired as a Casting Agent shortly after. Hosting the foul public access television show: Skull Talk. Or how he made the most out of being in the film 2001 Maniacs alongside A Nightmare on Elm Street’s Robert Englund. You’ll also hear about the very real situations Pondo has faced, such as supergluing his fractured skull shut, or being held up at gunpoint.

The book also features perspectives from a wide variety of different people who got to share their stories of Mad Man Pondo. These names include wrestlers like Terry Funk, The Sandman, Chris Hero, and Pondo’s long time tag team partner, 2 Tuff Tony. You also get to hear from former Survivor contestant and IMPACT Wrestling alumni, Jonny Fairplay; who invited Pondo to his wedding where Pondo stapled money to himself for Jonny’s gift. The book even opens with a foreword from Vanilla Ice, who recounted how he went from calling him Stop Sign Guy, to his proper name.

Some readers might be put off by the narrative style the book presents as it is not told in a start-to-finish order of Mad Man Pondo’s life. Instead of that traditional telling, Pondo opts to tell his life in a series of stories that bounce around the different years of his life and career. Personally, I prefer this memoir style of as it feels almost as if Pondo was sitting down with you and sharing assorted life stories. It feels much realer than if he were to recount the happenings in his life from birth to the time of writing and it is a style I would love to see more in the genre.

Overall, my biggest take away is that Mad Man Pondo may be the Deathmatch Forrest Gump in that he has lived a full life multiple times over and he’s still kicking. Mad Man Pondo has brushed shoulders with wrestling legends, musical artists, and actors. He’s been in video games, movies, television, and even has a song written about him. He’s wrestled everywhere from his hometown to all around the globe. And I know when the reaper comes to take me away, I’ll hope that I’ve lived even a fraction as much as Mad Man Pondo. Memoirs of a Mad Man can be found both physically and digitally through Amazon, so feel free to give it a read and let me know what you think. I highly recommend this book for any fans of Deathmatch Wrestling, or anybody who enjoys hearing from a guy with stories to tell.