Fiaz Rafiq and I bonded over Bruce Lee. His interview-heavy books on Lee, Muhammad Ali & Arnold Schwarzenegger and pioneering coverage of full combat 'cage' sports was impressive. However, I didn't understand him before Fighting against the Odds, his moving memoir which doubles as a self-help book. He's the Islamic Horatio Alger. With a H.S. education, while adhering to his religion, he's become a well-regarded entertainment and sportswriter, among the first to identify MMA-style combat sports as a phenomenon. As a shy, introverted kid, he fixated on Bruce Lee, hiding it from his strict parents, .

Like Lee, he was a small-boned kid, and saw martial arts as an avenue. His passion became his life's work as a writer. No one else covers MMA with such insight. Now, he spins out his unlikely life story with entertaining energy, verve, sincerity and passion.--Alex Ben Block, former editor, The Hollywood Reporter, veteran showbiz journalist An inspiring story of a kid who discovered his path in life -- and success -- through his passion for Bruce Lee and the martial arts. Highly recommended.--Matthew Polly, New York Times bestselling author Fiaz knows exactly how to get to the heart of every story seamlessly - and telling his own is no different. A must read for fans of combat sports, MMA and Hollywood.

--Ellie Henman, The Sun He (Fiaz) studies his subjects and does his homework so much that he can't go wrong. Fiaz studies the person - like he studied about me, Bruce Lee, Muhammad Ali, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and all those guys. And he knows more about the person than the person knows about himself.--Royce Gracie, Three-time UFC champion The story of an obsessive individual who drew inspiration from his boyhood idol Bruce Lee to follow his dream and shape his life. It reflects how his passion forged friendships and taught him to roll with the blows that journalism can throw at you.--Simon Jones, Daily Mail This is a gripping memoir which doubles up as an insightful deep dive into the world of entertainment and sports by a journalist who identified the phenomenon of MMA fighting as well as one man's journey to discover who he really is.--Halina Watts, Sunday Mirror.