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The Six Pack by Brad Balukjian

It’s not every day that you get a death threat from the Iron Sheik.

Yet that’s where author Brad Balukjian found himself in 2005 as he was working on a biography of the legendary wrestler.

The Six Pack tells the story of six wrestlers from the 80s, one of which is the Sheik. Interviews with families, friends, hometown acquaintances, and the wrestlers themselves reveal just how tough the industry can be.

I remember watching these larger than life characters on my TV on Saturday mornings, and while I knew there was an element of “acting” involved, I didn’t realize the lengths they went through to become the characters they portrayed.

As I read the book, I was struck by the difficulty some of the wrestlers had in differentiating fact and fiction. It seemed some of them were still just “cutting a promo” as they talked with Brad. But he has an innate ability to draw out and reveal where the character ends and real life begins. That was one of the things I loved about this book.

Some these wrestlers are big names who still travel the event circuit to do autograph signings and fan events, and others are relatively unknown by their neighbors. Some continue to struggle with demons from life on the road, and others are enjoying a quiet, comfortable retirement. Each of their lives has had a unique journey and Brad tells their stories.

Another aspect of the book that drew me in was the behind the scenes “industry talk”. Brad shares about the contracts, business deals, and cut throat competition that promoters like Vince McMahon used to both build the professional wrestling industry and the WWE into the entertainment behemoth it is today.

If you are a fan of wrestling, The Iron Sheik, Tony Atlas, Tito Santana, Sgr. Slaughter, Demolition Ax, The Red Demon, Hulk Hogan or Vince McMahon, you will learn something new in this book.

You can find The Six Pack on Amazon or eBay

You can finds Brad’s first book The Wax Pack on Amazon or eBay as well.

I had a chance to sit down and interview Brad about the book and you can see that conversation below!