I’ve always been a fan of BJ Penn, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist. When I recently picked up his book Why I Fight: The Belt is Just an Accessory, I was hoping for a great read. I was not disappointed. In his own words, Penn tells the story of his life spent fighting, explaining what led a scrappy teenager from the rough streets of Hilo, Hawaii, to becoming, pound for pound, one of the best mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters in the world. Along the way, you experience both his victories and his frustrating defeats. It’s the story of how BJ Penn became one of only two fighters in UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) history to hold belts in two different weight classes. In the world of MMA he truly earned his nickname, The Prodigy.