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Taking a page out of “G.O.A.T.,” an illustration book about the life of Muhammad Ali that sold for as much as $7500, Zuffa, the owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, is rolling out “OCTAGON (TM),” a full-length fine art book that comes in limited edition. Printed and leather-bound by hand in Italy, OCTAGON is heavy enough (over 50 lbs.) that it would seem to require an introduction by Bruce Buffer, and a price tag ($2500 for the Collector’s edition and $3500 for the Deluxe) that will require it to be introduced to a demographic a bit more “uptown” than the typical UFC fan.

It is a substantial work, photographed by Kevin Lynch, a long-time commercial artist who is widely known for his conceptual portraits. Lynch, whose work has appeared in such publications as Vibe, American Photo, Camera Arts and harper’s Bazaar, not to mention museums and galleries throughout the world, has put more than 800 color and black & white photographs into the oversize volume; generally they are portraits of the UFC competitors before and after they engage in action.

OCTAGON features an introduction by Zuffa/UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta, an afterword by current UFC president Dana White, an essay by noted art historian and critic Dave Hickey, and a foreword by David Mamet, film director and screenwriter who is also one of the most celebrated playwrights of the 20th century.

A gala event to launch OCTAGON is scheduled for December 6, appropriately enough at the Setai Hotel on Miami’s South Beach, known as a mecca for gatherings of the art world. For more information on this landmark book, please visit the official website, at http://www.octagon-book.com.