Mark Coleman declares himself the ‘backup for every fighter’ at UFC 300 weeks after nearly dying in fire
Combat sports legend Mark Coleman is headed to UFC 300.
The promotion’s first-ever heavyweight world champion nearly lost his life in a devastating fire last month. Awaken by his pet dog in the middle, Coleman heroically carried both of his parents to safety, suffering smoke inhalation in the process. Fortunately, the two-time UFC Hall of Famer pulled through that and a subsequent bout with pneumonia before being given a full bill of health.
To honor ‘The Hammer’ and his heroic efforts, Dana White and Co. will host Coleman and his daughters for UFC 300 on April 13 in Las Vegas.
“I’m so excited today,” Coleman wrote in a video caption on Instagram. “The UFC is bringing me in giving me and my daughters tickets to the biggest show ever UFC 300 in Las Vegas. So stoked let’s go. The BMF belt that’s the one I’m excited about. The main event is huge as well. The whole card is sick. See you there. What a great day to be alive. Be the best version of yourself you can be you never know when you’re gonna need it. Sober is cool, carnivore diet, nine ancestral tenants, hammer House for life.”
In the video itself, Coleman said he’s feeling so good that he’ll step up and be the backup for any and every fighter on the card.
“What’s up everybody,” he said. “Good afternoon! I’m so excited. UFC is bringing me into UFC 300. I’m in training. I’m the backup for every fighter. Let’s go!”
Max Holloway wants Mark Coleman to present the BMF title at UFC 300
While we don’t expect to see the 59-year-old legend strap on the four-ounce gloves ever again, BMF title challenger Max Holloway suggested that Mark Coleman be the one who straps the bragging rights belt around the winner’s waist at UFC 300.
“The only correct answer is Mark Coleman,” Holloway told MMA Junkie when asked who should present the BMF title at UFC 300. “Especially with what he went through recently with his dog and his dog waking him to go save his stuff and he goes in there and runs for his dog? The guy’s a G. That’s a real life BMF. That would be sick if he did it. It would be an honor to get him to do it.”
Between 1996 and 2010, Mark Coleman competed against some of the biggest names in combat sports during his time in PRIDE and the UFC, including Gary Goodridge, Don Frye, Fedor Emelianenko, Mirko Cro Cop, Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua, and Randy Couture. In 2008, he was inducted into the Pioneer Wing of the UFC Hall of Fame. Eight years later, he would receive a second induction, this time into the Fight Wing for his classic clash with Pete Williams at UFC 17 in May 1998.
For all his accomplishes in the world of mixed martial arts, Coleman will forever be remembered as the UFC’s inaugural heavyweight champion, winning back-to-back tournaments at UFC 10 and UFC 11 before submitting Dan Severn with a scarf hold at UFC 12 to etch his name in the history books.
