The Lowdown 06.27.09: Mark Coleman

Posted by Frank Fedele on 06.27.2009

Last week we looked at one of the beasts in the lightweight division in Clay Guida. Guida was the main event in last weekend Fight Night event. This week we look at a veteran prelim fighter trying to stay around for awhile longer in the heavyweight division, Mark Coleman. Join us for that and more in the Lowdown...

Last Week Roundup

Clay Guida and Diego Sanchez put on a heck of fight last Saturday, hitting each other with everything they had in their arsenal and taking massive punishment. Guida took some brutal shots by Sanchez, including a head kick that knocked him to his knees. That Guida stayed in the fight and kept fighting is a tribute to his strength and chin. The pace was frantic and in the end Sanchez won by decision. Sanchez now gets in line to fight the winner of the B.J. Penn/Kenny Florian fight and Guida moves back down the ladder. I do think Guida will start to move back up the division again and I will continue to enjoy watching him do it.

This week we look at one of the more decorated veterans in the Heavyweight division in the UFC, Mark Coleman.

Background

Mark Coleman comes from a wrestling background and it shows when he is in his fights. Coleman wrestled for Miami of Ohio, where he earned the Mid-American Conference Wrestling championship twice. Coleman then transferred to Ohio State University where he won the NCAA championship while there. Coleman then wrestled for the US Wrestling team and placed 7th overall in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

Coleman moved from amateur wrestling into the emerging MMA scene, taking part in UFC 10 where he won all three of his bouts. Coleman utilizes his superior wrestling skill to control his opponent and take them to the ground. When on the ground, Coleman looks to pound his opponent out or apply a submission when his opponent attempts to get away from the strikes. Coleman has earned his nickname the Hammer from his vicious strikes from the top and the mount and that style has earned him many victories in the UFC and overseas in Pride.


Mark Coleman

Previous Fights

Coleman fought in UFC 10 and won the three fight tournament. He beat Moti Horenstein, Gary Goodridge and Don Frye in the finals. Coleman continued in the UFC, fighting in UFC 11, 12, 14, 17 and 18. Coleman won the first ever UFC Heavyweight title in UFC 12 by beating Dan Severn by Submission. Coleman took his first loss to Maurice Smith in UFC 14 by decision, losing the belt in the process. Coleman then lost two more fights in the UFC before moving over to Japan to fight in PRIDE.

Coleman lost his first bout in PRIDE, falling to a heel hook by Nobuhiko Takata in PRIDE 5. Coleman then went on a six fight winning streak in PRIDE and won the PRIDE 2000 Openweight GrandPrix by beating Igor Vovchanchyn with strikes. Coleman stayed in PRIDE until 2006, winning many fights there. Coleman did have issues with the better Heavyweights in PRIDE, falling twice to Fedor Emelianenko and once to Mirko Cro-Cop.

Coleman came back to the UFC in 2009 to fight Mauricio Rua in UFC 93, losing by TKO. Coleman was also elected to the UFC Hall of Fame and will fight Stephan Bonnar next in UFC 100 in the undercard.


Mark Coleman punching out Dan Frye

Mark Coleman's MMA Record
Heavyweight
1996
UFC 10 – Win versus Moti Horenstein by Submission (Strikes)
UFC 10 – Win versus Gary Goodridge by Submission
UFC 10 – Win versus Don Frye by KO
UFC 11 – Win versus Julian Sanchez by Submission (Choke)
UFC 11 – Win versus Brain Johnston by Submission (Strikes)

1997
UFC 12 – Win versus Dan Severn by Submission (Neck Crank)
UFC 14 – Loss to Maurice Smith by Decision

1998
UFC 17 – Loss to Pete Williams by KO

1999
UFC 18 – Loss to Pedro Rizzo by Decision
PRIDE 5 – Loss to Nobuhiko Takada by Submission (Heel Hook)
PRIDE 8 – Win versus Ricardo Morias by Decision

2000
PRIDE Grand Prix 2000 Opening Round – Win versus Masaaki Satake by Submission (Neck Crank)
PRIDE Grand Prix 2000 Finals – Win versus Akira Shoji by Decision
PRIDE Grand Prix 2000 Finals – Win versus Kazuyuki Fujita by TKO
PRIDE Grand Prix 2000 Finals – Win versus Igor Vovchanchyn by Submission (Strikes)

2001
PRIDE 13 – Win versus Allan Goes by KO
PRIDE 16 – Loss to Antonio Rodrigo Noguerira by Submission (Triangle Armbar)

2003
PRIDE 26 – Win versus Don Frye by Decision

2004
PRIDE Total Elimination 2004 – Loss to Fedor Emelianenko by Submission (Armbar)

2005
PRIDE 29 – Loss to Mirko Cro Cop by KO
Bushido Europe – Win versus Milco Voorn by Submission (Arm Triangle)

2006
PRIDE 31 – Win versus Mauricio Rua by TKO
PRIDE 32 – Loss to Fedor Emelianenko by Submission (Armbar)

2009
UFC 93 – Loss to Mauricio Rua by TKO

Coleman's game has stayed pretty consistent during his MMA career. Use his wrestling to control position and his opponent and get in a dominant position on the ground. From there unleash strikes and take a submission if it becomes available. Coleman's striking is decent, but not great and he can be submitted on the ground. He will put everything he has into his fights and rarely disappoints. We shall see if he can get back on the winning track versus Stephan Bonnar this late in his career.


Mark Coleman

Final Thoughts

Last Saturday's Fight Night was filled with some great fights in the lower weight classes. Joe Stevenson, Nate Diaz, Clay Guida and Diego Sanchez all fought exciting fights and I enjoyed the event from beginning to end. UFC 100 stacks up as an amazing event on July 11th with both the Heavyweight and Welterweight belts up for grabs. I will be interested to see those fights as well as the fights lower on the card. It should be a great night.

That is all for this week, please come back next week where we will get the lowdown on another MMA fighter that will be fighting soon and look forward to UFC 100. Please take the time to bookmark 411mania.com. One quick step and all the news you need is but a click away.