Issue 041
September 2008
Going strong after 12 years at the top has been tough, but the Ohio native is still around and isn’t entertaining any ideas of quitting just yet. “I never quit until the end. Until they tell me I can’t fight no more, I’ll still be fighting,” the 43-year-old said.
A former Olympic-level amateur wrestler (Coleman managed seventh in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics) ‘The Hammer’ entered the Octagon in 1996 and won two UFC tournaments back-to-back, defeating five opponents over two events. His beating of Don Frye, until then considered among the best wrestlers in MMA, is remembered as one of the most savage in the sport.
After winning his first six fights (and becoming the first ever UFC heavyweight champion, a title he earned by defeating Dan Severn by submission in 1997) Coleman suffered four tough losses. Looking back, he admits he could have done things differently, but the years have made him reflective. “Woulda, coulda, for sure. There’s no doubt about it, I’m a living example. When I won the UFC title and all the accolades that came with it, no doubt about it, it was not good for my career. It was fun, I enjoyed it, I had a lot of fun, but no doubt about it, my training suffered. You start reading about yourself and start believing what people say about you, that’s when you get in a lot of trouble.”
In 1999 Coleman began fighting for Japanese promotion Pride, and in 2000 he reached the pinnacle of his career – he became the first Pride openweight Grand Prix champion, a tournament that is remembered as one of the most dramatic in all of
MMA history.
In the following five years, Coleman suffered mixed fortunes, going 4-4-0. A fearsome wrestler, the veteran admits that he should maybe have evolved his game more in keeping with modern times, but is honest in acknowledging his weaknesses. “I’ve been told I’m uncoachable. Back even when I made the Olympic team, the coaches said I liked to do things my own way. Probably not the best way, but that’s the way I did it. In fighting it definitely paid me not opening up and learning the other martial arts as soon as I should have.”
Though he has wrestled over 30 years and has fought in the top echelons of MMA for over 12 years, Coleman is still in surprisingly good shape. He has had only two surgeries in his career; a relatively routine knee operation and a far more serious arthroscopy on his neck, where keyhole surgery was used to repair a herniated disc and save his career. Coleman credits his physical conditioning for having kept him from picking up injuries, something instilled in him during his wrestling days. “Whoever trains the hardest at all times is going to win the match, and [it is] the same in MMA. Whoever trains the hardest will come out on top in this sport. A perfect example of that is Forrest Griffin. He’s an inspiration for me, because I don’t think anyone works harder than him.”
Though he competes around the world in MMA, wrestling still holds a place in his heart, and he is pleased to see a new generation of fighters who can wrestle. “I think wrestling is the hardest of all martial arts to master. Back in ’96 when I won my title, I kind of felt it wasn’t really fair, because they didn’t have my advantage. And I said back then that guys were gonna have to learn to wrestle, and they have.
“I think it’s pretty amazing how far all the fighters have come, not just a handful. Everybody’s stepping up their game. There are so many great fighters out there right now and thousands and thousands waiting in the wings to get their shot at it. Basically a lot of these kids started when they were kids!”
With no plans for retirement just yet, Coleman doesn’t pay thought to how he will be remembered. “I don’t know about my legacy, but I just hope I was able to bring something to the game. Wrestling was my first love and I’m very glad I was able to open the eyes of the world [to the effectiveness of wrestling]. We weren’t even considered a martial art in the beginning, although we’re actually the oldest martial art. Hopefully I was able to open people’s eyes to the sport of wrestling and what we could do, and at the same time open the doors to a lot of other wrestlers.”
Career Highlights
1996
Enters the UFC Octagon in his MMA debut at 32 years of age. Defeats Moti Horenstein, Gary Goodridge and Don Frye to be crowned UFC 10 tournament champion.
1997
Becomes first ever UFC heavyweight champion when he defeats Dan Severn by back crank. Later said he was ecstatic to win by out-wrestling a fellow wrestler, proving the effectiveness of his art.
2000
Is crowned the first ever Pride Grand Prix champion. In a return to the tournament format he once dominated, he defeated Akira Shoji, Kazuyuki Fujita and Igor Vovchanchyn in one evening.
2008
Inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame and announces return to the UFC. Was scheduled to fight Brock Lesnar but was forced to withdraw due to injury.
