Mark Coleman leaves behind a career with a landscape of highs and lows

but could “The Hammer” have anything left to show us?

By: Lance Young- MMASlayer.com Contributing Writer

Lancerine10@hotmail.com

The date is July 12, 1996.

A former NCAA collegiate wrestler and former amateur Olympic wrestler, Mark Coleman is preparing his first step in cementing his legacy in what will become the fastest growing sport in the world within the following years. His first opponent, a tough Israeli Krav Maga expert who just so happened to be decorated in world titles from various martial arts disciplines including; Muay Thai and Shidokan.

Needless to say,the bout lasted only a little under the three minute mark.

Within those three minutes, UFC fans bared witness to the genesis of the coined term, “ground and pound”.

“The Hammer”, as he would learned to be called went on that same night to defeat future MMA legends Gary Goodridge, who has maintained through history one of the most devastating wins when he massacred fellow fighter, Paul Herrera with an unanswered series of fast and brutal elbows and Don Frye.  A man who up until facing Coleman was riding high on a 6-0 win streak within the UFC.

The three brutal victories made Mark Coleman the UFC 10 tournament winner and ensured his future within the sport.  Perhaps,within the context of adapting a complete fighting system which incorporated wrestling into the mix the only man who rivaled Coleman in successfully integrating strikes to complement their extensive ground work was the former mentioned Frye.

Who “The Hammer” convincingly bullied inside the octagon for nearly 12 minutes.

Coleman had a formula that had yet to be seen by any previous fighter who stepped inside the cage.

Royce Gracie had made a name for himself and the Gracie clan by displaying in front of crowds of non-believers that his families patent blend of Jiu-Jitsu could overcome much larger, stronger adversaries. Yet, Royce’s lack of stand up skills and lack of wrestling would later prove to show a weak spot in the armor.

Dan Severn, A decorated master of Greco Roman wrestling, proved he had the ground control needed to defeat anyone he stepped up against,yet lacked a solid stand up regime and was at best, a novice in the art of submissions.

Though Coleman was certainly in no way shape or form without his own faults, he proved to fair better at implementing his weaknesses with his biggest strength. In short, he equaled Severn in the department of ground control, yet was able to add a methodically placed series of strikes to enhance the value of his wrestling. Something Severn was never able to accomplish.

He also displayed an unbelievable amount of raw strength to supplement his wrestling. Which would prove to give ground technicians of Brazilian Ju-Jitsu great difficulty. Especially when wrestlers learned proper defense of the submission game.

Oddly enough, as Coleman’s career began to skyrocket and put him on the map as possibly the most lethal man in all of MMA his stock plummeted dramatically. A devastating 3 consecutive losses inside the UFC after a series of unbroken victories left Coleman back at square one, and considering just were he really stood in this fast evolving sport.

Instead of assessing the mess, Coleman found himself in the upstart PRIDE organization just a couple of months after a lackluster decision loss to Pedro Rizzo at UFC 18.

Sadly, the bout which saw Coleman facing Japans top Pro-Wrestling star, Nobuhiko Takada was nothing short of a fast payday for the first and former UFC heavy-weight champion. In which he let Takada “get one over on him” so to speak. Though the bout has been considered possibly the lowest mark on Coleman’s record it proved to not be without its merit. Pride’s success, in part depended on the promotion having a Japanese star to which the Japanese audience could identify with. Takada’s landmark victory kept his image one of relevance and ensured the Japanese audience would show further interest in PRIDE. Though Takada’s popularity and respect as a fighter slowly drifted from the sports consciousness, his friend and pro-wrestling protege, Kazushi Sakuraba, would become the rightful king to Japans MMA throne.

But Coleman would move on to prove that what has become his mid-career ushered a renaissance for the Ohio state native. After the infamous Takada fight Coleman would go on to string together 7 straight victories and win the legendary PRIDE 2000 Grand Prix. Were he gained a very notable win in the finals over a tough Russian kick boxer by the name of Igor Vovchanchyn. With the exception of a draw and one no contest, the fight was Vovchanchyn’s first loss in 5 years. In which he had racked up 30 wins. The beginning to Coleman’s career Twilight was soon to follow which proved to be a consistent mixture of ups and downs. Though he lost to the likes of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria, Mirko Crocop, and Fedor Emelianeko, they themselves had reached the pinnacle of their MMA game and many rising stars were adopting Coleman’s trademark ground and pound into their own pedigree. Something Mark Coleman would have to be proud of.

Though this time wasn’t without merit. He won a very cut and dry rematch with Don Frye in which “The Hammer” employed his ground and pound to a violent degree which hadn’t been seen in years.

He also gained a huge victory over possibly the greatest light heavy-weight to ever grace the PRIDE ring in Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

After the fall of PRIDE,Coleman found himself back in his old stomping grounds of the UFC.

A return home which had many fans skeptical of what the aging wrestler could significantly bring to a promotion which had drastically changed since he had departed.

Though he fell victim to “Shogun” in a highly anticipated rematch, he went on to convincingly defeat and bloody up former “Ultimate Fighter” TV star Stephan Bonnar.

A fight which most critics had completely counted Coleman out of all together.

The upset proved the old timer still had some fire power left in him and the brass at Zuffa raised their eyebrows to a fight possibility which was years in the making.

Mark Coleman had started his long and highly decorated MMA career at UFC 10 back in 1996.

Now he was coming back to headline the main event bout at UFC 109 “Relentless”, after being shelved to the under card in his fight with Stephan Bonnar.

His opponent was none other than the legendary Randy Couture.

A man who in many respects was cut from the very same cloth as Coleman.

The fight did not live up to its hype, nor its anticipation. Much to the disappointment of UFC and Mixed Martial Arts enthusiast around the world. Couture breezed through Coleman to win in the second round, via submission just over the opening minute. The loss was a hard one for Mark Coleman to swallow. Though he made the post-fight comment he would be back, his words lacked the confidence one would hope to have picked up.

Prior to UFC 109 Randy Couture made the comment that Mark Coleman “has not changed his fighting style in 13 years.”

Though the quote was one Couture made in an effort to bring about a negative aspect to Coleman’s overall game I would argue this is quiet the opposite. In fact, I would make the case that this is most definitely a back handed compliment. Whether Couture meant for it to be interpreted in that fashion can only be answered by him.

But in the fast paced and quickly evolving landscape which is MMA, one cannot afford to be stagnant in style for too long. Less he be overshadowed by a quickly adapting talent pool.

In this sense Mark Coleman is an anomaly within the sport.

Within that rapidly changing 13 years he created a corner stone fighting style with his pioneering ground and pound. If that was not enough, with this style alone he mainted dominance worldwide. Gaining victories over a who’s who of the sport.

Though Coleman showed he was vulnerable to fall off the saddle during his quest to gold,he also showed the tenacity and intergraty to get back up and prove not only to himself but to the world he wasn’t out of the picture just yet. If that’s not the heart of a champion, then I’m not sure what is.

You may be thinking I’m coming to the naive romanticizing conclusion we can’t count Coleman out yet.

If this is true you would only be half right.

In no way, shape, or form do I believe Mark Coleman will ever return to his glory days as a UFC champion.

But everyone from Tito Ortiz, to Mark Kerr and Fedor Emelianeko owe a debt of gratitude for what Coleman has brought to the sport.

Now we come to this strange paradox with the status of Mark Coleman.

He went from headlining the co-main event at UFC 93,to being placed on the back burner at UFC 100,.Only reaching under card prevliges,to then headlining UFC 109 only to then be cut by the promotion. A very bizarre roller coaster of name recognition for sure. One Only Mark Coleman has seemed to obtain for such a caliber of fighter.

What’s next for the godfather of ground and pound?

Retirement?

Or possibly a loosely stitched string of random fights in jump start promotions?

Let me offer my opinion.

How about Dana White and company offer Coleman one more mid-level bout before cutting him out of the picture completely. We are talking about a 44 year old wrestler who humbled Stephan Bonnar through three rounds of a one side beat down. It’s true that he did indeed give us a very poor showing against Couture but then again this seems to be the nature of Coleman’s performance history.

Here’s hoping Mark Coleman gets the respected stage exit he deserves.