Mark Coleman

One of the most common terms in mixed martial arts today is the “ground and pound”. This is a favourite style for many MMA fighters who have a wrestling background. The first man to fight this way as a style was Mark “The Hammer” Coleman. He was a pioneer for freestyle wrestlers in MMA, showing that they could control the fight from the guard, and strike out opponents who were unable to get back to their feet.

Coleman is a decorated amateur athlete – winning a NCAA championship, a Pan AM Games gold medal, plus he wrestled on the U.S. Olympic Team in the ‘92 Olympics. He started his MMA career in the UFC in 1996, winning his first two tournaments (UFC 10 & 11), and then become the UFC’s first Heavyweight Champion after beating Dan Severn in UFC 12. Five months later he lost his title to Maurice Smith and went on a four-fight losing streak; one of those losses was in Pride 5, the Japanese promotion he had left the UFC to go fight for.

After his first Pride loss to Nobuhiko Takada (a fight believed to have been fixed), he won six straight which included a Pride Grand Prix Championship. Not until Coleman ran into submission specialist Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in 2001, did his win streak come to an end. Since 2003 his record is 3-3, with his three losses coming against Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and two to Fedor Emelianenko. Only the very best have been able to beat Coleman over the years.

Coleman created Team Hammer House, a mixed martial arts team out of Columbus, Ohio, that teaches the art of the ground and pound as well as helping students develop all-around MMA skills. He has continued to fight once a year or so, but has not fought since losing to Emelianenko for the second time in Pride 32.

I would be surprised if Coleman does not have a fight in a UFC promotion some time over the next year – as most Pride fighters will – now that the UFC owns the promotion