Mark Coleman

Mark Daniel Coleman ( born December 20, 1964 in Fremont, Ohio ) is a former American professional wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter. He was vice-champion in 1991 in free style wrestling in the heavyweight division.

Career

Wrestling

Mark Coleman began as a junior at Fremont St. Joseph's High School with the rings. He focused on the free style and was as a high school wrestler twice national champion of Ohio. He then began studying at the Miami University, he continued at the Ohio State University. In 1988 he was American students master (NCAA champion ) at light heavyweight (up to 90 kg body weight).

The international career of wrestler Mark Coleman began at the Pan American Cup 1990 in Colorado Springs. He won the tournament there at light heavyweight before Jason Geris from Canada and Geovany Redmond from Cuba. Then 1991 was the best year in the career of wrestler Mark Coleman. He won this year in Havana at the Pan American Games in the heavyweight division before John Matile from Canada and Angel Anaya Mayeta from Cuba. Very successful he was also at the 1991 World Championships in Varna, because he lost there in the heavyweight division until the final battle against Leri Chabelow from the Soviet Union and thus became vice - world champion.

In 1992, he won again at the Pan American Championships in the heavyweight division before Ari Taub Michael from Canada and Angel Anaya Mayete. At the Olympic Games this year in Barcelona Mark Coleman failed just before entering into the decision rounds at the German Heiko Balz and thus came only on the seventh place, which was a disappointment for him. In 1995 he defeated the Sunkist Open Tournament later Olympic champion Kurt Angle. In qualifying for the Olympic Games 96 he failed.

Mixed Martial Arts

On 12 July 1996 Coleman took part in his first MMA competition in the Ultimate Fighting Championship event UFC 10 - The Tournament, which was organized as a tournament. He defeated Moti Horenstein, Gary Goodridge and Don Frye and was winner of the tournament. Then he took on 20 September 1996 at the next UFC tournament, where he first Julian Sanchez and Brian Johnston defeated, and then won the tournament again because of failures without the final battle.

Problems with the thyroid forced Coleman to take a break until he met on 7 February 1997 at UFC 12 on Dan Severn, who had to give up after 2:59. Thus, Coleman won first heavyweight title in the history of the UFC. In defense of the title had to Coleman on July 27, 1997 at UFC 14 against the kickboxer and Extreme Fighting Heavyweight Champion Maurice Smith compete. Coleman had been ill-prepared and took Smith claims to be seriously enough. The fight went the full length and the judges declared Smith the winner, which Coleman had to give up his title.

The next event at the Coleman took part, the UFC 17 of 15 May 1998, he was beaten by Pete Williams with a kick KO. Defeated Road to the Heavyweight Title on 8 January 1999, Coleman was, this time by Pedro Rizzo: In the next fight, at UFC 18. So he decided to compete in a row at the Japanese promoter Pride FC after three defeats. In his debut, at the Pride 5 on 29 April 1999, he was defeated Nobuhiko Takada crowd favorite, but in his next fight, on November 21, 1999, the Pride 8, he finally was able to record a victory again against Ricardo Morais.

The opening round of the tournament Pride Grand Prix 2000 was held at the Tokyo Dome on January 20, 2000. The Karateka and MMA newcomer Masaaki Satake had to give up against Coleman after one minute and 14 seconds. In the final round on May 1, Coleman defeated in his first fight Akira Shoji on points. His semi-final opponent, Kazuyuki Fujita, had injured in his previous fight and his trainer threw right at the beginning of the fight in the towel. So Coleman came into the final, where he had to face since the 32 fights undefeated Igor Vovchanchyn. In the second round of this had to give up and Coleman won the tournament.

Mark Coleman took a break and returned on 25 March 2001 at the Pride 13 back into the ring. He defeated Allan Goes by technical knockout. The next fight was at the event Pride 16 on 24 September 2001, where he met Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira. After six minutes and 10 seconds Coleman had to retire. Then he once again took a break from MMA until asked to play against his former opponent Don Frye 2002. But because Coleman injured before the fight, the encounter came at the Pride 26 until 8 June 2003. Frye, who had to give previously beaten only two opponents in MMA, including Coleman, was defeated by Coleman on points. On it was a fight against the heavyweight champion and the Pride FC previously unbeaten Fedor Emelianenko. From him he was forced out after two minutes and eleven seconds task. Even his next opponent, kickboxer Mirko Filipović, Coleman had to admit defeat to the Pride 29 on 20 February 2005. It was the second knockout of his career.

On October 9, 2005 Coleman took on Bushido Europe - Rotterdam Rumble part where he forced Milco Voorn in the first round to the task. Then he went to the Pride 31 on February 26, 2006, compared Mauricio Rua, who after a Coleman - attack so badly injured after less than a minute the arm that the fight had to be stopped, what is a riot between the team members of the both fighters came. At the next Pride event, which was held on October 21, 2006 in Las Vegas, it was a rematch against Emelianenko, Coleman was forced to retire in the second round.

The rematch against Rua took place on 17 January 2009 at at UFC 93, in the Hall of Fame Coleman had since been added. He lost in the third round by technical knockout. His next fight was at UFC 100 on July 11, 2009, when he defeated Stephan Bonnar on points. At UFC 109 on 6 February 2010, he went to the main fight of the night against Randy Couture. Coleman was forced to retire in the second round and was discharged as a result of the UFC.

Coleman denied on the stand from February 2010 26 MMA fights, 16 wins and ten defeats.

International success as a wrestler

(OS = Olympic Games, WM = World Championship, F = free style, Hs = light heavyweight, S = Heavy weight, then up to 90 kg or 100 kg body weight)

Swell

• Journal The wrestler from the years 1988 to 1992
• Website " www.iat.uni -leipzig.de "
• Jeremy Wall: UFC 's Ultimate Warriors: The Top 10 Toronto 2005, ISBN 1-55022-691-6, source for MMA career until 2005