Mark "The Hammer" Coleman Interview

If you ever scoffed at the notion of a mixed martial artist getting better with age, then look no further than this Saturday’s main event at "UFC 109: Relentless." Two UFC Hall of Famers, 46-year-old five-time UFC champion Randy "The Natural" Couture and 45-year-old former Ohio State national champion wrestler Mark Coleman, will square off in a fight where the combined age of the competitors tops an incredible 90. Couture and Coleman may be anomalies in the sports world, but the fact that these two legends can still be going strong is a testament to the work ethic and desire to compete that is prevalent in the world of mixed martial arts. The fact that two ageless veterans can headline a card during Super Bowl weekend, typically one of the biggest shows of the year for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, in a fight that has been dreamed about for years is almost unfathomable.

David McKinney: This is a fight that has been more than a decade in the making. Are you excited that it has finally come to fruition between two UFC Hall of Famers and perhaps the two best wrestlers to ever step foot into the Octagon? Mark Coleman: Yeah, this is as big as it gets for me. This is a huge opportunity for me to take a closer step towards a title shot, which is still my ultimate goal. I don’t go around picking and choosing who I fight. I do consider Randy a good friend and I don’t want to fight him for any other reason than the fact that’s he’s a Hall of Famer and a legend. This is a fight that I’ve been asked over and over again for the last ten years about when I was going to fight Randy. It’s great that I can now answer that question: February 6.

DM: I know that a lot of your fans are happy to see you back in winning form on a big stage and they really appreciate the fact that you’re still out there fighting and giving it your all. MC: That’s something that I really do enjoy. If there are ever any fans that are hesitant about approaching me, please don’t be. I enjoy all of the attention and if you want to come up and shake my hand then I’m more than happy to do so. It’s great coming from a wrestling background where you don’t really have any of that.

DM: Many people have said that you have the perfect style to defeat currently undefeated UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida, even going as far as to give you the nickname "The Antidote." How do you think you would fare against Machida? MC: Well, first of all he has to get by [Maurico] "Shogun" [Rua]. But you asked the Machida question, and he’s a very solid fighter in all areas. He’s not somebody that I would just be able to throw around. I have trained with him in the past and his wrestling is very excellent. It would be an incredibly tough fight but it is something that I would take very seriously. I do feel like I match up well with him and that’s a fight that I can win. In all honesty, I think I could win any fight at 205 pounds if I put in the work for it.

DM: What does the future hold for you after this fight, win or lose? MC: Well whether I win or lose does determine a lot, but what I do know is that I will fight again. People don’t seem to understand, but I do continue to get better. I just hired a new strength and conditioning coach Josh Burns, and he’s really taken the guesswork out of my training. He’s mapped out a nice plan and I see myself getting better.

Full Interview: MMA Spot