UFC legend Mark Coleman believes he can do anything.
Beloved by MMA fans far and wide, the two-time UFC tournament champion has had his fair share of demons and close calls over the years. In 2020, ‘The Hammer’ revealed that he underwent surgery following a heart attack. Four years later, he nearly lost his life after bravely pulling his parents out of their burning home in Toledo, Ohio.
But perhaps one of his biggest struggles was with alcohol.
Today, Coleman is sober and living life to the fullest, but he’s not shying away from his checkered past. If anything, he’s fully embracing it. During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, the UFC’s first-ever heavyweight champion offered some insight into his sobriety and encouraged anyone struggling with alcoholism to put down the bottle and start fighting for their own life.
“You got to get in there,” Coleman said. “You got to get help. And you got to do it now because tomorrow might not come. Put the bottle down. Get up off the couch. Get some exercise in. But first, get sober.”
“I can do anything if I just stay sober. Trust me, it’s the toughest fight of my life.”
UFC Icon Mark Coleman needs No introduction
Coleman officially retired from competing when he was 48 years old. Before that, he racked up wins against a slew of former combat sports legends like Gary Goodridge, Don Frye, Dan Severn, and Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua. Along the way, he etched his name in the history books, earning him a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame in 2008.
In addition to his legacy as the UFC’s inaugural heavyweight titleholder, ‘The Hammer’ still holds the record for the fastest knockout in PRIDE history, and is one of only two fighters to win tournaments in both PRIDE and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
