2008-03-04 06:23:16
Next Up for Brock Lesnar? UFC Legend Mark Coleman
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Dana White and the UFC are not stupid. They didn't bring Brock Lesnar into the UFC so that he could be dominated and spat back out. Lesnar could easily become the biggest name that the sport has ever seen, if he is built up properly. I think that the UFC realized that they made a mistake by matching up Lesnar against a submission specialist, Frank Mir, in his first UFC fight.
During the UFC 82 broadcast, Mark Coleman, noted UFC legend, announced that he would be taking on Brock Lesnar in August. This should be a great match-up of similar styles, and it should allow the UFC to start building up Lesnar after a disappointing debut.
Mark "The Hammer" Coleman has a long and storied career. He is 43 years old and has a record of 15-8-0. He was one of the original stars of the UFC, first appearing in UFC 10. He has fought some impressive competition over his lifetime, including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Fedor Emelianenko (twice), Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic and Mauricio Rua. His last fight was a second round submission loss to Fedor Emelianenko. Some other sites are pointing to Coleman's lackluster record over his last eight fights, but I would point to the level of competition that he has faced during that time. You can't really fault a 4-4 record over his last eight fights when he has fought Fedor twice.
Anyways, this match-up will be a good one for Lesnar, and I would expect him to win. Both come from wrestling backgrounds and both are extremely big and extremely strong. However, I believe that the edge will go to Lesnar due to his youth, quickness and power. Coleman is now 43 years old and hasn't fought in a year and a half - this will likely be a factor in this fight.
I can guarantee you a few things leading into this fight - Lesnar will be working on his submission defense extensively, and Coleman will be working on his submission offense, as he will surely see this as his best chance to win. This should be a great fight, and it should be a building block for Lesnar's career in the UFC.
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