UFC legend Mark Coleman “rejuvenated” by coaching TUF
The next season of The Ultimate Fighter, with opposing head coaches BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar, has begun filming recently. As usual, both head coaches have brought along assistant coaches to help them develop the young aspiring UFC fighters on the show.
Penn chose former UFC heavyweight champion and Hall of Fame inductee Mark Coleman to be a part of his TUF staff. So far, UFC president Dana White has nothing but rave reviews for "The Hammer" as a part of the reality competition show.
“[Coleman is] fantastic on this season of The Ultimate Fighter,” White told reporters after UFC 167.
“He’s having blast, and he’s been great. Some goofy [expletive] went down that normally I would handle. You know, the bad kind of [expletive] where I have to show up at the house? Well I was busy today, so I called Coleman.”
Apparently, Coleman was more than happy to intercede and try and stop the crisis. “I said, ‘Dude, your [expletive] picture is hanging on the wall down there at the hall of fame," White recalled.
"It’s your house. Do whatever the [expletive] you want to do...[Coleman said], ‘I got this.’ I can’t wait to see it.”
Coleman himself recently spoke with Ben Fowlkes and confirmed that he is enjoying his elder statesmen role on The Ultimate Fighter. “It’s rejuvenating me,” Coleman said.
“It saved me a little bit. It brought the energy back, to the point where, like any other fighter, I want to fight again, really. Maybe it’s too late. Who knows? I would never say never. I won’t be stupid enough to get in there with Jon ‘Bones’ Jones or anything like that, or Daniel Cormier. I’m past that time. But I could certainly compete with certain guys out there, and if somebody wants to see it, I can’t say never.”
The 48 year-old has not fought since a 2010 submission loss to Randy Couture. He officially retired this year because of a hip replacement surgery.
His surgeon told Coleman that because of the injured hip, his fighting days were done. "But I don't believe him," Coleman said.
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