A fighter from the early days of the Ultimate Fighting Championship wants to face another elder statesman…with a catch.
MMA legend Mark Coleman, at the age of 58, has started training again and is actively cornering fighters. Perhaps to get his name out again or because he felt the itch of competition again, Coleman called out Conor McGregor for a bare-knuckle boxing fight. McGregor famously appeared at BKFC 41, at the conclusion of the event helmed by Mike Perry vs. Luke Rockhold, where he entered the ring and even faced off against the victor. Count former rival, Carlos Barreto, who currently commentates on UFC Fight Pass for Brazilian broadcasts, against that idea.
“Coleman is one of the biggest legends of our sport,” Barreto stated on his YouTube show “Papo de Luta.” “He passed through a very difficult time lately and showed his big heart overcoming alcoholism and also a heart attack. He was giving a great example to everybody [by dieting], losing weight and returning to training, but I don’t think it’s a good idea for a 58-year-old man to absorb punches in the head from young guys still active.”
Barreto thought it would be fairer if Coleman fought someone closer to his own age, and added that there would be no need for head trauma for legitimate competition. In a respectful manner, Barreto, who competed back at UFC 15 in 1997, challenged “The Hammer” to a grappling match. Notably, the UFC is hosting its fourth Fight Pass Invitational event on June 29, and several big names in MMA and grappling will be hitting the stage that night.
“If you are really in the mood to return to the fighting world, I would be glad to face you in grappling rules,” Barreto addressed to Coleman. “You are 58, I’m 54, you have two daughters [and] I have three. Obviously, I wouldn’t fight boxing without gloves with you, but it would be an honor to face you in a UFC invitational in grappling rules. I’m sure the old fans of the sport would love to see a fight between two old lions that still can bite.”
During the era of Vale Tudo – or no holds barred fighting – there was a rivalry that developed between the Carlson Gracie-helmed team and Coleman’s Hammer House. The two fighters could have been matched up during their UFC or Pride FC days, and they even faced off once for a potential pairing. Instead, the competitor known as “Carlao” ended up defeating Hammer House staples Kevin Randleman and Brandon Lee Hinkle in MMA, while losing to Mark Kerr in a grappling contest.
“We could have fought twice in Pride and UFC, but it [did not happen], but I submitted two of his students, but lost to Kerr via points in ADCC, so there is an interesting narrative,” Barreto explained. “It was interesting that last year, we start to talk frequently via our social media. From rivals, we turned into friends. Fighting Coleman would be like a celebration. Further, we don’t get hurt, [we] make some money and do what we love most in life. It would be an honor for me.”
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