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Post by Ian from 616Entertainment. on Nov 17, 2009 20:26:28 GMT -5
Randy Couture and Mark Coleman have verbally agreed to a light heavyweight headlining bout at UFC 109 on Feb. 6 in Las Vegas, Sherdog.com has learned through sources close to the bout.
If signed, the bout will mark the first time UFC hall of famers have met in the Octagon. Both former heavyweight champions, Couture was originally slated to face Coleman at UFC 17 in May 1998 in Mobile, Ala., before the four-time Olympic alternate hurt his ribs prepping for that year’s Greco-Roman wrestling Nationals.
Instead, Coleman fought Pete Williams, a then unknown Lion’s Den protégé, and was knocked out with a head kick just past the 12-minute mark. The accomplished wrestlers’ paths did not cross again.
Couture, 46, out-clinched muay Thai striker Brandon Vera to a unanimous decision last Saturday at UFC 105 in Manchester, England. Couture is the only fighter to have held titles in both the UFC’s light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2006. He is also a two-time Div. I National Championships team member and a two-time NCAA Div. I runner-up for Oklahoma State University.
Coleman, 44, breathed new life into his 13-year career with a unanimous decision victory over 32-year-old “The Ultimate Fighter” finalist Stephan Bonnar at UFC 100 last July in Las Vegas. He was slated to face former 205-pound champion Tito Ortiz at UFC 106 on Nov. 21 in Las Vegas, but withdrew with a slight torn MCL in early October.
Coleman, who was inducted by the UFC in 2008, was Pride Fighting Championships’ first grand prix tournament champion in 2000 and placed seventh in freestyle wrestling at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Coleman was an NCAA Div. I champion his senior year at Ohio State University.
The legendary pair wrestled one another in a freestyle match at the 1989 Olympic Festival at Oklahoma State. Coleman won the match by one point.
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Bob Sapp
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Post by Bob Sapp on Nov 17, 2009 20:40:53 GMT -5
Um, no.
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Johnny Lawrence - Cobra Kai
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Post by Johnny Lawrence - Cobra Kai on Nov 17, 2009 20:55:54 GMT -5
Couture was originally slated to face Coleman at UFC 17 in May 1998 in Mobile, Ala., before the four-time Olympic alternate hurt his ribs prepping for that year’s Greco-Roman wrestling Nationals. Hey, as long as we're using UFC 109 to showcase postponed fights from the early days, they might as well add Dan Severn vs. Maurice Smith, which was supposed to happen at UFC 15. Book it, Joe Silva! |
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Post by edhardy on Nov 17, 2009 21:03:00 GMT -5
No Cage for Old Men
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Post by Lk™ on Nov 17, 2009 21:08:39 GMT -5
I'm totally lacking interest in. I'm more interested in randy fighting some of the younger talent. Hell, I wouldn't even mind a shogun/couture fight seeing as machida's injured right now
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PdW2kX
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Post by PdW2kX on Nov 17, 2009 21:10:54 GMT -5
Surprisingly, I find myself not really against this. Two of the best wreslters that've ever been in the UFC finally get inside the cage. It's a definite nostalgia match, but it could be interesting.
I think both men are smart enough to realize that this fight is going to be one more brawl on the road to retirement, so I don't see either of them taking this lightly. I honestly think Couture and Coleman will take this fight seriously and get inside the octagon in the best shape possible for men their age.
Coleman desperately wants to end his career on a high-note, and a win over Couture would be something to retire on, looking at it from Coleman's perspective. From Randy's perspective, a good performance edges him one step closer to a Light Heavyweight title shot, and there's no doubt that Randy wants a belt before he retires again.
If worse comes to worse, though, this could be one of the worst matches in UFC history. It's got me cringing already when I think what this fight could be if both men show up out of shape and gas before the end of the first round. It'd be so embarrassing that the two men would earn my pity instead of my anger.
For now, though, I'll try and remain carefully optimistic. Stranger things have happened than an aging Couture and Coleman giving us a good fight, if that is indeed how it all goes down.
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Post by edhardy on Nov 17, 2009 21:17:31 GMT -5
Surprisingly, I find myself not really against this. Two of the best wreslters that've ever been in the UFC finally get inside the cage. It's a definite nostalgia match, but it could be interesting. I think both men are smart enough to realize that this fight is going to be one more brawl on the road to retirement, so I don't see either of them taking this lightly. I honestly think Couture and Coleman will take this fight seriously and get inside the octagon in the best shape possible for men their age. Coleman desperately wants to end his career on a high-note, and a win over Couture would be something to retire on, looking at it from Coleman's perspective. From Randy's perspective, a good performance edges him one step closer to a Light Heavyweight title shot, and there's no doubt that Randy wants a belt before he retires again. If worse comes to worse, though, this could be one of the worst matches in UFC history. It's got me cringing already when I think what this fight could be if both men show up out of shape and gas before the end of the first round. It'd be so embarrassing that the two men would earn my pity instead of my anger. For now, though, I'll try and remain carefully optimistic. Stranger things have happened than an aging Couture and Coleman giving us a good fight, if that is indeed how it all goes down. Couture gassed? LOL his greatest strength besides hugging and praying is his Cardio... |
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PdW2kX
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Post by PdW2kX on Nov 17, 2009 21:26:27 GMT -5
Just Coleman, then. Either way, my point was that I'm carefully optimistic despite the fact that there are a lot of reasons that could contribute to this match being a stinker.
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Post by NYdream™ on Nov 17, 2009 22:52:25 GMT -5
Couture by GnP but Id rather not even see this one. He goes from beaating vera to face Coleman? Thats a step back IMO...
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Bob Sapp
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Post by Bob Sapp on Nov 17, 2009 23:32:00 GMT -5
How? Coleman just put a beating on Bonnar.
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Post by NYdream™ on Nov 17, 2009 23:38:26 GMT -5
I dont know I just see Brandon Vera as an up and coming star and I see Coleman as an aging legend who has no potential to become a champion. I just thought maybe a fight with someone youger and on the rise would get him to a title shot faster. Im not saying Coleman is not good though he is a great wrestler but I dont think he can hang with couture at this stage of his career...
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PrideFcF
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Post by PrideFcF on Nov 17, 2009 23:55:24 GMT -5
How? Coleman just put a beating on Bonnar. Maybe because Bonnar has been losing a lot lately while Vera has actually been winning. Makes Coutures win seem a bit more significant. I don't think Coleman is bad, but this is indeed kind of a step back. By all means, if this fight needed to happen, it should have been Coutures first fight back at LHW. *Edit* I won't bother to take out what I originally said, but I shouldn't have said Bonnar has been losing a lot. Just that he had already lost to Jones before losing to Coleman. Overall, Coutures recent success in the UFC (minus the Brock loss) seem to overwhelm Colemans recent 1-1 stint. |
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Sandy
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Post by Sandy on Nov 18, 2009 0:38:50 GMT -5
wow...
I don't know...
I thought the Vera win would give Couture a chance to fight for the title (I know Machida is out right now). If not a title shot then at least a fight against a top tier LHW.
Coleman? Really?
I don't know. I just thought the win over Vera was impressive as I thought Vera would use his muay thai to put a beating on Couture. But Couture proved he still has something left in the tank.
This is a big step back in competition. I mean Coleman looked impressive against Bonnar...but Bonnar has looked horrible as of late.
This really has Lay N Pray written all over it.
But I hope both of them prove me wrong.
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Post by HHH316 on Nov 18, 2009 1:06:43 GMT -5
Maybe its just me, but is Couture fighting a little too often? Granted, he hasn't really been taking a beating, but Chuck got burned out pretty fast after so many fights in a row with little time off.
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Post by edhardy on Nov 18, 2009 1:49:06 GMT -5
How? Coleman just put a beating on Bonnar. Maybe because Bonnar has been losing a lot lately while Vera has actually been winning. Makes Coutures win seem a bit more significant. I don't think Coleman is bad, but this is indeed kind of a step back. By all means, if this fight needed to happen, it should have been Coutures first fight back at LHW. *Edit* I won't bother to take out what I originally said, but I shouldn't have said Bonnar has been losing a lot. Just that he had already lost to Jones before losing to Coleman. Overall, Coutures recent success in the UFC (minus the Brock loss) seem to overwhelm Colemans recent 1-1 stint. Couture got dropped in all his past 3 fights. His chin is very easily cracked. I had round 1 and 2 for Vera and 3 a draw. I don't know how Couture even won, maybe by his Octagon Hugging Control. If he got a title shot after that fight I would stop watching ufc.. |
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Gonzo Customs
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Post by Gonzo Customs on Nov 18, 2009 2:44:12 GMT -5
I actually remember when this was originally slated for UFC 17, great stuff. I liked Coleman, but I didn't like his arrogance, and wanted to see Couture destroy him(I think he would have then). Williams knocking Coleman out pretty much killed Coleman's run in the UFC. A fight between two great wrestlers to me is always great being a wrestler myself. I really want to see this one, I don't care if its boring or great, but I hope Randy pulls the win.
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Post by [x] TEXACIDE [x] on Nov 18, 2009 8:13:44 GMT -5
Awesome, I'm a fan of both and I'm glad I don't have to wait too long for another Couture fight. thanks for posting this news.
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PrideFcF
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Post by PrideFcF on Nov 18, 2009 12:18:46 GMT -5
Maybe because Bonnar has been losing a lot lately while Vera has actually been winning. Makes Coutures win seem a bit more significant. I don't think Coleman is bad, but this is indeed kind of a step back. By all means, if this fight needed to happen, it should have been Coutures first fight back at LHW. *Edit* I won't bother to take out what I originally said, but I shouldn't have said Bonnar has been losing a lot. Just that he had already lost to Jones before losing to Coleman. Overall, Coutures recent success in the UFC (minus the Brock loss) seem to overwhelm Colemans recent 1-1 stint. Couture got dropped in all his past 3 fights. His chin is very easily cracked. I had round 1 and 2 for Vera and 3 a draw. I don't know how Couture even won, maybe by his Octagon Hugging Control. If he got a title shot after that fight I would stop watching ufc.. Believe me, I'm not campaigning for a Couture title shot. I just never would have thought he'd be getting Coleman next. Think about it. If it's a bad idea for him to get a title shot after beating Vera, is it any better if he gets one after beating Coleman? Anyways, I digress. No point pooping all over this fight before it even happens. Hopefully both of them give it their all and some bigger fights are added to the card. |
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Sandy
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Post by Sandy on Nov 18, 2009 15:42:24 GMT -5
I think the UFC should have held out for 1 more week until the forrest/tito fight happens..
If Tito wins impressively and doesn't take any damage I would much rather see a Tito/Couture Rematch.
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Bob Sapp
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Post by Bob Sapp on Nov 18, 2009 15:46:50 GMT -5
Why? Couture whooped him.
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