UFC icon's emotional appearance after near-fatal house fire
Mark Coleman made an emotional appearance at UFC 300, just one month after surviving a horrific house fire.
The 59-year-old was hospitalised and almost died after saving his parents from the flames in Ohio in March, but managed to make a full recovery.
Coleman was one of the sport’s founding fathers and a fan favourite, with the outpouring of support following his near-death experience spreading across the globe.
During the landmark pay-per-view event on Sunday (AEST), Coleman made the walk out in front of the crowd alongside his two daughters, with “My Hero” by the Foo Fighters blasting as the UFC faithful gave him a standing ovation.
“He is one of the all-time greats,” Joe Rogan said on commentary.
“The godfather of ground and pound – I remember when this guy first burst onto the scene … this guy was so big, so strong and so scary.”
Coleman finished his mixed martial arts in 2010 with a loss to Randy Couture, but remains a popular figure within the sport.
He is expected to hand the BMF Title belt to the winner of Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 and thanked his fans for all their support.
