Who was the first UFC champion of the world? Newer MMA fans might be unfamiliar but Mark Coleman, the former PRIDE and UFC fighter, is the promotion’s first title holder, but his championship mindset extends beyond fighting. This was nowhere more evident than when he saved his parents from a burning house that was his home, and even went back in for an additional 10 minutes to save his dog but failed to do so. Imagine being almost 60 years old and running headfirst into a fire, the result of which left him hospitalized due to severe smoke inhalation. However, now, back in good health and spirit, the first-ever UFC champion opened up about who he thinks is the MMA GOAT. Let’s find out what he had to say.

In an exclusive interview with Andrew Whitelaw from our very own EssentiallySports, the inaugural UFC champion was asked the following, “What you did in this sport, especially as a heavyweight, everybody knows – [you were] completely pioneering. A lot of people in that era, you know, they love it. I just saw you watching Jon Jones on your phone. How do you feel when you see the next generation? I mean he is the modern GOAT, right?”. Interestingly, Coleman previously posted a picture on Instagram supporting his Ohio native HW star Stipe Miocic against the heavyweight champion. He commented, “You can do it, Champ! Finish him and be the King,” echoing his blessings to the ‘resident fireman’ of the UFC.

In reply, ‘The Hammer’ recalled a time when he trained with a 22-year-old Jones, recalling how they competed at UFC 100, and acknowledging ‘Bones’ as the greatest fighter ever – “Man he is truly the GOAT, [and it] hits home with me because we both fought in UFC 100. But I fought him when he was 20 years old. We worked out on a Wednesday before the show. I whooped his a** by the way. We just went straight wrestling, and I am the Olympian man, so took him to school. I was 44 he was 20, but [it’s] no big deal. He ended up throwing a spinning elbow at me, and he came up a little bit short. I called practice right there because he was getting a little angry with me.”

“No, he is truly the GOAT I watched him that and, man, you know I love Stipe from my hometown, so I have a lot of feelings for him. But I love Jon, we talked back and forth, we went through a lot of stuff together but [I’m] proud of this man truly is the best.”, Coleman told Andrew Whitelaw, before stating that it didn’t matter whether Jones faces Tom Aspinall or Alex Pereira next, further stating, “He brings eyes to the game. He’s the best in the business – the GOAT.”

Mark Coleman tipped his hat to the two-weight champion Jon Jones, but it must have been extremely heartbreaking watching his Stipe Miocic, whom he shares states with, go out on his shield against ‘Bones’. In that light, let’s look at Mark Coleman’s unwavering support of Miocic, particularly prior to the latter’s retirement fight at UFC 309.

Mark Coleman’s unwavering support for Stipe Miocic

Bring from the same state of Ohio, Mark Coleman aligned himself with Stipe Miocic from the day the latter was matched up against Jon Jones for UC 295. In the lead up to the fight, the ‘real-life’ BMF (as Max Holloway referred to him) Coleman, shared a post supporting his fellow Ohio-native, with the following captions, ““I am working with the future goal of the heavyweight division @stipemiocic vs. Jon Bones Jones at Madison Square Garden! Yes, I do think he gets the job done. If anybody can do it, it’s him. This is the biggest fight in the history of the UFC. I can’t wait. I’m so excited! Sober is cool, carnivore diet, nine ancestry, and Hammer House for life.”

The fight was initially scheduled or November 2023, but with Jones pulling out of the bout due to a torn pectoral tendon, the bout was rescheduled for November 16th, this year. We all know how the bout ended with Jones’ third-round spinning back-kick KO, followed by a ground-and-pound finish. Following the bout, Stipe Miocic hung his gloves up and called it a career, returning to work full-time as a firefighter, much to the relief of fans.

Regardless, Mark Coleman shares an uncanny resemblance to his Ohio native, in that both former UFC heavyweight champions jumped into fires to save people. The only difference is that Miocic is a professional at it, while Coleman did so out of the need to save his family. In that light, they’re both ‘real-life BMFs’.

What do you think of Mark Coleman’s opinion of Jon Jones being the GOAT? Do you agree with him? Do let us know in the comments down below.