UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman received a hero’s welcome Saturday in front of a sold out crowd at one of the promotion’s most historic events ever.
Weeks after he was put into a medically-induced coma after saving his parents from a house fire, Coleman and daughters Morgan and Kenzie were given a special walkout to “My Hero” by Foo Fighters during the UFC 300 main card at T-Mobile Arena.
A hero in every meaning of the word 👏@MarkColemanMMA | #UFC300 pic.twitter.com/jmB3S9Hrut
— UFC (@ufc) April 14, 2024
Coleman, who will also present the “BMF” title to the winner of Saturday’s Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway, is nearly fully recovered from injuries sustained in the fire, outside of a sore throat – a small burden compared the severe smoke inhalation that jeopardized his life in mid-March.
According to Coleman, the cause of the March 12 fire in Fremont, Ohio is still not known. His parents were physically unharmed, thanks to Coleman, and dog, Hammer, who alerted him as the family slept. Hammer succumbed due to injuries sustained in the fire.
Special walkouts are not common in the UFC. However, the promotion also did a similar one for another UFC Hall of Famer, Matt Hughes, after he nearly died when his car collided with a train. The promotion had Hughes walk out at UFC Fight Night 124 in January 2018. It was his first public appearance post-collision.
