Mark Coleman does not think it is essential that he wraps the BMF title around the Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway winner in UFC 300but would be happy to do so if requested.
Gaethje (25-7 MMA, 21-7 UFC) and Holloway (25-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) recently told MMA Junkie they support the idea of Coleman presenting the BMF belt to the winner of Saturday’s fight. on T-Mobile Arena (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+). It was an idea first shared by Holloway, who said Coleman is the “real-life BMF” after saving his parents of a near-fatal house fire last month in Ohio.
Coleman revealed shortly after Holloway’s comments that he and his daughters had already been invited to the previous event, but he was honored to hear both men share such definitive comments about continuing the tradition of someone special handing out the belt.
“No, they were planning to bring me and my daughters (already), and it was Dana White who stepped forward,” Coleman told MMA Junkie in his first interview since the fire. “But then a few days later I saw Max Holloway, who I’m a super fan of in this sport, and I gained respect for all these guys, but I’ve ridden the bus a few times with Max and his son. . I just love that guy.
“This BMF belt is gaining a lot of traction with this fight here, because you talk about two Bad Mother Freakers – Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway, they optimize BMFs. When I see them do this, my eyes fill with tears. Just grateful. I can not believe. I simply can’t believe it. Then Gaethje came out and said the same thing.”
Coleman, a UFC Hall of Famer, said he hasn’t received any correspondence from UFC bosses about whether he will be moved to the cage at the end of Gaethje vs. Holloway. He would do so willingly, but he will not get on the plane to travel to “Sin City” with any expectation of that happening.
“I don’t think I’m going to do that,” Coleman said. “I don’t think they’re going to ask me to do that, which I don’t expect them to do either. But they are bringing me. They are treating me very well. I love the UFC. I’m a company man. It’s the biggest sport in the world.
“They probably already have plans and you can’t ruin their plans. It would simply be unbelievable. I can not imagine. Just being there with some nice seats next to the cage with my daughter. I am happy. If I end up putting the belt on them or whatever, that’s just icing on the cake. I’m so happy to be there because this is the biggest, baddest and best card ever created and I’m excited for the first preliminary.”
For more information on the card, visit the MMA Junkie events hub to UFC 300.
