Mark Coleman: I cancelled Christmas
PDG: In a recent interview on PDG, Randy Couture talked about how you beat him in a wrestling match some…
PDG: In a recent interview on PDG, Randy Couture talked about how you beat him in a wrestling match some years back so he has been looking forward to this rematch for a long time.
Mark Coleman: Yeah it was back in 1989 and I remember it pretty clearly because he head-butted me in the chin and I ended up having to get stitches after the match. So I guess I’ll have to get in a head-butt this time around.
PDG: The turning point for you at this stage in your career came at UFC 100 when you were a big underdog going into your fight against Stephan Bonnar; you controlled the entire fight and took the unanimous decision victory. What did that do for your confidence overall and how you’re feeling now going into your fight against Couture?
Mark Coleman: It was definitely a much-needed win and it certainly helped improve my confidence because when you lose a couple of fights in a row sometimes your mind can get used to losing. The same goes for winning though and I got the win in that fight, so my confidence is high going into UFC 109. I have had a great training camp and this is going to be one hell of a fight because he is one of the best ever in my opinion and he is very mentally tough; which is one of the most important things in this sport and I actually think that is his best attribute. But like I said I’ve had a great training camp and I fully expect to win this fight.
PDG: Let’s talk about your training camp; Shawn Tompkins left X-Treme Couture and is now coaching at the TapOut Training Center in Las Vegas where you are training. How nice has it been to be able to have those resources available to you during your current training camp?
Mark Coleman: That is why I came to Las Vegas to train because Vegas is the mixed martial arts training capital. It is the home of more mixed martial artists than anywhere else in the US and I would have to say the least 30% of all professional fighters train here in Vegas. Like I said that is why I came out here so that I could surround myself with professional athletes and people that have the same goals in their careers as I do. It has been excellent out here and it really helps for me to get away from all the distractions that I would have had if I would have stayed in Columbus, Ohio. Since I got here, when I am not at the gym training I come back to my hotel room and close the curtains and just concentrate on this fight….it is almost like my cave. For the last 50 days I go from my hotel room to the gym and then from the gym to my hotel room, I even had to cancel Christmas this year. I will celebrate Christmas with my kids when this fight is over but for right now it’s all about taking care of business.
PDG: How important was it for your fighting career to make the decision to move your training camp to Las Vegas?
Mark Coleman: I will always call Columbus, Ohio my home and I will never move away from my kids but when I need to train for a fight, I know this is the place I need to be. It was absolutely critical and I wouldn’t have beaten Bonnar and I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to fight Couture had I not made that decision. Had I stayed in Columbus I would’ve had a lack of coaching, a lack of training partners and many other distractions that would have hampered my training.