[autotag]Mark Coleman[/autotag] doesn’t think it’s essential he wraps the BMF title around the [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] winner at UFC 300, but would happily do it if asked.
Gaethje (25-7 MMA, 21-7 UFC) and Holloway (25-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) both told MMA Junkie recently that they are all for the idea of Coleman presenting the BMF belt to the winner of Saturday’s featured bout at 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 from a near-fatal house fire this past month in Ohio.
Coleman revealed shortly after Holloway’s comments that he and his daughters were already invited to the event prior, but he was honored to hear both men share such definitive comments about continuing the tradition of someone special giving out the belt.
“No, they planned on bringing me and my daughters in (already), which that was Dana White stepped right up,” Coleman told MMA Junkie in his first interview since the fire. “But then a couple days later, I see Max Holloway, who I’m a super fan of this sport, and I got respect for all these guys, but I’ve rode on the bus a couple times with Max and his little boy. I just love that guy.
“This BMF belt, it’s gaining a lot of steam with this fight right here, because you talk about two Bad Mother Freakers – Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway, they optimize BMFs. When I see them do that it just brought a tear to my eye. Just grateful. Can’t believe. Just can’t believe. Then Gaethje came out and said the same thing.”
Coleman, a UFC Hall of Famer, said he’s had no correspondence from the UFC brass about whether he will be brought into the cage at the conclusion of Gaethje vs. Holloway. He would happily do it, but will not get on the plane to travel to “Sin City” with any expectations that will happen.
“I don’t think I’m going to do it,” Coleman said. “I don’t think they’re going to ask me to do it, which I don’t expect them too. But they are bringing me in. They are treating me very well. I love UFC. I am a company man. It’s the greatest sport in the world.
“They probably already have plans and you can’t be messing up plans. It’d be just unbelievable. I can’t imagine. Just being there with some nice cageside seats with my daughter. I’m stoked. If I end up putting the belt on them or whatever else, that’s just icing on the cake. I’m just happy to be there because this is the biggest, baddest, greatest card ever put together and I’m excited about the very first prelim.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.