Sportsnet.ca -- The UFC sure isn’t easing Brock Lesnar into mixed martial arts competition. Lesnar will be back in the Octagon before the end of the year and for the second straight fight, he will take on a former champion, this time veteran Mark (The Hammer) Coleman.
Coleman, the first heavyweight crowned in the UFC back in 1997, revealed Saturday night at UFC 82: Pride of a Champion he would take on the former WWE star in Minnesota later this year.
While no date has been set, Coleman, who hasn’t fought since a loss to Fedor Emelianenko in October 2006, will have five months to train for his fight with Lesnar.
Coleman, 43, known as the pioneer of ground-and-pound in the sport, was inducted into the UFC’s Hall of Fame in a ceremony at the sold-out Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Though many thought he was retired, he made the announcement in an interview inside the cage.
Lesnar is coming off an impressive performance against Frank Mir on Feb. 2 in his debut in the organization. While he lost the bout, he dominated most of the early going and had some chances to finish the former title-holder which signaled he had a future in the sport.
An All-American amateur wrestler, Lesnar will have hometown support as he attended the University of Minnesota on a wrestling scholarship. He also played briefly with the Minnesota Vikings. The 30-year-old currently fights out of Minneapolis.
The UFC also confirmed Saturday night that UFC 85 will be headlined by Chuck (The Iceman) Liddell and will take place in London on June 7. The event had already been announced, but with no names attached to it though it has been reported that Liddell will take Mauricio (Shogun) Rua.
Between now and then, the next two UFC pay-per-view cards will feature title fights, making it five such in a row. Hometown favourite Georges (Rush) St. Pierre gets a chance to recapture his welterweight belt on April 19 at the Bell Centre when he takes on Matt (The Terror) Serra at UFC 83. Serra was at the arena Saturday and was booed by the crowd when the cameras focused on him.
Following Montreal, on May 24, B.J. Penn will defend his newly acquired lightweight belt against former champion Sean Sherk in Las Vegas at the recently announced UFC 84: Ill Will. Sherk lost his title when a suspension was upheld late last year following a positive drug test from his most recent win in July.
Also on the card, to be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Wanderlei Silva faces Keith Jardine and undefeated Lyoto Machida goes up against Tito Ortiz. It will be Ortiz’s final fight on his UFC contract.
NOTES: In an interview with Sportsnet this week, UFC president Dana White refuted rumours that Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis is in negotiations to join the organization.
"Believe me, if Ray Lewis was going to sign in the UFC, I'd be aware of it," White said. "No it’s not true … first I've heard of it. It’s a bulls--- story." …
A Las Vegas district court judge granted the UFC a preliminary injunction on Thursday against Randy Couture which will prevent him from promoting rival mixed martial arts events. Judge Jennifer Togliatti ruled Couture was in violation of the non-compete clause in his contract by promoting an International Fight League event.
White commented to Sportsnet this bodes well for the UFC, which was named a defendant in a lawsuit filed by Mark Cuban’s HDNet Fights. The competing MMA promotion was hoping to see Couture freed from his contract so they could hold a fight with him against Emelianenko.
