Tag: Mark Coleman

Mark Coleman regrets not trademarking the phrase ground and pound.

The UFC Hall of Famer is known as the ‘Godfather of Ground-and-Pound’, a technique he helped popularise with his wrestling-heavy style.

It’s a term that is still used at each and every MMA event. Coleman just wishes he was able to cash in on the popularisation of the phrase.

“It’s pretty damn neat, I’ll tell you that,” Coleman told Betway about the mainstream use of ground and pound. “I just kind of wish I’d trademarked that name because I coined that phrase. They probably wouldn’t call it ground-and-pound now because they would have to pay me!

“But it’s pretty cool, I appreciate the nickname. I love the fans, I’ve been treated so well by all of them and I hope I’ve shown a lot of love back because without the fans, you have nothing.”

Coleman’s failure to trademark the popular phrase was not born out of a lack of understanding about how big the UFC would become. The promotion is now worth in excess of $7 billion and that is something the MMA legend says he saw coming.

“I remember walking out of the cage after I beat Don Frye and my head was just going crazy. I visualised this being the biggest sport in the world,” Coleman said

“I really thought if they could defeat the lawsuits, add some rules, play their cards right and survive, I absolutely did visualise it being this big.”

All in all, Coleman couldn’t be prouder of the things he achieved during his UFC career.

“I’m proud,” Coleman said. “I’m very, very proud to have been there at the beginning of this and I wanted to hold on as long as I could.

“I was a pioneer, but at the same time, I made it all the way to UFC 109, so I made it far enough that I wasn’t just there at the beginning, but the middle, too.”

Do you think Mark Coleman missed a trick by not trademarking the term ground and pound?

Mark Coleman thinks UFC fighters are earning “pretty good” money right now.

The MMA legend has come out to defend Dana White and the UFC amid claims they are underpaying fighters.

According to a 2020 report from The New York Post, the UFC is only paying its fighters 16 percent of its total revenue, as of 2019. The report reads that fighters only cost the UFC less than $150 million. That is 16 percent of the company’s total $900 million in revenue. Other sports leagues such as Major League Baseball (MLB) or the National Football League (NFL) pay their fighters around 48 to 50 percent.

Since this report was released fighter pay has been a hot topic in MMA circles and continues to be so today. Most recently, YouTube star turned boxer, Jake Paul, has been rallying against White and the UFC for their mistreatment of athletes.

In an interview with Betway, Coleman spoke of his respect for his former boss despite having issues with him in the past.

“I respect Dana a lot,” Coleman said. “He’s called me as dumbass plenty of times, but who hasn’t he called a dumbass? So, I don’t take it too personally. I think he’s done one hell of a job, and we’ve got to give him a lot of credit for where the sport is at today.

‘The Hammer’ understands the want to see fighters earn more and believes that day will come but for now he says they are doing “pretty damn good”.

“Of course, everybody wants to be paid more,” Coleman said. “I think they’re probably going to have to pay more eventually, but right now everybody’s getting paid pretty damn good, I tell you that.

“Compared to what we got back when I was fighting. They’re getting paid pretty good.”

Do you agree with Mark Coleman? Does the modern UFC fighter earn “pretty damn good” money?