“Started to have numbness in his arms and chest pain” - Mark Coleman forced to return to hospital shortly after release due to pneumonia development
Mark Coleman recently returned to the hospital shortly after being discharged due to the development of pneumonia.
The UFC Hall of Famer's daughter, Kenzie Coleman, updated in an Instagram post that her father had been readmitted to a Toledo, Ohio, hospital on Friday after experiencing numbness in his arms and chest pain. Coleman was diagnosed with pneumonia and continues to be hospitalized three days after heroically rescuing his parents from a house fire. She posted a video of 'The Hammer' on a hospital bed accompanied by a caption that read:
"It’s been a whirlwind of a week. Yesterday, my dad was released from St. Vincents in Toledo, where they thought he was stable enough to go home. We were only home for about an hour in Columbus when he started to have numbness in his arms and chest pain. Of course, my sister and I rushed him back to the hospital, where we found out he had now developed pneumonia."
Check out the post below:
The former UFC heavyweight champion suffered severe breathing problems and required airlifting to the hospital after a fire erupted at his parent's residence. Despite managing to rescue his parents from the blaze, the 59-year-old Ohio native tragically fell victim to smoke inhalation while attempting to save his dog, who ultimately did not survive.
Concerns arose among those close to 'The Hammer', but just one day after hospitalization, he exhibited signs of improvement, including unassisted breathing.
Mark Coleman's MMA record: Examining UFC pioneer's legacy
Mark Coleman undoubtedly ranks among the foremost heavyweight legends to ever step foot in the UFC's octagon. One of his defining moments came in February 1997 when he made history as the first-ever UFC heavyweight champion.
The UFC's heavyweight division was one of the first categories introduced to the promotion. This led to the consolidation of the superfight championship and the tournament championship, which was a significant decision in determining the challenger for the first UFC heavyweight title.
Two prominent contenders for the championship were Coleman and Dan Severn, who faced off at UFC 12: Judgement Day in February 1997. 'The Hammer' submitted Severn in the first round to become the champion.
Coleman's reign as champion lasted for 170 days until his loss to Maurice Smith at UFC 14 in July 1997. Following this split decision defeat to Pedro Rizzo at UFC 18, 'The Hammer' ventured to PRIDE FC from 1999 to 2006 but later returned to the UFC in 2009. He ultimately retired in 2010 after a defeat to Randy Couture, concluding his MMA journey with a record of 16-10.