UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman Recovering in Hospital After Heart Attack

View this post on Instagram

I hadn’t been feeling so well for quite some time something hit pretty hard Tuesday about 7:00 pm chest locked up my arms went numb sounds pretty obvious but I didn’t want to believe . I walked around and laid down for about 6 hours it didn’t get better I texted my daughters I didn’t want to go wasn’t fair to them so I grabbed my keys made it to the hospital for sure there was nothing wrong but yes there was complete blockage of a major artery if I don’t go I’m probably not here today I’m so glad I went I have so many things I want to do . Tomorrow they will try to break through the artery and put a stent in for the first time in a long time I am motivated I am great full and appreciate all your support it wasn’t my time it’s time to live . #UFC #MMA #Wrestling #HOF

A post shared by Mark Coleman (@markdcoleman) on Nov 8, 2020 at 1:38pm PST

Former UFC heavyweight champion Mark Coleman is recovering in a hospital after suffering a heart attack last week.

The news was first shared by MMA documentarian Will Harris, who shared a screenshot from the Instagram story of Coleman’s daughter, Morgan.

“Thank you for all the kind words and support,” Morgan wrote. “[Coleman] is recovering well from his heart attack but still has more test to be done.”

Prayers for the legend @Markcolemanmma , who is recovering from a heart attack Recover like the beast you are brotha. Keep your thoughts on him MMA family. #UFCVegas13 pic.twitter.com/itv6id2G6T

— Anatomy of a Fighter (@WillHarrisAOAF) November 8, 2020

Coleman later issued a statement from his own Instagram account in which he shared that he drove to the hospital after feeling tightness in his chest and numbness in his arms. It was then discovered that Coleman had blockage in an artery and will need to undergo a procedure to have a stent inserted to clear the blockage on Monday.

“I hadn’t been feeling so well for quite some time. Something hit pretty hard Tuesday about 7 p.m., chest locked up, my arms went numb — sounds pretty obvious but I didn’t want to believe,” Coleman wrote. “I walked around and laid down for about six hours it didn’t get better. I texted my daughters I didn’t want to go, [but it] wasn’t fair to them so I grabbed my keys made it to the hospital for sure there was nothing wrong.

“But yes, there was complete blockage of a major artery. If I don’t go, I’m probably not here today. I’m so glad I went, I have so many things I want to do. Tomorrow they will try to break through the artery and put a stent in. For the first time in a long time I am motivated. I am [grateful] and appreciate all your support. It wasn’t my time, it’s time to live.”

Coleman, 55, was an NCAA wrestling national champion at Ohio State University, the UFC’s first heavyweight champion and Pride Fighting Championships’ 2000 Open Weight Grand Prix Champion. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2008. Coleman compiled a 16-10 record in MMA, besting the likes of Stephan Bonnar, Mauricio Rua, Don Frye, Igor Vovchanchyn, Dan Severn and Gary Goodrige.