HammerHouse Teammates Mark Coleman and Kevin Randleman look forward to Pride's first USA show
by Gene Gutsalo October 4th

MMA365 caught up with confident sounding Mark Coleman and Kevin Randleman to talk to them about the upcoming October 21st, Pride FC's first show on American soil, "The Real Deal". Mark Coleman is headlining the event and will be facing Fedor Emelianenko for the heavyweight championship, and Kevin Randleman will be fighting the middleweight grand prix champion Shogun Rua. Both part of the Hammer House fight club, have had great experiences in Pride FC, and have fought and beat the best out there. Randleman, after not fighting for a while because of injuries and a serious illness, is coming back to face one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world, and middleweight grand prix champion Shogun Rua. He emphasized his respect for the armed forces, and his eagerness to get back in the ring. Mark Coleman, the first heavyweight grand prix champion, will be facing Fedor Emelianenko in a rematch to try to further his already great legacy.

Mark Coleman

mma365: What are your thoughts on your upcoming fight on October 21st against Fedor Emelianenko?

Mark Coleman: I think its a huge opportunity for me, and I'm very excited that Pride is coming to America, and I'm honored that I will be in the main event against such a great champion.

mma365: This is the rematch, what are you planning on doing differently this time?

Mark Coleman: Well I learned in the last fight that a guy of his caliber, that there can be no room for mistakes, and there can be no breaks during the fight. He is non-stop, he is a machine. You can't stall or take a break against him or he will take advantage of it, and I will have to be ready to go all out for the full 20 minutes and hopefully I plan on hitting him in the head a few more times.

mma365: Some fighters do not watch fight tapes to prepare for their opponent, have you watched all of Fedor's fights, and if so what can you tell us about his progression as an mma fighter, where do you think he has improved, and what area's do you think you can exploit?

Mark Coleman: I've watched him for many years, he has always been one of my favorite fighters. He is a very classy guy as well. There is no animosity between us, but once the fight starts we are going to be fighting at all costs. I think he has been an incredible fighter since day one, but he has definitely improved since the first time I saw him. He is very well rounded, he is great in all areas. He has a great stand up and ground game, his stamina is good. He has no weaknesses and I'm going to have to find a way to beat this guy. It's going to be the biggest challenge of my life, by far.

mma365: Last time you fought Fedor, you looked like you were the stronger guy in there and at one point were able to get his back. Have you been training on jiu jitsu, or maybe even worked on sambo to counter Fedor
Emelianenko's ground skills?

Mark Coleman I've been doing a little bit of everything. I've been working on my stand up as well. I'm going to be ready to go in all areas. I have to be prepared for anything against this guy. He is great in all areas. Hopefully I have
improved and I will find a way to beat this guy, and I think I can.

mma365: Your partner at Hammer House, Kevin Randleman, is going to be fighting Mauricio Rua before your main event fight, are you going to be in his corner and how do you overcome this added pressure?

Mark Coleman I just wish Kevin the best, I hope he does well and I think he will do well. He has a good chance of beating Shogun. I have enough pressure on me facing Fedor, and I can't imagine anything being more, that's about as
much pressure as it gets. I love Kevin, but I have to worry about myself at this stage, and I wish him the best and I think he will do well, but its two separate fights right now.

mma365: What are your thoughts on Pride FC having their first event in the United States?

Mark Coleman It's very special. For the past seven years, its one of the first questions I hear when I go out to make an appearance, and that is when I'm coming back. It gets old, and a bit frustrating because I'm proud of the
accomplishments in Japan, but I'm not sure if many Americans are aware that I've been fighting out there. So it gives a chance for them to see me fight, and I hope everything is going to go smooth and Pride has been great
to me. I'm looking forward to October 21st, and getting it done and taking it from there.

mma365: Do you think the crowd will be behind you, and how much does it help/hurt when they are behind you?

Mark Coleman Honestly, I'm not sure if they will or not, I think it will be a split audience. You never know what to expect from the American audience. I know they are going to be loud and rowdy, and I know they are going to be pretty demanding, as they should be. For me I feel a bit more pressure coming back and fighting in America, but I've been in pressure situations all my life, so this is what you live for.

mma365: Any predictions for the fight?

Mark Coleman I've going to find a way to beat this guy!

Kevin Randleman

mma365: You haven't fought at all so far in 2006, have you added more sparring hours in training to level off the ring rust?

Kevin Randleman: I don't believe in ring rust, I've fought all my life so to me there is no such thing as ring rust. Believe me, I might of not have fought in the ring in 2006, but I've been fighting the whole entire year in 2006 for my life.

mma365: Are you ready to fight Mauricio "Shogun" Rua?

Kevin Randleman: I'm definitely ready to fight Shogun, It doesn't matter who they put in front of me on October 21st because I have been ready to go for the last 4 months. You know things happened and I had to cancel fights but I've been ready for months.

mma365: There seemed to have developed a rivalry between Chute Boxe and Hammer House after Coleman defeated Shogun by injury, how important is this fight for you?

Kevin Randleman: I don't add anything extra on anything, I'm fighting Shogun Rua, whatever Shogun Rua has with Mark, he is going to have to settle it himself. If Shogun wants to bring that to the ring, he is not going to be thinking clearly because I'm not Mark Coleman; I fight a different style than Mark Coleman. So if he wants to make it personal, believe me, I'm the monster, I haven't changed. So if he wants to make it personal, he can, but I'd rather go
out there and fight Shogun the warrior. I don't hold any animosity towards Chute Boxe team or anything like that, I just want to fight the best in the world, Shogun is one of the best in the world.

mma365: What are your thoughts on Pride FC having their first event in the United States?

Kevin Randleman: United States, Get ready to watch the best show in the world. Ringly Brothers & Barnum & Bailey has nothing on this. UFC, they've got a big problem, because they don't have enough power to contend with what we are bringing to the American fans.

mma365: Do you think the crowd will be behind you, and how much does it help/hurt when they are behind you?

Kevin Randleman: Honestly, I've always been a competitor, and I'm an entertainer, but I'm a fighter first. Being on American soil, Japanese soil, or Brazilian soil, I have fans all over the world, and Shogun is going to have fans in the American stands too. I just want to make sure that Shogun brings his A game intact. I look forward to fight in front of an American crowd, I've been waiting to fight in front of an American crowd and for Pride FC to come here. I'm
enjoying it and I'm loving it. So everybody can come and check out my web site, to see what I've been doing and going through for the past year at KevinRandleman.com The fans that don't like me for whatever reason,
they are going to love me after October 21st.

mma365: Any predictions for the fight?

Kevin Randleman: Yeah, I believe that someone is going to get knocked the f*ck out!