Team Hammer House
Encyclopedia
Team Hammer House is a mixed martial arts
team operating out of Columbus, Ohio
, made up of mostly former NCAA wrestlers
. While Hammer House focuses on amateur wrestling they do have cross training deals with notable fighters and camps such as Matt Serra
, Pat Miletich
and Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts
. Founded by former UFC champion Mark Coleman
, Team Hammer House has attracted such mixed martial arts fighters as Kevin Randleman
and Phil Baroni
.
. With his solid wrestling background and physical power he won six fights in a row. He beat fighters including Don Frye
, Gary Goodridge
and Dan Severn
, on route to winning the UFC 10 and UFC 11
tournaments and the first ever UFC Heavyweight
title.
Randleman's MMA career began with a call from Coleman to invite him to fight in Brazil where he went on to achieve a record of 7 wins and 2 losses. Randleman moved on to the UFC, where he also won the Heavyweight title.
Coleman subsequently experienced a downturn in his career as his predominantly wrestling based style became less effective, with losses to fighters with more developed striking skills and cardio, including Maurice Smith, Pete Williams
and Pedro Rizzo
.
ese PRIDE
organization where he experienced a great deal of initial success, winning the PRIDE Grand Prix 2000 Finals
. Randleman also joined PRIDE, debuting against Michiyoshi Ohara
and becoming a top contender for the Middleweight title before losing to Quinton Jackson
. The main Randleman's victory in PRIDE FC was his stunning and brutal KO victory over Mirko Filipović
.
Both Coleman and Randleman have since experienced downturns in their careers, with losses to fighters such as Fedor Emelianenko
and Mirko Cro Cop
(Randleman lost to Mirko in rematch).
Before his bout with Jutaro Nakao at UFC 36: Worlds Collide
, Sean Sherk
began training at Team Hammer House. Sherk went on to win against Nakao and Benji Radach
at UFC 39: The Warriors Return
before facing Matt Hughes
for the UFC Welterweight Championship at UFC 42: Sudden Impact
. Although the fight was close, Sherk lost via unanimous decision.
One of Coleman's opponents at UFC 10: The Tournament
, Gary Goodridge
, become a part of Team Hammer House to work on his ground skills before his bout with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
at PRIDE 15
. Goodridge remains a member of Team Hammer House although he also trains at American Kickboxing Academy
for his kickboxing fights.
Accomplished wrestler, male model and UFC star Phil Baroni
started training with Team Hammer House, primarily fighting on PRIDE's Bushido events with success, defeating fighters such as Ikuhisa Minowa
, Yuki Kondo
and Ryo Chonan
.
Wes Sims
met Coleman before his fight with Ricardo Morais
, and has fought in the UFC and International Fight League
.
after a confrontation erupted between Chute Boxe members Wanderlei Silva
and Murilo Rua
, and Team Hammer House members Mark Coleman and Phil Baroni. The conflict began after Coleman pushed aside the referee who tried to restrain him from continuing his attack on an injured Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Coleman's outburst could have been due to members of Chute Boxe entering the ring. Despite this, Silva and other Chute Boxe members attacked Coleman in the ring, Baroni took Silva to the ground and Wanderlei had to be restrained with a foot placed on his head. Following the event, Coleman approached Chute Boxe to apologize, but the Chute Boxe fighters turned him away.
in Las Vegas
on October 21, 2006, being involved in three of the eight fights including the main event. Hammer House member Kevin Randleman
faced a now-healthy Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Rua won via kneebar submission
at 2:35 of the very first round. Phil Baroni
defeated Japanese professional boxer
turned MMA fighter Yosuke Nishijima
via technical submission (kimura) at 3:20 of the first round. Mark Coleman
was given the opportunity to fight Pride's undefeated Heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko
for a second time. In a finish very similar to their first encounter, Fedor was able to apply an armbar from the bottom, forcing Coleman to tap out 1:15 of the second round.
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
team operating out of Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, made up of mostly former NCAA wrestlers
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
. While Hammer House focuses on amateur wrestling they do have cross training deals with notable fighters and camps such as Matt Serra
Matt Serra
Matthew John Serra is an American mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. He is a former UFC Welterweight Champion and an ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship silver medalist. He began practicing martial arts at an early age, first studying kung fu...
, Pat Miletich
Pat Miletich
Patrick Jay Miletich is a retired American mixed martial artist and a current sports commentator. He is known for his fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he became the first UFC Welterweight Champion and UFC 16 tournament champion....
and Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts
Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts
Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts is a mixed martial arts training organization headed by former UFC Champion and former co-founder of Team Quest, Randy Couture. Xtreme Couture was founded with the flagship gym in Las Vegas...
. Founded by former UFC champion Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman is an American mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, former NCAA collegiate wrestler and former Olympic amateur wrestler. In MMA, he was the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournament champion, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion, and the Pride Fighting...
, Team Hammer House has attracted such mixed martial arts fighters as Kevin Randleman
Kevin Randleman
Kevin Christopher Randleman is a retired American mixed martial arts fighter and a former UFC heavyweight champion. Randleman's background is in Collegiate wrestling. Wrestling at 177 pounds, Randleman was a two time Division I NCAA Champion for The Ohio State University...
and Phil Baroni
Phil Baroni
Philip George Baroni is an American mixed martial artist. He has a professional MMA record of 14–14–0. Baroni has fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he holds a record of 3–7–0. Also he has fought in the PRIDE FC where he holds a record of 4–2–0...
.
UFC dominance
Coleman made his professional MMA debut at UFC 10UFC 10
-External links:***...
. With his solid wrestling background and physical power he won six fights in a row. He beat fighters including Don Frye
Don Frye
Donald Frye is a retired American mixed martial artist, actor, and professional wrestler. Frye rose to fame fighting in early Ultimate Fighting Championship events, winning the UFC 8 and Ultimate Ultimate 96 tournaments...
, Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...
and Dan Severn
Dan Severn
Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the...
, on route to winning the UFC 10 and UFC 11
UFC 11
UFC 11: The Proving Ground was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on September 20th, 1996, at the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta, Georgia...
tournaments and the first ever UFC Heavyweight
Heavyweight (MMA)
The heavyweight division in mixed martial arts generally groups fighters between .Although many ambiguities exist within the lower weight classes regarding division naming and weight limits, the Heavyweight division is, for the most part, uniform...
title.
Randleman's MMA career began with a call from Coleman to invite him to fight in Brazil where he went on to achieve a record of 7 wins and 2 losses. Randleman moved on to the UFC, where he also won the Heavyweight title.
Coleman subsequently experienced a downturn in his career as his predominantly wrestling based style became less effective, with losses to fighters with more developed striking skills and cardio, including Maurice Smith, Pete Williams
Pete Williams (fighter)
Peter Alan Williams is a former American mixed martial arts fighter who fought out of Ken Shamrock's fight team the Lion's Den...
and Pedro Rizzo
Pedro Rizzo
Pedro Augusto Rizzo is an Brazilian mixed martial artist and Muay Thai fighter. He has a professional MMA record of 19–9–0 as of July 17, 2010. He holds notable victories over former UFC Champions Mark Coleman, Dan Severn, Josh Barnett, Andrei Arlovski, Ricco Rodriguez and Ken Shamrock.-Mixed...
.
Coleman and Randleman move to PRIDE
After the loss to Rizzo, Coleman moved to the JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese PRIDE
PRIDE
Pride Fighting Championships was the biggest mixed martial arts organization in the world. Its inaugural event was held at the Tokyo Dome on October 11, 1997. Pride has held more than sixty mixed martial arts events...
organization where he experienced a great deal of initial success, winning the PRIDE Grand Prix 2000 Finals
PRIDE Grand Prix 2000 Finals
The Pride Grand Prix 2000 Finals was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on May 1, 2000. The event concluded the Pride open-weight tournament of 2000. It is famous for containing one of the most anticipated matches...
. Randleman also joined PRIDE, debuting against Michiyoshi Ohara
Michiyoshi Ohara
Michiyoshi Ohara is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, best known for his work in New Japan Pro Wrestling where he wrestled from 1990 to 2004 where he enjoyed success winning the IWGP Tag Team Championship with Tatsutoshi Goto in 1999....
and becoming a top contender for the Middleweight title before losing to Quinton Jackson
Quinton Jackson
Quinton Ramone Jackson ;, also known as Rampage Jackson, is an American mixed martial artist and actor. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson rose to prominence in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships where he was noted for his powerful body slams including a knockout victory over...
. The main Randleman's victory in PRIDE FC was his stunning and brutal KO victory over Mirko Filipović
Mirko Filipovic
Mirko Filipović is a former Croatian heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, politician, and law enforcement officer. Filipović was a member of the Croatian Parliament from 2003 through 2007...
.
Both Coleman and Randleman have since experienced downturns in their careers, with losses to fighters such as Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko) is a Russian heavyweight mixed martial artist. He has won numerous tournaments and accolades in multiple sports, most notably the Pride 2004 Grand Prix and the World Combat Sambo championship on four occasions, as well as medaling in the Russian national Judo...
and Mirko Cro Cop
Mirko Filipovic
Mirko Filipović is a former Croatian heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, politician, and law enforcement officer. Filipović was a member of the Croatian Parliament from 2003 through 2007...
(Randleman lost to Mirko in rematch).
Before his bout with Jutaro Nakao at UFC 36: Worlds Collide
UFC 36
UFC 36: Worlds Collide was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship at the MGM Grand Arena on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada on March 22, 2002...
, Sean Sherk
Sean Sherk
Sean Keith Sherk is an American mixed martial arts fighter currently fighting for the UFC. He currently holds a professional mixed martial arts record of thirty-six wins, four losses and one draw. Sherk has fought in both the UFC and Pride FC, and is a former UFC Lightweight Champion...
began training at Team Hammer House. Sherk went on to win against Nakao and Benji Radach
Benji Radach
Benji Russell Radach is an American mixed martial arts fighter. He is a former member of the Los Angeles Anacondas of the International Fight League.-Biography:...
at UFC 39: The Warriors Return
UFC 39
UFC 39: The Warriors Return was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on September 27, 2002, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut...
before facing Matt Hughes
Matt Hughes (fighter)
Matthew Allen Hughes is an American mixed martial artist, UFC Hall of Famer, and former two-time UFC Welterweight Champion. Hughes put together two separate six-fight winning streaks in the UFC, won the welterweight title on two occasions, defended the belt a record seven times, and holds the...
for the UFC Welterweight Championship at UFC 42: Sudden Impact
UFC 42
UFC 42: Sudden Impact was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on April 25, 2003, at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. The event was broadcast live on pay per view in the United States, and later released on DVD....
. Although the fight was close, Sherk lost via unanimous decision.
One of Coleman's opponents at UFC 10: The Tournament
UFC 10
-External links:***...
, Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...
, become a part of Team Hammer House to work on his ground skills before his bout with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira is a Brazilian mixed martial artist known for his technical mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He competes in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he is a former UFCInterim Heavyweight Champion...
at PRIDE 15
PRIDE 15
Pride 15: Raging Rumble was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on July 29, 2001.-Results:...
. Goodridge remains a member of Team Hammer House although he also trains at American Kickboxing Academy
American Kickboxing Academy
The American Kickboxing Academy is a martial arts gym located in San Jose, California. It is one of the pioneering schools of mixed martial arts...
for his kickboxing fights.
Accomplished wrestler, male model and UFC star Phil Baroni
Phil Baroni
Philip George Baroni is an American mixed martial artist. He has a professional MMA record of 14–14–0. Baroni has fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he holds a record of 3–7–0. Also he has fought in the PRIDE FC where he holds a record of 4–2–0...
started training with Team Hammer House, primarily fighting on PRIDE's Bushido events with success, defeating fighters such as Ikuhisa Minowa
Ikuhisa Minowa
is a Japanese mixed martial artist and pro wrestler currently competing in Dream as . He was a long time veteran of Pride Fighting Championships and Pancrase and has also competed in other mixed martial arts promotions such as K-1 HERO'S, Cage Rage, UFC, and DEEP. At 5'9" he is notable for taking...
, Yuki Kondo
Yuki Kondo
is a Japanese mixed martial artist. He has a background in Shorinji Kempo and he is a 2nd dan. He was born in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Kondo is a Pancrase and Pride Fighting Championships veteran, as well as three-time veteran in the UFC. Kondo has fought over 60 times for the Pancrase...
and Ryo Chonan
Ryo Chonan
is a Japanese mixed martial artist, currently fighting in DEEP where he was the 3rd DEEP middleweight champion. He has previously competed in PRIDE Fighting Championships and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is noted for being one of two fighters to finish Anderson Silva in an MMA fight at...
.
Wes Sims
Wes Sims (fighter)
Wesley Edward Sims is an American mixed martial artist. He is one of the tallest MMA combatants in recent times at 6 ft 8 in and is known for his unorthodox fighting style. He is currently a member of Team Hammer House. Sims began training to compete in MMA after meeting Mark Coleman...
met Coleman before his fight with Ricardo Morais
Ricardo Morais
Ricardo "The Mutant" Morais is a Brazilian former mixed martial artist, who competed in Pride Fighting Championships, Jungle Fight, and Rings - MMA...
, and has fought in the UFC and International Fight League
International Fight League
The International Fight League was an American mixed martial arts promotion billed as the world's first MMA league. It was founded on January 7, 2006 and closed on July 31, 2008...
.
Rivalry with Chute Boxe
Hammer House was involved in a short melee with Chute Boxe which started at PRIDE 31PRIDE 31
Pride 31: Unbreakable was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships on February 26, 2006 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan...
after a confrontation erupted between Chute Boxe members Wanderlei Silva
Wanderlei Silva
Wanderlei César da Silva , nicknamed "The Axe Murderer", is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, who has competed in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships and the American based Ultimate Fighting Championship . Silva is known for his aggressive fighting style with the majority of his fights ending in...
and Murilo Rua
Murilo Rua
Murilo Rua is a former Brazilian mixed martial artist who fought in Pride Fighting Championships. Nicknamed Ninja, he is the older brother of former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. He is known for his well-rounded fighting skills, in particular Muay Thai and Brazilian...
, and Team Hammer House members Mark Coleman and Phil Baroni. The conflict began after Coleman pushed aside the referee who tried to restrain him from continuing his attack on an injured Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Coleman's outburst could have been due to members of Chute Boxe entering the ring. Despite this, Silva and other Chute Boxe members attacked Coleman in the ring, Baroni took Silva to the ground and Wanderlei had to be restrained with a foot placed on his head. Following the event, Coleman approached Chute Boxe to apologize, but the Chute Boxe fighters turned him away.
PRIDE 32 The Real Deal
Team Hammer House was heavily represented at Pride FC's first American show, PRIDE 32PRIDE 32
Pride 32: The Real Deal was a mixed martial arts event and was held by the Pride Fighting Championships. The event took place on October 21, 2006, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...
in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
on October 21, 2006, being involved in three of the eight fights including the main event. Hammer House member Kevin Randleman
Kevin Randleman
Kevin Christopher Randleman is a retired American mixed martial arts fighter and a former UFC heavyweight champion. Randleman's background is in Collegiate wrestling. Wrestling at 177 pounds, Randleman was a two time Division I NCAA Champion for The Ohio State University...
faced a now-healthy Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Rua won via kneebar submission
Leglock
A leglock is a joint lock that is directed at joints of the leg such as the ankle, knee or hip joint. A leglock which is directed at joints in the foot is sometimes referred to as a foot lock and a lock at the hip as a hip lock...
at 2:35 of the very first round. Phil Baroni
Phil Baroni
Philip George Baroni is an American mixed martial artist. He has a professional MMA record of 14–14–0. Baroni has fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he holds a record of 3–7–0. Also he has fought in the PRIDE FC where he holds a record of 4–2–0...
defeated Japanese professional boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
turned MMA fighter Yosuke Nishijima
Yosuke Nishijima
Yōsuke "Yōsukezan" Nishijima is a Japanese professional boxer who has also competed in kickboxing and mixed martial arts.-Career:...
via technical submission (kimura) at 3:20 of the first round. Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman is an American mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, former NCAA collegiate wrestler and former Olympic amateur wrestler. In MMA, he was the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournament champion, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion, and the Pride Fighting...
was given the opportunity to fight Pride's undefeated Heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko) is a Russian heavyweight mixed martial artist. He has won numerous tournaments and accolades in multiple sports, most notably the Pride 2004 Grand Prix and the World Combat Sambo championship on four occasions, as well as medaling in the Russian national Judo...
for a second time. In a finish very similar to their first encounter, Fedor was able to apply an armbar from the bottom, forcing Coleman to tap out 1:15 of the second round.
Members
- Mark ColemanMark ColemanMark Coleman is an American mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, former NCAA collegiate wrestler and former Olympic amateur wrestler. In MMA, he was the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournament champion, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion, and the Pride Fighting...
, UFC 10 and 11 Heavyweight tournament winner, former UFC Heavyweight champion/PRIDEPRIDEPride Fighting Championships was the biggest mixed martial arts organization in the world. Its inaugural event was held at the Tokyo Dome on October 11, 1997. Pride has held more than sixty mixed martial arts events...
Grand Prix 2000 tournamentPRIDE Grand Prix 2000 FinalsThe Pride Grand Prix 2000 Finals was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on May 1, 2000. The event concluded the Pride open-weight tournament of 2000. It is famous for containing one of the most anticipated matches...
winner - Phil BaroniPhil BaroniPhilip George Baroni is an American mixed martial artist. He has a professional MMA record of 14–14–0. Baroni has fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he holds a record of 3–7–0. Also he has fought in the PRIDE FC where he holds a record of 4–2–0...
- Branden Lee HinkleBranden Lee HinkleBranden Lee Hinkle is an American mixed martial artist. Hinkle has fought in UFC Ultimate Fight Night 5, UFC 57, and has a notable win over the famed Sean Gannon at UFC 55.- Titles :Hinkle has held the following titles:* NCAA DIV II national wrestling champ...
, would-be challenger to Roy NelsonRoy Nelson (fighter)Roy Nelson is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division. He last competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship after winning Season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter. The September 30, 2009 broadcast of his fight against Kimbo Slice, officially an exhibition, was the 2nd...
's IFLIFLIFL may refer to:*Interflug, an extinct airline that used the ICAO code IFL*International Fight League, a former American mixed martial arts league*Imperial Fascist League*Imperial Federation League*Indonesian Futsal League*Indoor Football League...
heavyweight title. - Wes SimsWes Sims (fighter)Wesley Edward Sims is an American mixed martial artist. He is one of the tallest MMA combatants in recent times at 6 ft 8 in and is known for his unorthodox fighting style. He is currently a member of Team Hammer House. Sims began training to compete in MMA after meeting Mark Coleman...
- Royce AlgerRoyce AlgerRoyce Alger is an American wrestler and mixed martial artist. A student of wrestling icon Dan Gable, he went on to become a three-time All-American, three time Big Ten champion, and two time NCAA National Champion at the 167 and 177 pound weight classes...