Mike Chiappetta • E-mail

Apparently, a Hall of Fame induction was not a big enough weekend for Mark Coleman. The first-ever UFC heavyweight champion had a major announcement to make, as well. Coleman will be the next man to step into the ring with Brock Lesnar.

The 265-pound Lesnar made his UFC debut in December's UFC 79, where he lost by kneebar to another ex-champ, Frank Mir. But even in defeat, the former University of Minnesota NCAA champion showed flashes of brilliance with dynamic athleticism, powerful takedowns and strong ground-and-pound. Lesnar is 1-1 in his MMA career.

The 43-year-old Coleman is considered by many as the innovator of the G-n-P style, which was designed as a complement to his college and Olympic wrestling days. Like Lesnar, Coleman was an NCAA champ during his college days.

Coleman, nicknamed "The Hammer" is 15-8 in his career, but hasn't fought in the UFC since January 1999. Since then, most of his career has taken place in Japan's former PRIDE promotion. his last bout was an October 2006 submission loss to the man many consider the top heavyweight in the world, Fedor Emelianenko.

The bout is expected to take place in August.

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