▁his ▁al ma ▁mater . ▁Additionally , ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁spot ▁on ▁the ▁US ▁Wrestling ▁team , ▁placing ▁second ▁( 1 0 0   kg ) ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁FI LA ▁Wrestling ▁World ▁Championships ▁in ▁V arna , ▁Bulg aria , ▁and ▁placing ▁sevent h ▁overall ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁in ▁Barcelona , ▁Spain . ▁He ▁participated ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁Olympic ▁Tri als , ▁but ▁self - c laimed ▁lack ▁of ▁focus ▁on ▁wrest ling ▁h inder ed ▁his ▁performance , ▁resulting ▁to ▁a ▁loss ▁in ▁the ▁semif inals . ▁ ▁M ixed ▁mart ial ▁arts ▁career ▁ ▁Ult imate ▁Fight ing ▁Championship ▁Following ▁his ▁amateur ▁career , ▁Cole man ▁made ▁the ▁transition ▁to ▁the ▁then - new ▁sport ▁of ▁mixed ▁mart ial ▁arts , ▁winning ▁his ▁first ▁two ▁tournament s ▁in ▁domin ating ▁fashion , ▁including ▁a ▁win ▁over ▁U FC ▁ 8 ▁champion ▁Don ▁F ry e ▁at ▁U FC ▁ 1 0 ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁and ▁becoming ▁the ▁first ▁U FC ▁He avy weight ▁Champion ▁after ▁subm itting ▁U FC ▁Super f ight ▁Champion ▁Dan ▁Se vern ▁via ▁neck ▁c rank ▁submission ▁at ▁U FC ▁ 1 2 . ▁ ▁Cole man ▁made ▁his ▁first ▁U FC ▁He avy weight ▁Championship ▁title ▁defense ▁at ▁U FC ▁ 1 4 , ▁facing ▁kick box er ▁( and ▁heavy ▁under dog ) ▁Maurice ▁Smith . ▁In ▁the ▁pre - f ight ▁interview ▁with ▁Joe ▁Rog an