Mark Coleman isn’t just working out; he’s trying to get back to the version of himself that once terrorized the heavyweight division. At 60, the man they dubbed ‘The Hammer’ is out here chasing pain as if it owed him something. Coleman is living proof that legends do not vanish; rather, they change. And now, as he approaches what he refers to as the “Barbarian” phase of life, he is instructed to slow down. Not by choice. But, by stem cell therapy.
‘The Hammer’ drove himself into one final grind before “Marathon Day,” taking a few forced days off for treatment. In an Instagram post, he wrote, “Marathon day, I’m grinding away. I will get stem cells tomorrow and be forced to take it easy for a few days. So I’m doing everything I can now. Thank you, @stem_cell_international, for the first-class treatment and highest quality guaranteed. I feel amazing!” And the ones who know Mark Coleman, they know this isn’t vanity; it is survival.
After suffering serious lung damage in a house fire where he heroically saved his parents, surviving a septic illness, and getting six hip replacements in a single year, ‘The Hammer’ has turned to stem cells and other regenerative therapies to keep his shattered body functional. And, despite all of the hurdles, he is thriving. Not just surviving; thriving. His physical transformation in May 2025 was bizarre.
He lost 30 pounds in three weeks, returning to the weight he had when he brawled with Shogun Rua two decades before. But he has a different fire today. He is sober. He’s motivated by ancient beliefs. And he’s open about who helped him stay locked in. “Sober is the coolest thing ever. Get help. I did. Saved my life,” he said, praising fitness social media influencer Liver King for inspiring this version of himself.
For the unaware, ‘The Hammer’ credits Liver King with radically changing his life by introducing him to the primal, ancestral lifestyle that values perseverance, mental toughness, and physical power based on natural living. He also took part in Liver King’s Barbarian Challenge, which allowed him to reconnect with his inner “barbarian” by some really difficult challenges featuring several impossible weights for his age.
Credits: Imago
He’s preparing for the Barbarian challenge like a guy possessed. This is not about a comeback. This is about rethinking what it means to live. If dragging a 300-pound sled for a mile is the price of rebirth, Mark Coleman has already gotten halfway there. As he wrote, “I will soon become a Barbarian, a way of life. I can’t wait 300 pounds on a sled, pull it for a mile.” He is ready to adopt the carnivore diet like the Liver King, despite everything that is being said against it. In fact, Joe Rogan even refused to bring the problematic podcaster on his Joe Rogan Experience.
Joe Rogan refuses to entertain Mark Coleman’s guru
Mark Coleman may be dead serious about embracing the primal way, but not everyone is buying it from the movement’s most famous frontman. ‘The Hammer’ continues to credit Liver King with helping him find discipline, self-control, and fierce energy, but a totally different energy surrounds Liver King in the rest of the media space. Especially on the Joe Rogan Experience. In fact, Brian Johnson, the man behind the Liver King mask, is not only unwelcome on that podcast. He is actively blacklisted.
Never one to hold back, Joe Rogan made it clear on a podcast episode with Derek from More Plates More Dates. The two delved into the infamous incident in which Liver King was exposed by hacked emails for using steroids while selling the dream of pure, ancestral life. The UFC commentator didn’t just criticize Johnson; he roasted him. “You ran a con game and got busted,” Rogan stated, dismissing the influencer’s apology tour as nothing more than damage control.
“Like, come on, this is dumb, man.” The JRE host values authenticity. And when Johnson acknowledged juicing—after months of saying raw liver and ball-sunning got him jacked—he became persona non grata. Even when Liver King attempted to make his way onto the podcast, Joe Rogan refused. “He was trying real hard to get on… contacting my friends, front row at my show, showing up at the Canelo fight—still, no,” Rogan stated.
What’s the message? Being exposed as a phony doesn’t just end the conversation; it destroys your credibility. So, while Mark Coleman continues to travel the primal path and truly transform his life, the man who introduced him to it will not be getting a microphone from Joe Rogan anytime soon. In the UFC commentator’s universe, you earn your voice by telling the truth. What do you think? Do you believe the Liver King is the real deal? Let us know in the comments.
The post Wanting to Become a “Barbarian”, UFC Legend “Forced” to Slow Down for Stem Cell Therapy Before Marathon Day appeared first on EssentiallySports.