Mark Hunt has had a rough time since his head kick loss to Junior dos Santos at UFC 160 on May 25 in Las Vegas.
The 39-year-old Hunt posted today that a skin graft he had gotten over the course of multiple surgeries didn’t take, and that he would be back in the hospital next week.
A hematoma suffered during the fight was infected, which resulted in the graft.
The New Zealand resident wrote on Facebook on Thursday, “Well troops, just wanted u guys to know the skin graph [sic] didn’t survive and I think I will be back in hospital next week.”
He said that he will see a plastic surgeon this coming Tuesday.
“Didn’t realize how bad this is, man.”
Hunt had won four fights in a row in UFC, making something of a remarkable comeback story after his record dropped to 5-7 after a 1:01 submission loss to Sean McCorkle in his UFC debut. UFC would have likely cut him, but his contract, which UFC inherited from Pride, did not allow the company to cut him with the loss.
After wins over Chris Tuchscherer, Ben Rothwell, Cheick Kongo and Stefan Struve, the latter two via devastating TKO, the Samoan powerhouse was being talked about as a title contender. But dos Santos, the former heavyweight champion, was too quick for Hunt in their fight, and was well ahead on the cards whe he finished Hunt at 4:18 of the third round with a spectacular spinning heel kick.