Former UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt, who also competed for PRIDE back in the heyday of Japanese MMA, has been fighting sporadically in the years following his Octagon departure, which includes his upset win over Rugby star Sonny Bill Williams in Sydney.
Along the way, the aging “Super Samoan” scored another potential showdown in Australia; but this time, the shady fight promoter wanted Hunt to take a dive.
“I’ve always been one that says if things aren’t right, they aren’t right,” Hunt told The MMA Hour. “I was offered three or four million dollars to take a dive in a fight here in Australia and I said, ‘Are you serious?’ I said no because that’s just not me. Although I could have done with the money, I was going through some hard times with the separation and s***, but I could have done with three or four million dollars.”
Hunt was in dire need of a payday after losing his UFC lawsuit.
“It’s just not my character,” Hunt continued. “It’s not me. I’d rather just go out on my shield and then lose or die, but that’s not what I’m about. It blew my f****** head right off my f****** shoulders. I’m just like, ‘Holy s***, how does it work?’ Anyway, I just left it in the past, it’s kind of negative s***, but it’s real. I didn’t come upon that until then.”
Hunt did not reveal the promotion that offered him the payoff.
There’s a chance we could see the 49 year-old “Super Samoan” competing in the bareknuckle arena at some point in 2024. As for MMA, I think we’ve seen the last of the hulking Kiwi after his contentious split with Dana White and Co. back in 2019.