After doing what most thought was impossible and knocking out Roy Nelson with one punch last weekend, Mark Hunt is in the mood to call his shots.
And who can blame him? The 40-year old New Zealand native and Sydney resident is soaring in rare air, two decades into his combat sports career.
The victory over Nelson put him at 5-1-1 in his past seven UFC fights, and has nudged him toward the top of the heavyweight division.
And Hunt has just the fight in mind to help get him in position for a potential shot at the title currently held by Cain Velasquez: A matchup in his adopted hometown with former champion Josh Barnett.
“I was thinking, Josh Barnett, he’s one above me at number five, maybe Dana can put me and him on that show, on Sydney,” Hunt said on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour.
There are several obstacles to putting together the fight on the Nov. 8 card, of course. Barnett’s been coy about when he’ll return to the Octagon, and he’s already defeated Hunt, winning via Kimura in the quarterfinal round of the 2006 PRIDE Open Weight Grand Prix.
But if Hunt gets his way, he’ll get another crack at “The Warmaster.”
“I love rematches,” Hunt said. “I’ve never lost a rematch, Josh Barnett, me and you my friend, we’ve got a date. He’s No. 5 in the world, I want to fight guys in the top 10. I’d like to fight and get close to that title shot, That’s all I’m interested in my whole purposes is to fight for the world title. He’s one above me, so why don’t you put him and me together.”
If that can’t happen, Hunt simply wants the opportunity to fight any opponent who could help him achieve his long-elusive title shot.
“Of course I think I’m on the cusp of getting a title shot, I just need a top five guy,” Hunt said. “I had the shot last time against JDS and he knocked me out. I’m got back there again, I just need one more fight, a top-five guy, I really feel I’m close to a title shot. Maybe a top five guy, or a JDS rematch, or a Barnett, Someone top five and then if I can win, I can get a title shot.”
Last week, rumor had it that hunt was ready for the super heavyweight division, as published reports indicated that Hunt had to lose 18-19 pounds over the final day before the weigh-in for the Nelson fight. Hunt denied the report.
“I probably nine or eight [pounds off],” Hunt said. “I wasn’t in any trouble at all. … it was only two days, the last time it was four days. I told you the truth, I wasn’t lying, of course I was going to make weight. There was no way in the world I wouldn’t make weight. It’s my job to be on target. I’m a professional, I’ve got to be on weight all the time, there’s not excuses for that. Not like I’m a small guy, one of those guys, that got no fat on them. I have no excuse, I’ve got a lot of extra weight anyway.”
Hunt did concede, however, that his weight got a bit out of control in between his memorable draw (later turned to a no contest) against Antonio Silva and the start of the camp for the Hunt fight.
“I did start the camp at 153 kilos [approx 337 pounds],” Hunt said. “That’s because I was eating too much chocolate and KFC. I made weight, it wasn’t like I wasn’t going to not make weight.”
Once he made weight, there was no stopping Hunt, as he provided a moment which should live on in the highlight reel for quite some time. Nelson came into the fight with the UFC record for most strikes absorbed without losing via finish.
“Yeah I could feel he was done,” Hunt said of the finishing blow. “I was like, I don’t think anyone would have gotten up from that. I got the same sort of feeling a few other times hitting people. You can’t really recover from one of those punches. it was a good shot, man.”
Life’s pretty good for Hunt right now. But at 40, and with more than 60 combined MMA and kickboxing fights under his belt, how long can he keep doing this? The “Super Samoan” says he’ll worry about tomorrow, well, tomorrow.
“At the end of the day, none of us are really promised tomorrow anyway,” Hunt said. “I could finish talking to you and go out and get run over by a bus. It doesn’t really matter to be. All I know I have to live in this moment here.”