Mark Hunt: Lesnar won’t get me ‘closer to title shot’, he’s just a big name

“I don’t think it’ll get me any further or closer to a title shot; it just makes my name even bigger,” Mark Hunt said of his heavyweight clash with Brock Lesnar at UFC 200.

Mark Hunt wants another run at the UFC heavyweight title but doesn’t believe Brock Lesnar will help his case. While Lesnar is one of the biggest names in the promotion, the WWE-UFC hybrid hasn’t fought in almost five years.

The 38-year-old retired after back-to-back losses to Cain Velasquez and Alistair Overeem, citing health complications and a battle with diverticulitis. Hunt, a combat sports veteran of 68 fights, told AXS TV’s ‘Inside MMA’ that Lesnar will help elevate his status but not his position in the heavyweight rankings.

“I don’t think it’ll get me any further or closer to a title shot; it just makes my name even bigger,”Hunt said (h/t MMA Junkie). “I think if I beat Brock – he’s not even in the top 10, to be honest.”

After he gets past Lesnar, Hunt wants a crack at the top-five to solidify himself as the next #1 heavyweight contender. The 42-year-old joked with Inside MMA’s guest host Josh Barnett, who beat him in Pride FC in 2006. Barnett is officially ranked lower than Hunt, and the New Zealander only wants to fight higher-ranked opponents.

“If you’re beneath me, we can dance later,” he joked. “I want to dance with someone higher than me.”

Lesnar vs. Hunt, which will feature as UFC 200’s co-main event, will mark the promotion’s debut at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and is scheduled to take place in less than on July 9.

“I don’t think it’ll get me any further or closer to a title shot; it just makes my name even bigger,” Mark Hunt said of his heavyweight clash with Brock Lesnar at UFC 200.

Mark Hunt wants another run at the UFC heavyweight title but doesn’t believe Brock Lesnar will help his case. While Lesnar is one of the biggest names in the promotion, the WWE-UFC hybrid hasn’t fought in almost five years.

The 38-year-old retired after back-to-back losses to Cain Velasquez and Alistair Overeem, citing health complications and a battle with diverticulitis. Hunt, a combat sports veteran of 68 fights, told AXS TV’s ‘Inside MMA’ that Lesnar will help elevate his status but not his position in the heavyweight rankings.

“I don’t think it’ll get me any further or closer to a title shot; it just makes my name even bigger,”Hunt said (h/t MMA Junkie). “I think if I beat Brock – he’s not even in the top 10, to be honest.”

After he gets past Lesnar, Hunt wants a crack at the top-five to solidify himself as the next #1 heavyweight contender. The 42-year-old joked with Inside MMA’s guest host Josh Barnett, who beat him in Pride FC in 2006. Barnett is officially ranked lower than Hunt, and the New Zealander only wants to fight higher-ranked opponents.

“If you’re beneath me, we can dance later,” he joked. “I want to dance with someone higher than me.”

Lesnar vs. Hunt, which will feature as UFC 200’s co-main event, will mark the promotion’s debut at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and is scheduled to take place in less than on July 9.