The UFC returned to Japan for Fight Night 52, and in the main event, Mark Hunt did something seemingly impossible. Something 130 Junior dos Santos punches and 91 Fabricio Werdum knees couldn’t do. He knocked out Roy Nelson.
Let that sink in. Mark Hunt knocked out Roy Nelson.
While the win does little to move Hunt up the rankings, there is no understating how much of an accomplishment that is. In the always-shallow heavyweight division, the question now turns to who Hunt can face that will put him back on the path toward the title.
And that’s what we are here to discuss. So, who are some of the potential opponents for Mark Hunt? Find out right here!
Ben Rothwell
Yes, yes. Hunt and Rothwell fought each other back in 2011, with Hunt winning in relatively short order. There are more compelling matchups for sure.
Unfortunately, almost every compelling new opponent for Hunt is occupied at the moment. Alistair Overeem was recently paired with Stefan Struve. Stipe Miocic is set to face Junior dos Santos. Matt Mitrione and Gabriel Gonzaga will also face off. All of them on UFC on Fox 13, no less!
Rothwell is one of the few ranked heavyweights who is both free and currently on a career upswing. Hot off his knockout win over Overeem and now riding the first winning streak of his UFC career, Rothwell has enough cred at this point where Hunt wouldn’t be descending to face him. If Hunt wants a quick turnaround, this wouldn’t be a bad fight for him.
Andrei Arlovski
Speaking of heavyweights on a career upswing, Andrei Arlovski is on a big one. The former UFC heavyweight champ returned to the promotion after a six-year-long roller-coaster ride as an MMA journeyman, and while his return bout opposite Brendan Schaub was an utter dud, he has vaulted back into the top 10 with his impressive knockout of Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva.
From a rankings perspective, this fight is perfect. Hunt is currently sitting as the No. 6 heavyweight, while Arlovski is perched at No. 7. Both are coming off impressive knockout wins and, as with Rothwell, they have fought recently enough that they are both free.
From a humanitarian perspective, however, this is terrible. The memories of Andrei Arlovski getting knocked out in devastating fashion three times in a two-year stretch are still hard to shake, and Arlovski facing off with quite possibly the single hardest puncher in MMA today is a tough one to stomach. Still, if Hunt wants a quick turnaround, this is a great option for him.
Josh Barnett
Back in Pride’s heyday, Mark Hunt was one of the promotion’s hottest MMA prospects, and he shockingly beat the “prime” versions of Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Cro Cop. His early success earned him a shot in the Pride Openweight Grand Prix in 2006, and the result was a first-round submission loss at the hands of a young, chiseled, testosterone-fueled Josh Barnett.
Nearly eight years later, a chance for revenge may be at hand for Hunt.
Barnett is the only fighter ranked above him who does not currently have another fight lined up (for those keeping track, Cain Velasquez vs. Fabricio Werdum is the UFC 180 main event, Junior dos Santos vs. Stipe Miocic is booked for UFC on Fox 13 and Travis Browne faces Brendan Schaub for some reason at UFC 181). Barnett has not fought since his December 2013 loss to Browne, and a return fight opposite Hunt would be mouthwatering matchup between two of the few remaining Pride veterans that remain relevant near the top of their division.
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