Mark Hunt is not a fan of the idea that former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar could make a return to the UFC. The current WWE Universal Champion’s contract is up with the WWE in April after WrestleMania 34. However, it has been reported that the sports entertainment company could keep him around through August. Earlier […]
Mark Hunt is not a fan of the idea that former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar could make a return to the UFC.
The current WWE Universal Champion’s contract is up with the WWE in April after WrestleMania 34. However, it has been reported that the sports entertainment company could keep him around through August.
Earlier this week, UFC President Dana White commented on Lesnar potentially fighting again in the promotion this year during his appearance on an episode of UFC Tonight on FOX Sports 1.
“Anything is possible,” White said about Lesnar on “UFC Tonight.” “Brock has always shown interest in coming over and fighting in the UFC. I wouldn’t be shocked if he gave it one more shot.”
Lesnar and Hunt have some history together as Hunt is the last man to have fought Lesnar in the Octagon at UFC 200 in 2016. This marked Lesnar’s return to MMA after an almost five-year retirement.
As seen in the fight, Lesnar won a unanimous decision that night which was subsequently overturned when it was revealed he failed two USADA issued drug tests before the bout. This led to Hunt filing a civil suit against Lesnar and the UFC to settle his grievances.
Lesnar has competed just once inside of the cage since 2011. The former UFC champion holds notable wins over fighters such as Shane Carwin Randy Couture and Frank Mir.
Hunt reacted to White saying he “wouldn’t be shocked” if Lesnar “gave it one more shot” during a recent interview.
“Well he shouldn’t be fighting,” Hunt told Submission Radio (transcript courtesy of Bloody Elbow). “He’s just a cheater. There should be a shelf for steroid users like him. You can’t tell me any different, you doesn’t deserve to be there. He took the shortcuts. And it just goes to show their credibility when they say, ‘Oh, Brock Lesnar’s coming back.’ Oh, so it’s all about money. So you don’t really care about the fighters at all. So when you said to me, ‘Oh, Mark you’ve got to go and get a test because we’re worried about you,’ you’re lying!? Yeah, I thought so.
“At the end of the day, we’re setting a bad example and the wrong example, to not only a lot of the kids coming through that want to be pro fighters at the top, you’re talking about martial artists. This is a sport of respect and honor and doing the right thing, not taking shortcuts to get to the top. Making money… this is just pathetic, that’s all I can say.”
Mark Hunt isn’t too happy with hearing Brock Lesnar’s name out of Dana White’s mouth. Every year, there seems to be speculation on the mixed martial arts return of Brock Lesnar. The WWE Universal champion always beats to his own drum….
Mark Hunt isn’t too happy with hearing Brock Lesnar’s name out of Dana White’s mouth. Every year, there seems to be speculation on the mixed martial arts return of Brock Lesnar. The WWE Universal champion always beats to his own drum. Despite being under a WWE contract, Lesnar was allowed to compete at UFC 200 […]
As far as consolation prizes go, it doesn’t get much better than the matchup of Yoel Romero and Luke Rockhold as a main event at UFC 221.
The event was supposed to be anchored by Robert Whittaker’s first title defense as the champion of the 185-p…
As far as consolation prizes go, it doesn’t get much better than the matchup of Yoel Romero and Luke Rockhold as a main event at UFC 221.
The event was supposed to be anchored by Robert Whittaker’s first title defense as the champion of the 185-pound division, but it hit a snag when the champion withdrew from the bout due to illness. Instead, the fans will get to see Yoel Romero step in against Rockhold for the interim middleweight title.
It’s a fascinating clash of two of the most interesting fighters in the division with plenty of power between the two of them.
Outside of the featured middleweight bout, there’s a pair of heavyweight fights that feature up-and-comers of a division that has been in the spotlight recently with Stipe Miocic’s latest defense of the belt.
Here’s a look at the complete cards along with the latest odds from OddsShark.
Yoel Romero (+120) vs. Luke Rockhold (-150) – interim middleweight title fight
Mark Hunt (+135) vs. Curtis Blaydes (-165) – heavyweight
TaiTuivasa (-300) vs. Cyril Asker (+230) – heavyweight
Jake Matthews (+155) vs. Li Jingliang (-190) – welterweight
Tyson Pedro (-280) vs. SaparbekSafarov (+220) – light heavyweight
Prelims (Fox Sports 1 at 8 p.m. ET)
Damien Brown (+130) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (-160) – lightweight
Rob Wilkinson (+235) vs. Israel Adesanya (-305) – middleweight
Alexander Volkanovski (-185) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (+150) – featherweight
JussierFormiga (-125) vs. Ben Nguyen (-105) – flyweight
Prelims (Fight Pass at 6:30 p.m. ET)
Ross Pearson (-150) vs. MizutoHirota (+120) – lightweight
TerutoIshihara (+175) vs. Jose Quinonez (-225) – bantamweight
Luke Jumeau (+115) vs. Daichi Abe (-145) – welterweight
Yoel Romero vs. Luke Rockhold
Luke Rockhold and Yoel Romero have been near the top of the middleweight division for years, yet it’s one of the matchups we’ve yet to see.
It’s an exciting development for a division that has been in flux of late. With Michael Bisping‘s inactive title reign coming to an end at the hands of Georges St-Pierre, who then dropped the belt, Robert Whittaker has taken over the title of champion, but the title of best in the division is still up for grabs.
Rockhold believes that a win propels him to the status of real champion.
“I have all the respect for him,” the former UFC champion said about Whittaker, per Jed Meshew of MMA Fighting. “He’s a gangster in this game, but if I beat Yoel and I put him away, who did it better? He had a close fight. That was 2-2 going into the fifth [round]. He showed his championship skill and he pulled through that fifth round. He won. But if I can do it better, who did it better? Who’s the best? That’s what I plan on doing.”
It’s a bold statement from the 33-year-old. The California native fought just once in 2017 after losing his belt to Bisping in 2016, scoring a stoppage via strikes against David Branch in the second round.
Romero also stayed out for most of 2017 as well, with his only fight a close loss to Whittaker, which was preceded by a third-round knockout of Chris Weidman.
There’s a reason the odds are close to a pick ’em in this one. Rockhold brings the more diverse striking game and a polished submission game on the ground, while Romero brings the power and dynamic wrestling game that could mean problems.
In the end, it might come to just how long the fight goes. Romero has five third-round finishes in his UFC career, but he struggled to finish the fight strong in his first five-round fight against Whittaker. Rockhold, by contrast, has gone beyond three rounds three times in his career, going 3-0.
If Rockhold can get the bout to the championship rounds, he should be in good shape. That’s a long time to avoid the sheer power of Romero, though. The knockout loss to Bisping may have been a bit of a fluke, but it showed how hittable he can be at times.
That’s never been a good recipe against Romero.
Prediction: Romero via third-round TKO
Mark Hunt vs. Curtis Blaydes
The heavyweight division is in dire need of fresh blood. The hype behind Francis Ngannou‘s rise to a heavyweight title shot is perfect evidence of what can happen when a young heavyweight is merely marketable with good skills.
Curtis Blaydes may have lost his UFC debut to Ngannou, but the 26-year-old has done nothing but win ever since.
Blaydes is now ranked No. 9 on the strength of three straight wins and a fourth win that was overturned due to a positive test for marijuana after his second-round TKO of Adam Milstead.
In the UFC’s biggest division and most shallow talent pool, that’s enough to be among the hottest prospects. But Blaydes credibility as a future contender in the division will be tested by one of its most experienced gatekeepers in the co-main event.
Mark Hunt is coming off a win over Derrick Lewis that wrecked the American’s hype train with a fourth-round TKO, and Hunt doesn’t expect to wait that long against Blaydes.
“I’m knocking his lips off and I don’t think he’s going to make it out of the first round,” Hunt said, per Alex Oates of the Herald Sun. “Who knows? It might make the second round, but he’s getting knocked out. All these guys are getting knocked out. (Then) I’m knocking all these cheaters out one at a time.”
While Hunt may be dreaming of another late resurgence of his career at 43 years old, this seems like a matchup designed to showcase Blaydes. Razor is an NJCAA national champion wrestler and does a good job of applying that background into his game in the cage.
Hunt is always dangerous. He’s a wily striker who can alter the complexion of a bout with just one strike, but Blaydes ability to work in the clinch, take Hunt down and apply the pressure with his top game is enough to believe he’s going to break through in this opportunity.
Prediction: Blaydes via unanimous decision
TaiTuivasa vs. Cyril Asker
Speaking of new blood in the UFC division, TaiTuivasa is another prospect with a chance to gain some major momentum on Saturday.
The 24-year-old will be making his second appearance in The Octagon and finds himself right beside mentor Mark Hunt on the fight card. With six wins by first-round finish in six attempts, a win on the big stage of a pay-per-view main card could mean that his fast track continues.
Asker is 2-2 in the UFC and has settled into the role of early litmus test for young talent. Walt Harris and Jared Cannonier both scored first-round finishes against the Frenchmen while he was able to finish DmitrySmoliakov and YaozongHu.
Asker should be able to challenge Tuivasa in the grappling exchanges if the fight does wind up on the mat, but that doesn’t appear to be the M.O. for Tuivasa.
Instead, it’ll likely be another highlight-reel finish for Tuivasa, who will be looking to make an impression on the hometown Australian crowd in Perth.
Veteran UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt is set to make his return to action in the co-main event of this weekend’s (Feb. 10, 2018) UFC 221 from Perth, Australia against rising contender Curtis Blaydes. Although he’ll once again be entering the Octagon, Hunt’s relationship with the UFC has been rocky over the last year or so […]
Veteran UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt is set to make his return to action in the co-main event of this weekend’s (Feb. 10, 2018) UFC 221 from Perth, Australia against rising contender Curtis Blaydes.
Although he’ll once again be entering the Octagon, Hunt’s relationship with the UFC has been rocky over the last year or so to say the least.
After Brock Lesnar failed a drug test following his UFC 200 fight against Hunt in July 2016, “The Super Samoan” lashed out at the UFC and Lesnar, while also filing a lawsuit. Also, Hunt blasted the promotion after he was pulled from a scheduled main event bout with Marcin Tybura this past November following controversial comments he made about his health.
In a recent interview with ESPN, Hunt said that he doesn’t regret anything he’s said towards White or the UFC:
“No, I never regret airing my grievances,” Hunt said. “I like to speak the truth; if the guys didn’t hear then that’s fine, that’s just the way it is…I don’t regret nothing I say. I go out and speak the truth and that’s all I’m [going to] do. If it costs me, it costs me.”
And although Hunt wishes he was able to take on Tybura in Sydney, Australia, he’s excited to compete again this weekend:
“Yeah it’s great for me to be fighting again,” he said. “I missed out on Sydney, this is my second camp, so I’m looking forward to competing on Sunday and looking forward to locking horns with Curtis Blaydes. He’s No.9, and we’ll see who goes forward.
“I love fighting at home, there’s nothing better. I wish I could have fought in Sydney so I could bring my family to watch me compete. I’m amped, I’m looking forward to fighting on Sunday and putting on a great show. Curtis is a great competitor, he’s No.9 for a reason and we’re going to kill each other. It’s [going to] be great.”
The 43-year-old Hunt has gone 3-1-1 in his last five bouts and is coming off of a stoppage victory over Derrick Lewis last June.
MMA can be a cutthroat business, and as fiercely competitive as fighters are inside of the cage, it’s sometimes the people operating behind the scenes who are the most ruthless of all. Never is that statement more true than when it comes to managers, and to prove the point, in this article we’ll look at […]
MMA can be a cutthroat business, and as fiercely competitive as fighters are inside of the cage, it’s sometimes the people operating behind the scenes who are the most ruthless of all.
Never is that statement more true than when it comes to managers, and to prove the point, in this article we’ll look at 10 UFC stars from both the past and present day who came to the realization that their worst enemy wasn’t the fighter standing opposite them in the Octagon, but rather the person they had entrusted to look after their career.
Mark Hunt
Heavyweight star Mark Hunt detailed a troubled business relationship with ex-manager Dixon McIver in his biography, ‘Born To Fight’ in 2015.
In it, Hunt recalls how he essentially became an overnight millionaire when he won the K-1 World Grand-Prix in Japan back in 2001, and soon after McIver talked him into loaning him $300,000 as bridging cash for an exciting business opportunity he was investing in.
However, time passed and the money wasn’t returned, and meanwhile, Hunt was becoming more and more disgruntled with the way Mciver was handling his business affairs.
In the end, McIver stopped answering his repeated calls demanding his money back and so Hunt became suspicious that the money he’d loaned him may have been used to pay off other debts instead, though he couldn’t prove it.
Hunt still associated with some old friends from the wrong side of the tracks at the time and they suggested putting McIver in the trunk of their car until he agreed to pay up what was he was owed!
As tempting an offer as that was, Hunt decided to seek legal representation.
His lawyers soon came to the conclusion that Hunt wasn’t going to get the full amount back from McIver, and so on their advice he eventually accepted a deal that would see him recoup $170,000 – though in the spur of the moment during a tense face-to-face meeting, ‘The Super Samoan’ also demanded McIver give him the expensive watch he was wearing on his wrist that day to sweeten the deal.
Fan favorite UFC slugger Mark Hunt was largely at odds with his employer throughout the majority of 2017, but “The Super Samoan” will nevertheless make his octagon return when he faces prospect Curtis Blaydes in the co-main event of February 10’s UFC221 from Perth, Australia. It’s a dangerous fight for the longtime veteran Hunt, who’s […]
Fan favorite UFC slugger Mark Hunt was largely at odds with his employer throughout the majority of 2017, but “The Super Samoan” will nevertheless make his octagon return when he faces prospect Curtis Blaydes in the co-main event of February 10’s UFC221 from Perth, Australia.
It’s a dangerous fight for the longtime veteran Hunt, who’s coming off of an impressive fourth-round stoppage of Derrick Lewis in Auckland, New Zealand last June. Still embroiled in a messy lawsuit against the UFC, Brock Lesnar, and Dana White about his UFC 200 loss to Lesnar, Hunt has quietly racked up a 3-1(1) record in his last five UFC bouts and still remains in some semblance of contention in the shallow heavyweight landscape.
And apparently he knows it, as a photo of Hunt recently surfaced from UFC on BT Sport that featured “The Super Samoan” looking incredibly in-shape and svelte for the normally hefty brawler. Check it out right here:
Hunt will have his work cut out for him, who has won all of his UFC bouts except his octagon debut against currently rising title contender Francis Ngannou. A TKO win over Adam Milstead was overturned to a no contest after Blaydes tested positive for marijuana.
Regardless, Hunt is back and looks to be taking “Razor” very seriously.
Will it be enough to send another potential rising star packing?
As far as consolation prizes go, it doesn’t get much better than the matchup of 
