Tag: Mark Hunt

Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar is set to make his highly-anticipated Octagon return, when he goes toe-to-toe with ‘The Super Samoan’ Mark Hunt in the co-main event of UFC 200 next Saturday (July 9, 2016).

Lesnar is currently under contract with the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and has been granted a ‘one off’ appearance to perform at the blockbuster mixed martial arts (MMA) event before returning to his duties at WWE.

Ahead of his bout with Hunt, Lesnar claims that his return to the Octagon is ‘all about having fun’, and in a recent interview with FOX Sports, ‘The Beast’ was asked about the possibility of fighting again after UFC 200:

“I don’t know. I feel really good,” Lesnar told FOX Sports last week about his future with the UFC. “Training camp is going great. I’m happy. I’m happy with my life.

I’m happy with everything. Yes, since I left the Octagon after I got beat by (Alistair) Overeem and kind of forced out of the cage because of my illness, it haunted me for a long time.

Here I am and before it’s too late, I want to get back in the cage and have some fun with it. This is all about having fun.

I’m not looking past this fight. I’m just taking one day at a time. One training session at a time. Looking forward to July 9. I’m grateful that Mark Hunt took the fight, it was short notice for me and him so we’ll see what happens on the 9th.”

Lesnar’s return was originally set to be at a later date, perhaps at the promotion’s first Madison Square Garden event in New York City, but when the opportunity to co-headline UFC 200 presented itself, Lesnar couldn’t refuse:

“Not very long. I wasn’t sure if it was even going to happen so I don’t remember the date, but I’ve been training four or five weeks,” Lesnar said. “Before my call to Dana (White), I wasn’t even sure this thing was going to happen at UFC 200.

“We had talked and thought maybe we could put something together by November for New York.

But hell, I’ll fight whenever the money’s right and we took it to the eleventh hour and that’s where we’re at. So it is what it is.”

While the former NCAA Division I heavyweight wrestling champion recognizes ‘The Super Samoan’s’ superior striking ability, he knows his path to victory lies with his powerful wrestling attack:

“He’s a heavy hitter. I’m preparing to not take one of those shots. To answer that and to win this fight.

Is he better than I am at stand up? Of course he is. Is he a better wrestler than me? Hell no,” Lesnar said.

“He’ll probably tell you that, too. That’s why we’re fighting. We’re going to see who the best man is with their disciplines on the night.”

It’s been nearly five years since Lesnar has competed inside the Octagon, and while no longer being held back by diverticulitis, he can finally compete to the best of his ability:

“I believe I was meant to be a fighter, an entertainer and absolutely it’s one of those things for me, I want to get back in,” Lesnar said.

“It’s no mystery that I was forced out of this competition because of an illness I had. I tried to be the competitor I wanted to be, but it’s kind of hard to do when you have a disease and you fight back from it.

I’m in a whole different spot mentally and physically in my life right now. Before I became a 40 year old man, I want to get back in the cage.”

Lesnar and Hunt will collide in the co-main event of UFC 200 live on pay-per-view (PPV), from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 9, 2016.

The post No Longer Being Held Back By Diverticulitis, Lesnar’s MMA Future Remains Undecided appeared first on LowKick MMA.

UFC 200 is right around the corner, and the highly-anticipated return of former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar looms over the heads of mixed martial arts (MMA) fans worldwide.

Lesnar will step into the Octagon with Australian knockout artist Mark Hunt, in the main event of what has the potential to be the biggest card in UFC history.

Lesnar is known for his vicious wrestling ability while Hunt is known as one of the hardest hitting men the world has ever bared witness too, citing this bout as the old-fashioned ‘Wrestler vs Striker’ matchup we’ve come to know throughout the years.

Hunt recently spoke with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour this past Monday, courtesy of MMA Fighting, and claimed that he initially found out about the matchup the same way everyone else did:

“I heard about it the same time as everybody else did, pretty much,” Hunt said. “… I actually guessed it was probably Brock a long time ago. I guessed it was him, but I was just told to stay ready for UFC 200.

I didn’t realize it was Brock Lesnar until someone actually mentioned it, and I was like, oh wow. But I pretty much found out it was confirmed at the same time as everyone else did.”

‘The KFC King’ also stated that he believes Lesnar has been preparing for an MMA return longer than people are giving him credit for:

“I think [Lesnar] has been training a lot longer than people seem to presume he’s been training,” Hunt said. “He probably knew a long time ago about this match.

I’ve got a good couple weeks to get into it and then it’s fight week, so my guys are just coming into town now and looking forward to getting their work done.”

Since the announcement of the thunderous heavyweight clash many MMA analysts have critiqued Lesnar for ‘not liking to get hit’ in a sport where hitting and getting hit is the main objective.

While Hunt doesn’t really necessarily share an opinion on these criticisms, he did claim the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) star better ‘get used to it’ because he’s not pulling any punches come July 9th:

“I don’t know, to be honest. I don’t know what the deal is with that. I mean, if you don’t like to be hit, you’re in the wrong sport,” Hunt said.

“He’s had four years off since his (last) fight, so I’m just looking forward to the match-up. It’s going to be a great fight and I’m not looking past Brock.

He’s going to be a tough fight. He’s probably been training for ages. But, I mean, getting hit in the face and everywhere, the body, is part of what we’re used to.

He should get used to it because I’m going to try to do a lot of that in the fight.”

Hunt openly criticized the the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s (USADA) decision to pardon Lesnar from the four month testing period for retired fighters who re-join the UFC, however, Hunt admitted he believed the decision was for Lesnar to not be tested until after UFC 200, a belief that was later cleared up:

“He’s getting tested now, so I think that’s the main thing,” Hunt said. “In the end, I think everyone should be treated fairly. If you’re getting tested, everyone should be tested.

But like you probably said, he wasn’t part of us when USADA came. But I still think he should be tested. I mean, he’s probably being tested now, but I think everyone should have the same playing field.”

Lesnar and Hunt will take center stage in the co-main event of the evening come July 9th, and the ‘Super Samoan’ is hoping that his counterpart comes in like a ‘crazy man’ so he can send him crashing to the canvas for an early nap:

“I don’t know, to be honest,” Hunt said. “I mean, I’m hoping he comes in like a crazy man and then I put him to sleep. That’s basically what I hope is going to happen.

But I don’t think he’s that stupid. I think he’s going to be a bit smarter and test the waters first, but we’ll see what happens on the night.”

UFC 200 takes place live on pay-per-view (PPV) from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 9, 2016.

The post Mark Hunt Wants To Knockout ‘Crazy Man’ Lesnar Early appeared first on LowKick MMA.