MARK HUNT PREPARES FOR POTENTIAL LAWSUIT AGAINST UFC
"The Super Samoan" has been in the Octagon with three fighters who have failed drug tests and he's had enough. He's demanding a change, wants provisions made in his contract to deter other fighters from cheating, and is willing to fight UFC in court.
Mark Hunt has rained down fire and brimstone at Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ever since Brock Lesnar was flagged by United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) following their fight at UFC 200 this past July, and he has yet to let up on his harsh criticism of the fight promotion.
The No.7-ranked UFC heavyweight has let it rip in the last few months, repeatedly bashing the promotion several times publicly and insisting they do more to rid their roster of cheating fighters after learning Lesnar tested positive for hydroxy-clomiphene, an anti-estrogen agent, in both in and out-of-competition drug tests issued by USADA for UFC 200. To use a driving analogy, he's far beyond honking the horn and asking someone to move. It's more in line with speeding up next to that person with the window down and fully extending his middle finger while shouting obscenities in full-on road rage.
"The Super Samoan" is demanding a change and he's demanding it now. But he's not going to just continue on with verbal tongue lashings at his employers. He's willing to take legal action if he has to, should the changes he is seeking in terms of new provisions being added to his contract and the way the promotion handles performance enhancing drug users, not be made.
The New Zealand native is incensed that he shared the Octagon with Lesnar, who popped positive after their UFC 200 bout, on top of being granted a four-month drug-testing exemption prior to signing on with the promotion. But it's not just Lesnar that's got Hunt all twisted with anger. It's the fact that he's fought two other violators in Frank Mir and also Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva. Hunt defeated Mir by knockout at UFC Fight Night 85 this past March at UFC Fight Night 85 in Brisbane, Australia, but Mir tested positive for oral turinabol metabolites, an anabolic steroid, after the bout. "Bigfoot" failed a drug test due to elevated levels of testosterone when he and Hunt fought to a draw back in 2013 at UFC Fight Night 33, also in Brisbane.
"It's the third time I've had to fight a steroid user," Hunt told MMAmania.com on a conference call with Christina Denning (legal representative) and his longtime attorney Michael Connette. "I don't think the penalties are harsh enough. I don't think it is a fair environment. I've probably fought more juicers than anybody. The difference is now is that I realized I can actually lose an eye or something and not be able to compete again. I know fighting is kind of hard and all, but when these losers are taking steroids it makes it even worse."
Hunt, who says the lone thing he takes away from his first fight vs. Silva--which is largely considered one of the greatest UFC Heavyweight fights of all time--is the fact that Silva failed a drug test. He still boasts that he will "fight anyone," but he wants a level playing field and he wants the cheaters to "pay for what they've done."
"I've known Mark since the Pride days," said Connette. "Actually since he switched over from kickboxing at K-1 over into the MMA of Pride. I had a law firm in Japan at the time and I represented Pride at the time as well. Pride ended up stealing Mark from K-1. It was a big battle at the time between Pride and K-1, but he ended up switching over to MMA and you gotta start with Pride and MMA. I've know him ever since. We actually sold Pride to the UFC, the Fertitta brothers. Mark fought for Dream, another promotion out of Japan, which folded eventually.
"Mark and I ended up suing the UFC in Japan based on his Pride contract. Dana White states it incorrectly when he says 'we paid him to go away.' No that's not true. Mark sued them for breach of contract and they paid handsomely to Mark for that breach of contract. They didn't pay him to go away. They paid him for breach of contract. We sued them and we settled. I'm not going to talk about that settlement, but I don't think we can anyways. That was a rough start with the UFC. Actually, one of the lawyers that represented the UFC, he was a big Mark Hunt fan and he made sure that Mark got a contract with the UFC after that lawsuit was over and Mark starting appearing with the UFC. They were really bad with him just to start. Eventually the relationship improved because Mark was showing them what he could do and the draw he could bring."
The next few weeks will be very interesting as Lesnar's hearing with the NSAC is set for November 10th or possibly later if he should be granted a continuance. Hunt and his legal team are adamant that they will not back down from their stance on having new provisions written into his contract. And they will take action and file that lawsuit--after Lesnar's dealings with the NAC are finalized--should those provisions not be met along the lines of what they are seeking.
Read the full interview here via MMAMania.com
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