Mark Hunt slams UFC as he discusses legal battles against the company
Former UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt isn’t afraid to speak his mind when it comes to his former employer.
Hunt, 46, currently is going through an appeal process of his federal lawsuit against the UFC. While he’s fighting the UFC legally, he told MMA Fighting that the promotion is “a garbage company.”
“All [fans are] doing is paying for them to get richer and richer, and all these fighters are getting screwed,” Hunt told MMA Fighting. “So, I don’t support them at all. I don’t care what they’re doing. … Promoting some fights on an island, who gives a f*ck? They allow these cheaters to get by, and it’s just business.
“[UFC fighters aren’t] even employees. They’re contractors. They share four percent of the revenue, so why would you support that? The fighters aren’t getting the benefits. I think it’s a joke.”
Hunt’s beef with the UFC came from when he fought Brock Lesnar at UFC 200 in July 2016. Hunt was on the losing end of an unanimous decision as Lesnar wrestled his way to a victory. The fight would eventually be overturned to a no contest due to Lesnar failing a drug test.
Following the fight, Hunt alleges the promotion conspired to cheat him out of a fair fight when Lesnar was given an exemption from drug testing and later came up positive for a banned substance. He also alleges that the loss resulted in him losing out on future opportunities.
UFC parent Zuffa won the battle in court and requested that Mark Hunt pay back $388,000 in legal fees.
While the appeal process is ongoing, Hunt is now pursuing a second lawsuit against the company for allegedly trying to force him to fight Alistair Overeem at UFC 209. Overeem won the fight by knockout.
In the meantime, Hunt would like to get into boxing and fight again, but he’s in no rush saying the UFC took away his love for fighting.
“I just tried to do my job, and I’m tired of getting screwed by the company,” he said. “People say, ‘Well, maybe you should have won more fights.’ Well, maybe they shouldn’t have allowed these cheaters to get away with it all the time and gotten no punishment. The punishment they’re getting for cheating is nothing. I don’t even think that d*ckhead Lesnar has paid his fine yet.”
