Mark Hunt and the UFC aren’t getting along again. Normally, this isn’t news, but it follows Hunt being pulled from the UFC: Sydney event this November. Citing a first-person article by Hunt titled “If I Die Fighting, That’s Fine,” the Super Samoan admitted to being unable to sleep, slurring his words and being unable to remember recent events. Hunt has since said he was “misquoted,” but the damage is done. In order to protect the fighter, the UFC has pulled him from the bout and put in Fabricio Werdum after making this statement:
“Following a recent first-person article published by UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt, UFC has taken the precautionary steps of removing Hunt from a previously announced bout in Sydney, Australia. The health-related statements made by Hunt in the article represent the first time UFC was made aware of these claims. Athlete health and safety is of the utmost importance to the organization and it would never knowingly schedule an athlete complaining of health issues for a fight. The organization will require that Hunt undergo further testing and evaluations prior to competing in any future UFC bout.”
In response, Hunt made a series of Instagram posts saying that his bad memory was a “joke” and laid into Dana White, who is one of the defendants in a lawsuit Hunt has filed against the UFC after he fought multiple opponents that subsequently failed their drug tests. Hunt cites the lawsuit as the real reason he’s being pulled after spending $100,000 on a fight camp and passing medicals:
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https://www.instagram.com/p/BaFk0UJgFNB/?taken-by=markhuntfighter
https://www.instagram.com/p/BaFlNhzgtyL/?taken-by=markhuntfighter
The UFC has previously allowed Jon Jones to fight with a positive test for cocaine and waived Brock Lesnar’s entering into the USADA testing pool before his fight with Hunt. They’ve also done the right thing and forced Chuck Liddell to retire after a string of knockout losses.
(Via MMA Fighting)
