EXCLUSIVE | Mark Hunt: “Enough’s enough, I want an even playing field”

Going into UFC 200 back in July, fan favorite heavyweight Mark Hunt was very open about the fact that he believed there was a possibility his opponent, former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, could be going into the fight on PEDs.

When the UFC announced that Lesnar and Hunt would be fighting at UFC 200 during the UFC 199 broadcast in June, it was also revealed that the UFC had granted Lesnar an exemption from the mandatory transitionary period in which an inactive fighter is tested by USADA for several months prior to becoming an active fighter. With just one month to go until fight night, Lesnar was only subject to one month of testing, rather than the 4 standard 4 months.

Following the fight, which Lesnar won via unanimous decision, it was revealed that he not only failed a random out-of-competition drug test in the month leading up to the fight, but also a fight night drug test. That didn’t sit too well with Hunt, who became understandably irate over the fact that he fought someone who failed a drug test prior to the fight ever taking place.

Hunt initially requested 50% of Lesnar’s massive purse for the event, before changing his mind and requesting 100% of Lesnar’s purse, explaining that had he been hurt during the fight, he would be unable to provide for his family. Now, Hunt is gearing up to potentially take the matter to court in order to get a provision put into future contracts for fighters, protecting them from fighting fighters who abuse PEDs.

During this week’s episode of BJPenn.com Radio, Hunt explained why he has had enough of PED users in MMA, saying:

“To be honest, I just want things to be an even playing field. The last three guys I’ve fought have been caught doping and cheating. I’ve probably fought a lot more dopers in the past, but these are the ones that have been caught. I’m just tired of this being not an even playing field because especially the best fighters in the world are the best cheaters in the world. So it’s really annoying, and there danger. I’m over fighting with these doping guys, it’s just not fair anymore.”

“The last one was Brock Lesnar, and that’s annoying to say the least, especially with the circumstances that what happened with him, the UFC giving him the 4 month waive and all that sort of other jazz. So, enough’s enough, I want it to be an even playing field, and fair. I’m not getting a fair go here, that’s why I think things have come up the way they have.”