[autotag]Mark Hunt[/autotag] says his legal battles with the UFC aren’t over.
According to ex-UFC heavyweight Hunt (13-14-1), he’s in the midst of organizing another lawsuit against his former employer. A backer of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, a set of federal regulations that apply to the sport of boxing, Hunt is working to see similar legislation be implemented in MMA.
“Things will change when you bring the Ali Act in,” Hunt recently told Duello Channel. “It totally changes things around. I’m with these guys that are part of this lawsuit class action. Once this comes, it’ll change the whole landscape of fighting. The fighters get paid more money, which is better for the employees. They’ll start living properly.
“Why do you make it to the top of the world in fighting? So you get paid well. Right now, these guys aren’t getting paid well. They’re getting ripped off.”
Hunt sounded off on a number of different gripes he has with the UFC but did not specify the specific grounds on which he’s basing his lawsuit. He also took aim at UFC president Dana White, hurling insults and expletives all the while.
“I know how they do it,” Hunt said. “That’s why we’re in a couple of these lawsuits. It’s a sad thing to see these fighters coming through – young fighters thinking they can get some good money. They just fall to the side like the rest of them. When you get the champions asking for more money, you know there’s something wrong. When a guy like Stipe (Miocic) or the other champions ask for more money – he’s the champion of this company. Why is he asking for more money? Something to think about.
“These bosses and guys that own the company, these (expletive) like Dana will say all this … ‘We’ve got to do this and that. All these things will work out.’ At the end of the day, he’s just a grub. He’s a thieving little grub. That’s all he is.”
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Positive change isn’t coming, Hunt said, due to one main thing: fear. According to Hunt, most fighters aren’t willing to speak out because they’re afraid of the UFC.
“Most of the fighters are just scared to talk about it,” Hunt said. “A lot of the fighters are scared to speak up about it. You’re actually fighters not just in the octagon, but everywhere. To get guys like this to come around to kiss-ass these (expletive) guys like Dana White, it’s a joke. He’s just a joke. He’s an idiot.”
Hunt explained that his legal pursuits have been his main focus – but he’s not done fighting. Not having competed since December 2018, Hunt is a free agent. He plans on boxing in the near future, then returning to MMA. Hunt estimates he has six more fights left in the tank.
“I’m talking about a boxing fight with some people now, but I want to fight six more times,” Hunt said. “I want to finish my career, but I have to pay for this lawsuit against the UFC. I’ve got to finish this. I want to fight six more times and be happy with it.
“I’ve been free for two-and-a-half years. I’ve just been doing business and stuff and organizing this lawsuit against this company.”
Hunt’s past legal battles with the UFC are well-documented. In January 2017, Hunt filed a lawsuit against the promotion, claiming the company mishandled his July 2016 fight against Brock Lesnar. Hunt claimed the UFC and Lesnar colluded to sidestep USADA testing prior to their fight. Lesnar won the bout on fight night, but the decision was overturned when Lesnar failed a drug test.
In 2019, the state of Nevada ruled in the UFC’s favor on all counts.
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