UFC 209: Tyron Woodley vs. Stephen Thompson 2Mar 2, 2017 by FloCombat Staff
UFC 209: Mark Hunt Says He Was 'Forced' To Fight Alistair Overeem
UFC 209: Mark Hunt Says He Was 'Forced' To Fight Alistair Overeem
Mark Hunt unleashes his frustrations on steroid users in MMA, claiming he was forced to fight at UFC 209.
Mark Hunt is pissed off ahead of UFC 209, and it's tough to blame him.
Taking on Alistair Overeem at the event, Hunt finds himself against another fighter on the UFC's roster who boasts a checkered history with performance-enhancing drugs. Most recently, Hunt lost to Brock Lesnar at UFC 200, who was promptly suspended after the event for testing positive for Hydroxy-clomiphene, a banned anti-estrogenic agent.
Previously during his UFC run, Hunt has fought Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva, Ben Rothwell, and Frank Mir, all fighters who have served suspensions stemming from failed drug tests.
Now, Hunt's had enough, and he's letting everyone know.
"I didn’t want to be in this position," Hunt said during the UFC 209 Media Day. "They gave me no choice. What am I supposed to do? Keep going to work and fighting steroid cheaters, you know? How would you feel going to work, losing to guys, and it is losing, because if you lose against a guy who’s cheating, you lose. You don’t get the benefits from it.
This is supposed to be the best fighters in the world. Not the best cheaters in the world, the best guys who can hide it with doctors.”
Because of the situation at hand, Hunt feels it's his duty to make a statement against Overeem Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena.
"It’s very important for me this weekend [to make a statement]," Hunt said. "Even seeing Alistair outside, it really irritates me that I have to share the Octagon with guys that have cheated to get in. It took me that loss against Brock Lesnar to realize that. It’s not fair. It’s not a fair advantage, and I’m not going to put up with it. I’m sick of it.”
Interestingly, Hunt filed a civil lawsuit (h/t ESPN.com) against the UFC following Lesnar's failed test, but the UFC has recently filed a motion to have it dismissed (h/t MMAFighting.com). Hunt is now backed into a corner, and he must compete at UFC 209 as a result.
"I was forced to be here," he said. "I was [told], ‘If you don’t take this fight, it’s against your contract.’ Why should my family suffer and miss out on my hard work? They should deserve to have the better things in life, because I’ve gotten beaten up to be here. Why should they miss out?
I haven’t done [anything] wrong here, so why am I feeling like I should be the outsider here? That other guy’s the guy that cheated. All these guys that cheated are the ones that should be put up on a pedestal and say, ‘That guy’s a cheat!’ They shouldn’t be here. Why do I feel like that?”
In the end, it boils down to one simple fact in Hunt's eyes: Steroids make otherwise average fighters better than average, and the UFC should only house the elite of the elite.
"The way I look at it is it takes an average fighter to above average," Hunt said. "Take away their armor, their coat of armor, which is steroids, and they become average again. They shouldn’t be here as an average fighter. They should be in the average ranks. This is for the best fighters in the world, not the best cheaters in the world.”
Watch Hunt's full interview embedded above.
Taking on Alistair Overeem at the event, Hunt finds himself against another fighter on the UFC's roster who boasts a checkered history with performance-enhancing drugs. Most recently, Hunt lost to Brock Lesnar at UFC 200, who was promptly suspended after the event for testing positive for Hydroxy-clomiphene, a banned anti-estrogenic agent.
Previously during his UFC run, Hunt has fought Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva, Ben Rothwell, and Frank Mir, all fighters who have served suspensions stemming from failed drug tests.
Now, Hunt's had enough, and he's letting everyone know.
"I didn’t want to be in this position," Hunt said during the UFC 209 Media Day. "They gave me no choice. What am I supposed to do? Keep going to work and fighting steroid cheaters, you know? How would you feel going to work, losing to guys, and it is losing, because if you lose against a guy who’s cheating, you lose. You don’t get the benefits from it.
This is supposed to be the best fighters in the world. Not the best cheaters in the world, the best guys who can hide it with doctors.”
Because of the situation at hand, Hunt feels it's his duty to make a statement against Overeem Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena.
"It’s very important for me this weekend [to make a statement]," Hunt said. "Even seeing Alistair outside, it really irritates me that I have to share the Octagon with guys that have cheated to get in. It took me that loss against Brock Lesnar to realize that. It’s not fair. It’s not a fair advantage, and I’m not going to put up with it. I’m sick of it.”
Interestingly, Hunt filed a civil lawsuit (h/t ESPN.com) against the UFC following Lesnar's failed test, but the UFC has recently filed a motion to have it dismissed (h/t MMAFighting.com). Hunt is now backed into a corner, and he must compete at UFC 209 as a result.
"I was forced to be here," he said. "I was [told], ‘If you don’t take this fight, it’s against your contract.’ Why should my family suffer and miss out on my hard work? They should deserve to have the better things in life, because I’ve gotten beaten up to be here. Why should they miss out?
I haven’t done [anything] wrong here, so why am I feeling like I should be the outsider here? That other guy’s the guy that cheated. All these guys that cheated are the ones that should be put up on a pedestal and say, ‘That guy’s a cheat!’ They shouldn’t be here. Why do I feel like that?”
In the end, it boils down to one simple fact in Hunt's eyes: Steroids make otherwise average fighters better than average, and the UFC should only house the elite of the elite.
"The way I look at it is it takes an average fighter to above average," Hunt said. "Take away their armor, their coat of armor, which is steroids, and they become average again. They shouldn’t be here as an average fighter. They should be in the average ranks. This is for the best fighters in the world, not the best cheaters in the world.”
Watch Hunt's full interview embedded above.