Not even anti-doping measures could prevent this from happening.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight Mark Hunt is suing the promotion, its President Dana White, and his UFC 200 opponent Brock Lesnar. Hunt has filed a civil suit because he feels the circumstances surrounding his loss to Lesnar were part of a collusion.
“Super Samoan” spoke to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto on the situation:
“I want the UFC to understand it’s not OK to keep doing what they’re doing. They’re allowing guys to do this. They had a chance to take all the money from this guy, because he’s a cheater, and they didn’t.”
Lesnar’s fight against Hunt was originally a unanimous decision win for the former heavyweight champion. Lesnar tested positive for banned substances and the result was changed to a no contest. He was suspended by both the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) and the U.S. Anti Doping Agency (USADA) for one year.
Those suspensions and the result change were not enough for Hunt. The veteran said it’s on the UFC, its President, and his opponent to face the music.
“What message is that sending to the boys and girls who want to be a fighter someday? The message is, ‘You just have to cheat like this and it’s OK.’ In society, if you commit a crime, you pay. Why is it different in MMA? It’s hurt the business, so it’s even worse. They need to be held accountable for this.”
Despite the lawsuit, Hunt is still under contract with the UFC and is scheduled to face Alistair Overeem at UFC 209. Hunt realizes that this puts him in an awkward situation.
“I didn’t want to be in this position. It puts me in a weird spot because I’m still under contract. Fans say, ‘Mark, you knew he was juicing.’ I didn’t know. You look at him and think, ‘Yeah, he’s on the gear,’ but don’t judge a book by its cover and all that.”
