Who Is Mark Hunt, the Man Challenging Brock Lesnar at UFC 200?

Who Is Mark Hunt, the Man Challenging Brock Lesnar at UFC 200?

Who Is Mark Hunt, the Man Challenging Brock Lesnar at UFC 200?

After a weekend of breathless speculation and casual fascism, Brock Lesnar’s return to the octagon is set. On July 9 in Las Vegas, the champion college wrestler turned WWE upstart turned Minnesota Vikings training camp participant turned UFC lightning rod turned WWE elder statesman turned UFC elder statesman will fight a one-off against … [drumroll, please] …

Yes, the man you see in photo at the top of this post is a professional mixed martial artist. In fact, he’s quite accomplished, having made Sherdog’s All-Violence Third Team in 2014, which sounds prestigious. He may put the “heavy” in “heavyweight,” but you know what they say about judging a book by its cover.

So what else do you need to know about Mr. Hunt before he takes on Lesnar at UFC 200? Here are some FAQs:

How did he get into fighting in the first place? According to Fox’s Marc Raimondi, Hunt was a natural from the start. He supposedly began kickboxing “because a trainer saw him beat up a bunch of dudes while he was bouncing at a bar,” and before he inked a multimillion-dollar contract with the UFC, he was happy to fight for a six-pack of beer.

Wait, this guy was a kickboxer? Indeed. He enjoyed an illustrious career in K-1, and didn’t make his UFC debut until 2010. He has a 12–10–1 MMA record — defeating the likes of Roy Nelson (for which he won Knockout of the Year at the 2014 World MMA Awards), Antonio Silva, and Frank Mir — and is the eighth-ranked heavyweight in the UFC.

Does he have a cool nickname? No — he has two. Hunt’s main nickname is the Super Samoan, but he’s alternatively known as the Doctor, though it’s unclear whether he has an MD or a PhD.

What are his measurables? Hunt is 5-foot-10, 265 pounds, and compared to Lesnar’s shredded frame, he resembles a pastry chef.

Can you rate his Twitter account on a scale of 1–10? Unfortunately, we’d need to use negative numbers here. Hunt’s Twitter timeline is a mix of dubious Facebook and Instagram links, goofy selfies, and half-formed thoughts.

Does Hunt happen to be a wildly successful author? You bet he does! His aptly titled 2015 memoir, Born to Fight, boasts a perfect five-star rating on Amazon, besting the likes of Moby-Dick, The Great Gatsby, and even Lesnar’s Death Clutch.

Is he married? Per Wikipedia, my go-to source for WAG news, Hunt met his wife, Julie, at a reggae club, which is incredibly romantic.

Is he outspoken about any political views? Hunt made headlines last year after sharing an animal cruelty video on Facebook and commenting, “I’m going vegan, hate this.” This appears to be the extent of his publicly known political opinions.

Can I watch him knock some dudes out? That’s why we’re here, right? Take a look at this compilation of Hunt’s five most brutal knockouts, courtesy of YouTube user Damdin Sodnomov, whose taste in background music is phenomenal:

Damn, it looks like Lesnar is going to have a tough fight on his hands. Does he stand a chance against the Super Samoan? Despite his doughy frame, Hunt is certainly intimidating. But if anyone can take him down, it’s the self-proclaimed “modern-day Bo Jackson.”