Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2011 16:45:00 GMT 10
IT WAS the right uppercut thrown with everything Mark Hunt had left.
Powered by two mortgages. Seven straight defeats. And how many years since Japanese toy manufacturers ceased those little, plastic dolls in his image?
"But as soon as it landed, I knew," the 120kg Sydneysider grins. "A fighter always does."
Only a week after icing American Chris 'The Crowbar' Tuscherer - a sparring partner for Brock Lesnar, no less - at UFC 127; Sport Confidential can reveal the man dubbed Super Samoan is returning to train in Miami with a new contract offer from UFC boss Dana White.
And it's all because of that knockout at Acer Arena. A punch which not only earned him $75,000 for Knockout of the Night, but is breathing life back into a career so clouded, immediately after the bout he joked to this column "who knows what's next for me ... maybe the unemployment line".
.
See, while he may be unknown to most Aussie sports fans, Hunt is a legend of the international fight scene thanks to a stellar career with both K-1 (kickboxing) and Japanese MMA company, Pride.
"But over the past few years I've just been losing, losing, losing." . I mortgaged what I owned. Even the 75 grand will be chewed up quick. But you know ... I'm no quitter, ey."
For proof, go back four years when the UFC consumed Pride and told Hunt he was no longer wanted - basically offered to pay him out if he never stepped foot inside their Octagon again.
It's when the big fella rallied. Even threatened legal action.
"But how could anyone expect me to just stop? I'm a fighter, it's what I do. Coming into Acer with that crowd, I felt like Spartacus. That's why I was able to fight like I did. To throw a punch that would've kept King Kong down I reckon."
Powered by two mortgages. Seven straight defeats. And how many years since Japanese toy manufacturers ceased those little, plastic dolls in his image?
"But as soon as it landed, I knew," the 120kg Sydneysider grins. "A fighter always does."
Only a week after icing American Chris 'The Crowbar' Tuscherer - a sparring partner for Brock Lesnar, no less - at UFC 127; Sport Confidential can reveal the man dubbed Super Samoan is returning to train in Miami with a new contract offer from UFC boss Dana White.
And it's all because of that knockout at Acer Arena. A punch which not only earned him $75,000 for Knockout of the Night, but is breathing life back into a career so clouded, immediately after the bout he joked to this column "who knows what's next for me ... maybe the unemployment line".
.
See, while he may be unknown to most Aussie sports fans, Hunt is a legend of the international fight scene thanks to a stellar career with both K-1 (kickboxing) and Japanese MMA company, Pride.
"But over the past few years I've just been losing, losing, losing." . I mortgaged what I owned. Even the 75 grand will be chewed up quick. But you know ... I'm no quitter, ey."
For proof, go back four years when the UFC consumed Pride and told Hunt he was no longer wanted - basically offered to pay him out if he never stepped foot inside their Octagon again.
It's when the big fella rallied. Even threatened legal action.
"But how could anyone expect me to just stop? I'm a fighter, it's what I do. Coming into Acer with that crowd, I felt like Spartacus. That's why I was able to fight like I did. To throw a punch that would've kept King Kong down I reckon."