Okay, so technical question---what Mark Hunt is doing up there looks like a 90-degree pivot. Is he doing a check-hook?
It's a very similar movement. I will say yes. Look at the angle he is standing on the bud light logo when he throws the punch. His body is facing to the side of the logo after it connects.
I can't see his feet in the gif so I don't wanna s ay for sure. But watch the gif a few times and look at the way his head/stomach are facing when hes backing up, and where it's facing in the second after he lands. Pretty great angle.
Also, the way Kongo fell forward after being hit changes the way it appears, too. I think that makes it look less like a check hook because he landed a little to the left while Mark was moving to Kongo's right. But I will say yeah, you can call that a check hook. If Kong did not fall, more than likely Hunt would be completely sideways to him, very close to 90 degrees.. Like i said, hard to judge without seeing his footwork, but I am leaning to yes.
Hunt is a master at utilizing angles. Even if that's not a check hook by name in the purest form, it's pretty damn close. Hunt does some really sneaky ,tricky high level shit. Like when he fought Nelson, and others of course, he ducks down to avoid hooks, uppercuts and more. That's something you see a lot in HW boxing from a guy of his build, but you don't see much in MMA. Hunt's defensive wrestling improved to the point he can duck down hard/slip punches very low at odd angles and not worry that he will be immediately swept off his feet. He is a joy to watch.