UFC HW Mark Hunt on Stipe Miocic, Humble Beginnings and a Golden Future

[La Paix]

UFC HW Mark Hunt on Stipe Miocic, Humble Beginnings and a Golden Future | Bleacher Report

He's thankful and respectful inside and outside the cage—his walk-off knockouts are a testament to the former—and he filters the funk from the substance with apparent ease.

A very simple but true statement about one of mine and many other favorites. I said many times in forums that I'll always prefer the Hunts, Crocop and Fedor's of the MMA world as far as personality. I understand and realize how important it is to have the Sonnens and Conors as well and when that role is done correct and comes of not forced it can be awesome to witness.

As the story goes, Hunt knocked out multiple people outside a club shortly after being released from jail for the second time in Auckland, New Zealand. An onlooker noticed Hunt's power and potential and invited him to compete in an upcoming muay thai bout taking place right there at the scene of the brawl.

Hunt had four days to train.

"I'm someone who doesn't have a pedigree in any martial art…I was outside a club on that occasion and that's how I started fighting," Hunt said. "The next week I was inside the same club fighting amuay thai fight. You know, 25 years later on, I'm still competing, I've already won my world title in my chosen sport and now I'm chasing another dream in another different sport...It's just crazy to think. But this story is true, mate."

Honestly how amazing is that? Dudes outside laying people out one night and is now currently focusing on a second title in another combat sport. No traditional belts or major credentials like high level wrestling heading into the elite orgs and still has been more than relevant for over a decade. Mark wins the WKBF Australian Super Heavyweight title in 1999, makes his debut in PRIDE in 2004 and is now trying to fight for UFC gold AGAIN and its 2015, incredible.

"Fighting's simple, man: If I can rock this guy, if I can put a lot more hits on this guy than he puts on me, then I've won," Hunt said. "My game plan is simple all the time: If I can whoop your ass before you whoop my ass, then you're done. That's basically it. I'm not trying to be arrogant. That's just the way things work."

Never going to see Hunt resort to point fighting to protect his record or secure a win, pretty rare these days.

"I'll shake it off. I'll restart what I'm doing. I'll refocus, then I go at it again. If I fall over in a hole, I'm not going to sit in the f-----g hole. I'm going to get out of the f-----g hole. I'm not going to sit in there. In fighting, it's the same thing. Exactly like life. It's all the same. You fall down, you get back up."

Wise words from a guy who's been in the game for so long. Mark hasn't just said these things but has done them and proven its possible to over come major obstacles to get back to the top.

 

[Zeph]

Some men are just born to fight. Back in the day Mark Hunt would have been one of those guys at the head of the charge, axe in one hand and a cheesy grin on his face, just loving it.

 

[Wild]

Hunt is what MMA should be all about. Respect, humility, and knocking people the fuck out. I wish I could watch the guy fight for another 20 years!