Mark Hunt sues UFC, White, Lesnar over failed drug tests
Heavyweight fighter Mark Hunt filed a civil suit against the UFC, UFC president Dana White, and fellow heavyweight Brock Lesnar, ESPN's Brett Okamoto reports.
Hunt filed the lawsuit in Nevada District Court on Tuesday in response to a series of failed drug tests by Lesnar, alleging the UFC partook in racketeering, and obstructed the results of the fight for its own benefit.
"I want the UFC to understand it's not OK to keep doing what they're doing," Hunt told Okamoto. "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.
"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."
Lesnar originally won the fight against Hunt at UFC 200 by unanimous decision. After Lesnar failed multiple drug tests, however, the result was overturned to a no contest.
As a result of the violations, Lesnar was docked $250,000 (10 percent of his $2.5-million fight purse) - a point of contention for Hunt and his attorney, Christina Denning, due to the relatively small amount and the fact that none of that money will end up in Hunt's pocket.
Denning said Hunt is looking to recoup "millions" in damages.
"Mark says the penalties aren't harsh enough," she said. "What's interesting is that the penalties are harsh enough on paper, they're just not being enforced by the UFC."
Up next for Hunt is a fight with Alistair Overeem in March, a booking complicated by Overeem having a past drug test failure on his record. Though Hunt reluctantly accepted the bout, he did so out of contractual obligation, as opposed to any satisfaction with the UFC's current handling of PED users.
"I didn't want to be in this position," Hunt said. "It puts me in a weird spot because I'm still under contract. Fans say, 'Mark, you knew (Lesnar) 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.
"This was the last straw. I lost that fight, it ruined it for my fans. It wasn't good. I asked to get out of my contract but I can't. I need to work like everyone else."