Manager: Hunt cleared to fight, wants Werdum rematch at UFC 221
Mark Hunt could soon be getting back in the saddle.
The longtime UFC heavyweight has been medically cleared to resume his fighting career and is awaiting word from the UFC regarding his next move, manager Zen Ginnen confirmed to MMAWeekly's Damon Martin on Tuesday following a report from the Daily Telegraph.
The promotion yanked Hunt from a November date with Marcin Tybura in Sydney shortly after the fighter wrote a column saying he'd suffered memory loss and slurred speech as a result of his many tilts. The 43-year-old later maintained he'd been pulled as retaliation for suing the UFC over allegedly allowing Brock Lesnar to face him at UFC 200 despite his use of banned substances.
UFC president Dana White has since insisted Hunt was pulled due to health concerns, prompting the heavyweight to undergo tests at the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas. Ginnen says Hunt scored "well above average" and has obtained doctors' blessings to return to action.
As for his desired date and opponent, Hunt's apparently set his sights on a rematch with Fabricio Werdum - who replaced him in Sydney - at UFC 221 in Perth, Australia. The former kickboxer fell to Werdum by second-round knockout back at UFC 180, and believes a win over the Brazilian would put him in pole position for a title shot in late 2018, says Ginnen.
Hunt last competed in June at UFC Fight Night 110, where he dispatched Derrick Lewis by fourth-round TKO in the main event.