Brock Lesnar vs. Mark Hunt: Career Stats, Highlights for Both Before UFC 200

UFC 200 is a huge event on many levels, but Mark Hunt and Brock Lesnar will make it gigantic in the most literal sense when they step into the cage Saturday night in the main event, after the UFC removed Jon Jones from the card for allegedly failing a drug test, per ESPN.com.

Both behemoths will likely have to cut weight to make the 265-pound limit for a true heavyweight slugfest. 

The return of Lesnar at UFC 200 is awesome for many reasons including bringing the last 100 pay-per-views around full circle. After all, he was a major reason for the success of UFC 100. 

Now he'll come back after more than four-and-a-half years away from the Octagon against one of the most dangerous opponents in the division. 

Here's a look at how the two stack up:

Let's examine how they got to this point. 

Brock Lesnar: Seeking Redemption

Lesnar's first stint with the UFC was a spectacular comet. It reached dizzying heights quickly, only to burn out and fade with just as much intensity. 

What you remember about Lesnar's UFC career probably depends on your personal feelings about the fighter. There was the champion who captured the imagination of fans with a gutsy title defense against Shane Carwin. There was also the man whom Cain Velasquez put in a fetal position in the first round. 

Part of that quick descent was a turn for the worse health-wise. Lesnar battled diverticulitis and had 12 inches of his colon removed. The UFC's video preview touched on Lesnar's struggles with the ailment:

Lesnar will be 39 just three days after UFC 200. Just how much he has left in the tank after a career filled with the rigors of MMA, professional wrestling and collegiate wrestling is an intriguing question. It's his own curiosity that brought him back into the cage to begin with. 

“I [considered coming back] for a while, and really I was standing there one day on my property [in Canada] and just thought, ‘It’s time,’” he said, per Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times. “I’m a person who pulls the trigger. I don’t want any regrets. That’s how simple it really was. I didn’t want to be sitting around the rest of my days on this earth wondering why I didn’t step back in the cage again, so here we are.”

At his best, Lesnar possesses a freakish blend of size and athleticism that makes him one of the most unique spectacles in combat sports. At his worst, he's the personification of "the bigger they are, the harder they fall."

Either way, his return will be worth watching. 

Mark Hunt: Looking to Embrace the Spotlight

Mark Hunt's physique is also one of the most unique in MMA, albeit for different reasons than Lesnar. 

In a sport dominated by long, rangy frames, Hunt is an outlier. He has somehow managed to become one of the most lethal heavyweights despite being 5'10" with a 72-inch reach. For some context, Lesnar is 6'3" with a reach of 81 inches. 

Yet, if he does knock out Lesnar, he won't even be the tallest fighter The Super Samoan has taken out. He holds wins over Stefan Struve (6'11") and Antonio Silva (6'4"). 

The way Hunt closes the distance to land powerful shots is a sight to behold and has scored him big wins, even as he fights into his 40s. Hunt is now 42 but is coming off first-round knockout wins over Silva and Frank Mir. 

The late career surge has led to a No. 8 ranking in the division. But Hunt is adamant this fight isn't about rankings. It's about opportunity.

“I don’t think it’ll get me any further or closer to a title shot; it just makes my name even bigger,” he said regarding Lesnar, per MMAJunkie. “I think if I beat Brock—he’s not even in the Top 10, to be honest.”

It's hard to figure out Lesnar's spot in the heavyweight hierarchy. He's been gone too long to know for sure who he could handle in the division's Top 10. However, a win over Lesnar would give Hunt the shine he needs to ensure he's involved in more marquee fights to close out his career. 

That appears to be what Hunt is gunning for, and he has the perfect opponent to achieve that goal. 

Prediction

This fight is going to come down to who strikes first in each round. 

The rules of engagement in this one are fairly simple. Hunt is a hard-charging former kickboxer who is a better striker than Lesnar by a wide margin. Nine of his 12 career wins have come by knockout, and he has the previously mentioned knack for closing distance with powerful strikes to compensate for his stocky build. 

On the other hand, Lesnar holds a similar disparity in talent on the ground. The former champion's wrestling might be overstated at times in term of his overall arsenal, but few fighters have a better top game. 

Once Lesnar achieves top position, the end is usually near. 

Here's the bad news for Lesnar: Scoring takedowns is going to require a setup. Although he has simply charged at opponents before, doing so against Hunt would be at his own peril. It's a tactic that Hunt will expect as he launches murderous counters. 

"I don't think he's going to last five minutes," Hunt said, per Damon Martin of Fox Sports. "If he starts shooting right away, he's going to be out of there in the first round. I don't think he's going to be that stupid."

If Lesnar wants to get this fight to the ground, he'll have to set up his takedowns. That means at least hanging in for a few exchanges to change levels and get past Hunt's solid takedown defense. 

Unfortunately for Lesnar, that exposes his poor striking defense. He's hittable and has taken hard shots in losses to Velasquez and Alistair Overeem. 

Hunt might hit harder than both men. 

That sets up a scenario where the opening minutes will be crucial. 

It isn't a stretch to see Lesnar becoming Hunt's latest knockout victim. It's also in the realm of possibility that we see a return of the aggressive Lesnar of old who is able to walk through some punishment and use his top game to smother another opponent a la his fight with Carwin. 

Given his desire to come back, there's reason to believe the renewed Lesnar can still do that long enough to return to his winning ways. 

Prediction: Lesnar via second-round TKO