Brock Lesnar's attorneys file motion to dismiss Mark Hunt's lawsuit against ex-champ, UFC

Attorneys for Brock Lesnar on Thursday filed a motion to dismiss Mark Hunt’s lawsuit, forcefully denying allegations the former UFC heavyweight champion was involved in a criminal conspiracy stemming from UFC 200.

In a 30-page response, which can be seen here, the attorneys blast Hunt’s legal action, stating the fighter attempts “to convert a positive test for trace amounts of a banned substance … into a scheming RICO claim.”

The lawsuit, according to the motion, “fails miserably, float[ing] on a sea of bombast” and is not “anchored in a bed of facts.” The attorneys ask the suit be dismissed without giving Hunt’s side the chance to file again.

“Plaintiff’s complaint is so devoid of any facts to support his RICO and fraud claims that it would be almost impossible for Mr. Lesnar to respond,” read the suit, which was filed in Nevada District Court by attorneys Peter S. Christansen, Kendelee Works and Howard Jacobs on behalf of Lesnar.

Lesnar’s motion comes one month after the UFC and President Dana White made a similar move, arguing Hunt (12-10-1 MMA, 7-4-1 UFC) hadn’t done enough to prove a criminal conspiracy and fraud, among other charges, after Lesnar (41-15 MMA, 6-4 UFC) failed two drug tests in connection with their fight at UFC 200.

The defendants’ motions are expected to be heard in court on May 15.

After five years in retirement and a return to WWE, Lesnar beat Hunt via unanimous decision. The victory celebration was short lived, however, when he came up positive for the banned estrogen blocker clomiphene in an out-of-competition test and in-competition test. Because the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, the UFC’s anti-doping partner, failed to expedite the first test, Lesnar’s results did not keep him out of the octagon.

Hunt blasted the UFC upon finding out of Lesnar’s positives and demanded to receive the former champ’s full $2.5 million purse for the blockbuster event. After the UFC demurred, and Lesnar was punished by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, he took the fighter and promotion to court.

In his complaint, Hunt’s attorney’s argued the UFC and White capitalized by putting him in the cage “with knowledge or willful indifference” to Lesnar’s doping. Among other allegations, they said exempting the former champ from a four-month testing period was part of a scheme to deprive Hunt of a fair fight and fair compensation. And because the suit accused the parties of violating the RICO act, it carried treble damages.

Hunt’s attorney pointedly called out Lesnar for his role in the episode.

“He was in on this,” attorney Christina Denning told MMAjunkie in a previous interview. “He’s coming from the WWE – he’s on steroids – and he can’t sign up officially with the UFC in March, because he’s going to be dumped into this program for doping and he’s going to fail.”

But like the UFC and White, Lesnar’s attorneys say Hunt has no standing on any of his claims, in particular the idea he was the victim of any criminal conspiracy.

“Plaintiff’s RICO claim is so incredibly deficient as to defendant Lesnar, that it is difficult to know where to even begin,” states the motion. “As an initial matter, plaintiff lacks standing to bring this claim, because he does not even allege the type of injury that is covered by the RICO statute.

“Furthermore, as to defendant Lesnar, the complaint fails to plead long-term criminal activity, fails to plead a predicate act, fails to adequately plead intent, fails to adequately plead fraud, fails to adequately plead false pretenses, fails to adequately plead the requisite pattern of activity, and fails to adequately plead a conspiracy within the meaning of the RICO statute.”

Backing the UFC and White’s interpretation of the lawsuit, Lesnar’s attorneys say Hunt fails to prove their actions in connection with UFC 200 resulted in concrete and tangible damages covered by RICO statutes, rather than personal injuries beyond the law’s scope.

“Even if Plaintiff had won the fight against Defendant Lesnar, plaintiff has not and cannot honestly allege that significant economic opportunities would have presented themselves, beyond the opportunity that the UFC has already granted to Plaintiff even in spite of the results at UFC 200,” read the motion.

As to Hunt’s claim that Lesnar was unjustly enriched by the alleged scheme and should get his purse, Lesnar’s team pointed out there is no basis to do so in the rules, and that both fighters were paid as per their contracts.

“The fact that Mr. Lesnar may have negotiated a more lucrative contract with the UFC than plaintiff may be cause for Mr. Hunt to complain to his agent or manager, but cannot and should not form the basis for the complaint to this court in this cause of action.”

Despite his pending litigation, Hunt returned to the octagon earlier this month at UFC 209 and was knocked out in a rematch against Alistair Overeem. Hunt is expected to take on Derrick Lewis (18-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 110.

For more on the upcoming UFC schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.