From unwanted to UFC 180 title fight: Mark Hunt's career turnaround

(This story first appeared in today’s USA TODAY.)

Mark Hunt used to be like an annoying cousin to the UFC. The organization had a connection to him, but it didn’t really want to recognize it.

The UFC inherited Hunt’s contract after it purchased rival promotion PRIDE in 2007. His record at the time showed five consecutive losses, and his rotund physique left questions about his commitment to the sport and ability to make the heavyweight limit.

But this week, at Saturday’s UFC 180 at Mexico City Arena (10 p.m. ET, pay-per-view), Hunt (10-8-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC) meets Fabricio Werdum (18-5-1, 6-2) for the promotion’s interim heavyweight title.

Five years ago, UFC executives wanted nothing to buy out Hunt’s contract and send him on his way. Now he’s readying for a championship bout. Hunt, 40, understood reasoning behind the UFC’s original reservations, but refused to accept a payoff.

“No one likes to be told they’re not good enough, and that’s basically what they were saying to me,” Hunt tells USA TODAY Sports. “I didn’t like that because I still felt I’m one of the best in the world. I don’t blame them, because I was coming off a six-fight losing streak, but it wasn’t an easy pill to swallow – especially when you’ve spent most of your life as a fighter.”

Hunt, from New Zealand, made his UFC debut in September 2010, but was submitted by Sean McCorkle in just 63 seconds. It was Hunt’s sixth defeat in a row, and the nature of the finish indicated he could be one and done inside the octagon. But the UFC gave him one more chance, and Hunt hasn’t looked back.

He got his first UFC victory his next time out, and has four more since then. Now he’s in position to become a titleholder.

An injury to champion Cain Velasquez opened to door for Hunt to step in against Werdum. With less than four weeks to prepare, the circumstances aren’t ideal. But it’s not the first time Hunt has had the odds stacked against him.

“You have to just deal with the circumstances you’re given,” Hunt says. “That’s the case in life. I dealt with the circumstances I was given when the UFC didn’t want me and I turned a negative into a positive and moved on. I’m dealing with it in a positive way and I’m turning a bad situation into a good situation.”

Career peaks and valleys are commonplace, but Hunt’s rise to prominence is a unique one.

“He’s one of the greatest stories in sports,” says UFC President Dana White. “He had a losing record in PRIDE and we didn’t want to bring him into the UFC. He proved us wrong. He proved everybody who doubted him wrong.”

Hunt may be the only person who was convinced of his abilities from the beginning. If naysayers remain, Hunt says he’ll silence them at UFC 180.

“I shouldn’t even be here by these statistics on the book,” Hunt says. “I’m too old, too fat and I shouldn’t even be doing any of these things. From an unwanted fighter to fighting for a world title, here I am. I’m a little old fat hillbilly knocking on the door of the UFC world championship.”

For more on UFC 180, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.