Heavyweight star Mark Hunt has verbally agreed to return to the Octagon against Alistair Overeem at UFC 209 in Las Vegas on March 4th, but there’s still some red tape to get through before the fight is officially confirmed.
Hunt had been caught up in a feud with the UFC since his loss at UFC 200 after it emerged that his opponent Brock Lesnar had failed a post-fight drug test, leading to the fight being declared a no-contest.
Furious that he’s now had to fight three opponents over the past few years who have then been found guilty of using performance enhancing drugs afterwards, Hunt had been demanding that he get compensated straight from his competitors pocket.
With that in mind it’s somewhat surprising that Hunt has agreed to fight Overeem, as the Dutchman failed a drug test back in 2012, however there is a catch.
It appears that though Hunt has verbally agreed to the bout, he won’t be putting pen to paper until the UFC agrees to a clause that would see him get financial compensation if Overeem did end up failing a drug test.
“That deterrent will protect me and other fighters,” Hunt stated on his own website. “I’m pushing for this clause, I want to fight and I am ready. If the fight doesn’t go ahead it’s not my doing”
It remains to be seen if the UFC will accept that clause, but the 42 year-old is adamant he won’t compete without it.
“I will not fight without this clause. I’ve already fought 3 dopers in a row and I’m not going to fight again without security. All I want is a fair go and an even playing field.”
