Mark Hunt may have agreed to a fight with Alistair Overeem at UFC 209 on March 4th, but it seems that he’s still at loggerheads with the promotion as it’s now emerged that he’s filed a lawsuit against his employer in addition to Dana White and Brock Lesnar.
The civil suit was filed on Tuesday and includes a number of allegations including racketeering, fraud, breach of contract, breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing, negligence, and unjust enrichment.
The main thrust of Hunt’s issue with the promotion is his belief that UFC officials have shown a pattern of jeopardizing fighters well being by knowingly having ‘clean’ fighters compete against others who are using Performance Enhancing Drugs, noting that his last three opponents have all been caught for PED’s.
Hunt’s lawsuit homes in on his last opponent, Brock Lesnar, in particular, noting that, “Without HUNT’s knowledge or consent, the UFC conspired and caused LESNAR, a doping fighter, to fight HUNT, a clean fighter, despite the fact that LESNAR used substances banned by the UFC, USADA and WADA. The substances, Clomiphene and 4-Hydroxyclomiphene, are known ‘Post Cycle Therapy’ (‘PCT’) substances believed to be used after a period of strength training with anabolic steroids or similar prohibited substances.”
Hunt hopes that by going to court the UFC will be forced to change their ways.
“I want the UFC to understand it’s not okay to keep doing what they’re doing,” Hunt told ESPN.com. “They’re allowing guys to do this. They had a chance to take all the money from this guy, because he’s a cheater, and they didn’t.
“What message is that sending to the boys and girls who want to be a fighter someday? The message is, ‘You just have to cheat like this and it’s okay.’ In society, if you commit a crime, you pay. Why is it different in MMA? It’s hurt the business, so it’s even worse. They need to be held accountable for this.”
Hunt is seeking compensatory damages, declaratory relief, punitive damages, statutory treble damages and attorneys fees, but it’s likely that the UFC will now attempt to dismiss the charges set against them.
