Hunt: Only problem is making weight

Mark Hunt finished up in Pride on an 0-2 losing streak. Then he moved on to DREAM and K-1, and was 0-5. Then in a contract left over from the purchase of Pride, the UFC was obligated to offer him a contract. He lost again, to Sean McCorkle. Now it was 2010, and Hunt on six-fight losing streak, was 36 years old, and had been fighting since the late 90s.

It was high time to retire.

But something happened.

Hunt beat Chris Tuchscherer by KO. Then he decisioned Ben Rothwell. KOed Cheick Kongo. Broke Stefan Struve’s jaw.

Next dos Santos took him out late in the third. But he returned with a draw vs. Bigfoot in one of the greatest fights in the sport’s history. That fight result was later turned to a No Contest after Silva failed a PED test. Then he knocked out Roy Nelson.

So immediately after losing six in a row, Hunt went the next six with just a single loss. And when Cain Velasquez got hurt, Hunt was offered a fight vs. Fabricio Werdum of the Interim UFC heavyweight championship, just three weeks away.

Hunt immediately took the fight. His sole worry was his weight. When the call came, Hunt weight 302 lbs, 37 over the 265 division limit.

Ariel Helwani asked Hunt if he hesitated in saying yes.

“Don’t think I did,” said Hunt. “Only challenge is making weight.”

This is not uncommon ground for Hunt.

Hunt began camp for his fight vs. Nelson at 340. On the day before weigh ins, he was still at 284. But he successfully dropped 20 pounds, weighing in Friday at 264.

So Hunt is going to make weight. And if he wins, it will be the greatest comeback story in the history of the sport.