Hunt responds to critics who say he knew Lesnar was doping

UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt is currently suing the UFC over Brock Lesnar’s failed anti-doping test. However, some have questioned the likelihood of the fighter finding success in the courtroom, given that he said repeatedly that he knew Lesnar was doping. Hunt appeared recently on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour and responded to the critics.

Knowing and assuming are two different things, said Hunt, as transcribed by Marc Raimondi for MMA Fighting. I assume a lot of stuff. I mean, look at the guy. He comes from a pro-wrestling background. I didn’t actually know these things. I’ll always say, ‘Well, he looks like he’s cheating.’ Of course I’m gonna say it, because that’s the way I am.

I didn’t actually go and test him myself. Everyone says, ‘You knew.’ I didn’t actually know. Assuming someone is doping is different from knowing. That’s the difference here. I didn’t know. I assume everybody is on an even playing field up at the top until they get caught.

People say it’s about money, well it’s about grabbing a cheater’s money. It’s about taking the cheating out of the sport and making it even. It’s about an even playing field for me, at the end of the day.

Hunt’s attorney Christina Denning also appeared and said it didn’t matter if Hunt knew, and that part of what he was said was pre-fight trash talk anyway.

That doesn’t take away from the UFC’s obligation to ensure an even playing field in the sport and fair competition, said Denning. Having admitted that I’m not an expert in the UFC and the history of the sport, I’d imagine there’s a certain level of talking smack that goes on before the fights, right? the attorney said. That’s part of the whole thing, is being able to say, ‘I’m gonna kick your ass’ to your opponent.