After the UFC purchased rival Pride FC in 2007, it also acquired the contracts of the organizations top fighters including Mark Hunt. At that time, Hunt had lost his last five consecutive fights and the UFC actually offered him a cash settlement of $450,000 to walk away from his contract. Hunt turned the offer down, instead opting to transition to the UFC. He recently explained that decision to MMAJunkie:

“It’s not about money. Fighting for me is not about money, any more. I started because I was a broke ass fool, but it wasn’t about the money now. It’s about achieving my goals and dreams and trying to be the best fighter on the planet again, in a different sport. That’s basically what it is, it’s just…I don’t really are about money anymore. In the end, we’re all going to be dying without anything, so who gives a rat’s about how much money you got in the bank…”

source: mmajunkie.com

Hunt made his debut at UFC 199, losing by submission to Sean McCorkle, but would then go on a tear, defeating his next four opponents. After a loss to Junior Dos Santos, draw with Antonio Silva, and win over Roy Nelson, Hunt was granted a world title fight.

Although he would lose that title fight, by TKO to champion Fabricio Werdum, and his next fight as well, Hunt rebounded with a win over Antonio Silva and most recently a knockout of Frank Mir. Hunt is currently 7-4-1 in the UFC Octagon and has proved to be one of the division’s best fighters.

Although $450,000 may have been enough for some fighters to walk away, Hunt wanted to prove he could hang with the best heavyweights in the planet. The UFC was the only place he could do that. And with over $275,000 in bonus money alone, plus his fight purses he was most definitely earned more than the amount he could have walked away.