Brock Lesnar made a resounding return in 2016 at UFC 200. The heavyweight fighter squared off against Mark Hunt at the event and emerged victorious. However, the result did not stand as it was later found that Lesnar fought under the influence of a banned substance. Bemused Hunt sued Brock Lesnar, UFC CEO Dana White, and the promotion, of fraud and racketeering, claiming that they knew that Lesnar was doping and still went ahead and conducted the fight because of financial gain.
Mark Hunt Still Pursuing Case Against Brock Lesnar, Dana White, and UFC
The initial lawsuit was scrapped, but it reopened in 2021 when an appeals court reversed its decision on the dismissal of battery, fraud and conspiracy claims. However, the court vindicated the parties, and the case was apparently closed.
It was found that Hunt failed to prove those involved knowingly misled him that Lesnar was using performance-enhancing drugs, despite previous awareness of the situation.
But, in an honest conversation with talkSPORT.com, Hunt, 51, revealed he is still very much pursuing the case.
"I haven't lost the case… of course, it's still going." he said.
"That's why I'm saying people don't understand or know what the case actually is.
"Today (May 14), it was denied in the [United States Court of Appeals for the] Ninth Circuit for rehearing.
"So, what that means, for me, is it goes to en banc, it goes higher, then after en banc, it goes to super en banc, after that it is the Supreme Court.
"There's a few different avenues, and what this case does is it means the statute needs to change... it needs to change these laws.
"I never consented to fighting a doping guy who's cheating. Never, not once, and then battery has already been affirmed."
It was his first UFC win in over six years, but Lesnar was fined £188,000 ($250,000) and suspended from the promotion for 12 months following the doping scandal.
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Fight Affected Mark Hunt
“My career, my earnings, it affected everything. I signed that contract to fight a normal person like me," Hunt added.
"I'm really strong for someone of my size, [when] I normally fight guys they know.
"Brock Lesnar was a different level of strength and it was hard to get [him down]. I mean, he threw me around like a little kid.
"I had no chance against someone with that strength. Like I said, the strength difference was [astounding]."