Legit heavyweight action.

Earlier this year, UFC Heavyweight Mark “Super Samoan” Hunt (13-11-1, 1 NC) was pulled from a contest against Marcin Tybura which was set to take place in his home nation of Australia. The pretenses offered by the UFC for the removal were concerns about Hunt’s health, as he had mentioned some symptoms of brain damage in personal interviews.

But Hunt as well as many fans, suspected that the withdrawal was actually punishment for the lawsuit Hunt is pursuing against the UFC. Last year at UFC 200 the UFC allowed Brock Lesnar to fight Hunt without following to proper testing protocol. Lesnar won a decision, and later was found to have failed a drug test for the bout.

In any event, Hunt has now been cleared by the doctors and will have an opportunity to compete in Perth Australia against 26 year old contender Curtis Blaydes at UFC 221 in February.

Blaydes (9-1) has won his last four fights, the most recent being a curious TKO victory over Alexey Oleinik. Blaydes landed an illegal knee and though Oleinik could not continue, the referee determined that the knee was not the cause of Oleinik’s incapacitation, and ruled Blaydes the victor. Blaydes is a former football player and high school wrestler. Like many wrestlers turned fighters, he primarily uses the skill to stay standing where he can damage his opponent with heavy hands. Almost all his victories have come by knockout.

Hunt has one of the highest pedigrees of striking at Heavyweight. As a former kickboxing champion he has a vast arsenal of strikes and an extremely subtle way of timing them. He is able to adapt as fights progress and has surprising endurance for a man of his build. Fans can expect and eye-catching striking battle between these two.

This is certainly a tall order for the young contender. Blaydes getting a win over Hunt would represent nothing less than his arrival at the top of the Heavyweight division.

UFC 221 will be headlined by a Middleweight title bout between now undisputed champion Robert Whittakerand challenger Luke Rockhold.

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