Majority Of Mark Hunt’s Lawsuit Against UFC Dismissed
Most of longtime UFC heavyweight veteran Mark Hunt’s lawsuit against the UFC has been dismissed by a Nevada judge.
U.S. District Court judge Jennifer Dorsey tossed out most of Hunt’s claims yesterday (Thurs., February 14, 2019) in a filing. The sole complaint remaining is a “breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fear dealing” against the UFC. Originally, Hunt was suing the UFC, President Dana White, and UFC 200 opponent Brock Lesnar.
Here’s what Dorsey had to say about tossing out Hunt’s claims against Lesnar (via MMA Fighting):
“Like that intentional throw, the fact that Lesnar was allegedly doping violated the bout rules established by UFC and the NAC but does not alone establish that his conduct exceeded the ordinary range of activity in an MMA fight.
“As Hunt’s own allegations demonstrate, doping is an unfortunately common issue in MMA and was a risk he perceived. And although he argues that doping empowered Lesnar to move faster and hit harder, Hunt doesn’t allege that Lesnar’s conduct during the bout was somehow atypical—such as throwing Hunt out of the octagon or using ‘packed gloves’ or a weapon.
“Nor does Hunt claim that his injuries exceeded those typical of an MMA bout. Accordingly, I find that Hunt consented to his fight with Lesnar, which precludes civil-battery liability.”
Originally, Lesnar defeated Hunt via unanimous decision in the UFC 200 co-main event. However, it was later overturned to a no contest after “The Beast” tested positive for banned substances. He has since served a suspension and is eligible to fight again when he’s ready to return. It’s believed a UFC heavyweight title fight against Daniel Cormier is what’s next for Lesnar.
