Mark Hunt arrested on domestic violence-related charge – What We Know So Far
Former UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt was arrested in northern New South Wales this week and charged with stalking or intimidation with intent to cause physical harm, according to reports citing police and court proceedings. The case has quickly become a major MMA news item because Hunt remains one of the best-known heavyweight names from Oceania, and it arrives a year after the final collapse of his long-running legal fight tied to Brock Lesnar and the UFC.
Former UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt arrested on domestic violence-related charge
Early reporting from ESPN said Mark Hunt was refused bail ahead of a court appearance on Wednesday. A separate report from the Times of India, citing court proceedings, said bail was later granted under strict conditions after the initial refusal. That report said Hunt was ordered to remain at his home in Cobbitty in south-west Sydney and have no contact with the complainant. His next court date is listed as April 30 at Ballina Local Court.
The report said police alleged Hunt threatened a woman known to him during an incident at a residential property while she was helping him with a task. Prosecutors also referenced an alleged message said to contain a threat to the woman’s life, though the same report noted Hunt’s legal team denied he sent that message and that no separate charge had been filed over it. The defence also argued that Hunt’s background as a former fighter should not be treated as proof of violent conduct in his private life.
Hunt’s name still carries weight in MMA. He fought in the UFC from 2010 to 2018 over an 18-fight stretch, headlined five UFC events, and challenged Fabricio Werdum for the interim heavyweight title at UFC 180. UFC’s event record confirms that Werdum stopped Hunt in the UFC 180 interim title fight in November 2014. Additionally, he fought in PRIDE FC and K-1.
Outside the cage, Hunt spent years in litigation over his UFC 200 loss to Brock Lesnar. In 2017 that Hunt sued the UFC, Dana White and Lesnar, alleging fraud, racketeering and related wrongdoing after Lesnar failed drug tests linked to their 2016 bout. The result of that fight was later changed to a no contest after Lesnar’s positive tests.
