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Ex-UFC heavyweight title challenger Mark Hunt claims that he was offered millions of dollars to throw a fight in Australia.

Appearing on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Hunt was discussing his highly publicized legal issues with his former employer when he casually revealed that a fight promoter had allegedly offered him a big bag to take a dive.

“I’ve always been one for saying if things aren’t right,” Hunt explained. “…You know, I was offered three or four million dollars to take a dive in a fight here in Australia. I said, ‘Are you serious?!’ I said ‘No’ because that’s just not me… although I could have done with the money… That’s just not my character, it’s not me. I’d rather just go out with my shield and lose or die. It’s not what I’m about.”

During his eight-year run with the UFC, Hunt featured on seven cards held in The Land Down Under. Since parting ways with the promotion, ‘The Super Samoan’ has competed in two boxing matches in Australia, the first coming against Paul Gallen in December 2020. Hunt won the six-round bout via decision. He followed that up with a fourth-round TKO upset against Sonny Bill Williams.

Mark Hunt Plans to Make BKFC Debut in 2024

Mark Hunt plans to stay active in 2024, revealing that he is currently in talks with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.

“I’m kind of keen on doing some bare-knuckle,” Hunt said. “I have been talking to the [BKFC] for a while ago, but we just didn’t lock down a deal. I’m keen on doing some bare-knuckle, I had a lot of messages with the champ, [Mick] Terrill, maybe we can throw our hands together somewhere.”

Hunt added that he has been in contact with BKFC founder Dave Feldman with hopes of putting a fight together for the summer.

“Dave has actually messaged me about – we’ve been speaking about a fight,” Hunt said. “Maybe in June we can sort something out, I’ll be ready to throw hands, and hopefully, I thought I’d take that [heavyweight] title in three fights fights, well, take it in one.”

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The UFC is back for the first time in 2024 as they return to the APEX for UFC Vegas 84, and a high-stakes main event in the light heavyweight division takes place between Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker as they compete for the second time.

Could a title shot against Alex Pereira be next for the winner of the scheduled five-round matchup?

MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck, Jed Meshew, and Eric Jackman preview Saturday’s card, the Anakalev vs. Walker headliner, and discuss what is at stake for both guys. Additionally, they’ll talk the co-main event between Manel Kape and Matheus Nicolau, Kape missing weight by 3.5 pound — which has now led to the bout being cancelled — the rest of the main card as a whole, Jim Miller’s road to UFC 300, the low-key banger of UFC Vegas 84, and much more.

Catch the UFC Vegas 84 preview show above. An audio-only version of the show can be found below and on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Additionally, a quick reaction to Kape vs. Nicolau being scrapped from the event can be heard below.

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After months of speculation, Michael Page has finally found a new home and will be competing under the UFC banner for the foreseeable future.

The former Bellator ace has been one of the hottest commodities outside of the UFC for several years. Creating huge moments inside the cage has become second nature to the Brit and he hopes to replicate that for his new promoters.

Michael Page recently sat down with Michael Bisping to discuss his new venture. The welterweight revealed why he decided to sign with the UFC over PFL. 

“To be fair, it was difficult. Obviously, PFL are really pushing hard and they looked like they were on to something quite big, it looks very well structured.”

“But for me, and I even had this conversation with them, in order to turn my head away from UFC, it would have to be a ridiculous offer.”

“We went back and forth and, you know, they wasn’t able to kind of get to that place… I wish them all the best but yeah, the UFC has kind of been in my heart since joining MMA.”

Speaking of his goals ahead of his debut in the UFC, ‘MVP’ set his sights on his fellow countryman Leon Edwards.

“I want to make as much noise as possible,” Page said. “I already know, the ‘MVP’ that everyone’s seen in Bellator, if I do even a quarter of the stuff in the UFC it just makes crazy noise and I know there’s more to my game.”

“I’m looking to go for the belt, there’s no point wasting time trying to grow. I want to get some exciting fights, go for the belt.”

Related: Leon Edwards reveals welterweight title defense set for UFC 300

“Imagine me and Leon Edwards, you know. Leon Edwards hopefully still has the belt and I think he will, he’s an exceptional fighter.

“I come in, create some big noise, get a few big knockouts under my belt, and then go for the belt. Imagine me and him in the UK, trying to fill out a stadium somewhere. I think we can make that happen.”

Despite setting plans into motion, Page isn’t looking past his forthcoming opponent. Revealing he’s a fan of his work, the flashy kickboxer can’t wait to step into the octagon for the first time against Kevin Holland at UFC 299 on March 9.

Check out his interview with Michael Bisping below.

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The UFC Vegas 84 co-main event between Manel Kape and Matheus Nicolau has been cancelled after Kape’s weight miss, officials from the UFC and Nevada Athletic Commission confirmed to MMA Fighting on Friday.

Kape was 3.5 pounds over the limit for a non-title flyweight fight, which is 126 pounds. The UFC official said it’s unclear at the moment whether the bout will be rescheduled to a later date.

Initially, MMA Fighting reported the bout would proceed as a catchweight fight with Kape forfeiting 25 percent of his purse to Nicolau. But instead, the bout has been cancelled.

Kape later revealed he was sick two weeks prior to the fight and claimed Nicolau refused to accept the catchweight bout.

Guys, I couldn’t make the weight this time, two weeks ago I was extremely sick due to a virus that happened here in Las Vegas, And I had to stay out of training for five days and filling myself with antibiotics,not only affected me but many of my training partners .

My coaches and my manager thought it was better for me to cancel the fight due to the state I was in. But I decided to move on and not cancel. My opponent didn’t accept to fight or accept my purse.

I would give him my entire purse if he wants to fight. But things are as they are, and i take all the responsibilities.

Last year I had five fights canceled one of them my opponent was 11 pounds above, even so I agreed to fight.

Thank you to all the [UFC Performance Institute] nutritionists who tried everything for me to make the weight. See you guys soon.

Nicolau wasn’t immediately reachable for comment.

Kape and Nicolau was a rematch from a March 2021 meeting at UFC Vegas 21, and Nicolau defeated Kape via split decision. Kape has now missed weight twice at the scale for a flyweight bout, coming in three pounds over the flyweight limit for a bout with Ode Osbourne in August 2021.

A lightweight bout between Jim Miller and Gabriel Benitez could be moved up to the co-main event spot to UFC Vegas 84’s headliner, a light heavyweight title rematch between Johnny Walker and Magomed Ankalaev. The event takes place at UFC APEX in Las Vegas and airs on ESPN+.

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