Change kept Mark in the Hunt

Mark Hunt (left) has always been a great puncher, as he showed in his win over Antonio Silva. Photo / Getty Images

Cheick Kongo and the rest of the UFC's heavyweight division probably never saw it coming. Back in 2011, when Mark Hunt was 7-7 in his MMA career, he had just laboured to a decision victory over Ben Rothwell in Denver and was still viewed as merely a big puncher who could be easily submitted.

The perceptions were fair, too. Six of Hunt's first seven losses in MMA came via submission as he struggled with the transition to the sport following his championship stint as a kickboxer.

Hunt's long-time trainer Steve Oliver knew something needed to change if Hunt was going to stick around in the UFC. They tried to push him out of his contract following their takeover of the Japanese-based Pride promotion a few years earlier.

Oliver went about expanding Hunt's training team and recruited Alex Flint to work on Hunt's fitness, and skills coach Lolo Heimuli.

Hunt also decided to leave his wife and kids at home in Sydney while training in Auckland.

"That dynamic of him coming to New Zealand has really worked for him," Oliver says. "He's away from home, doesn't have to deal with the kids or the family stress ... I think that's been a real turning point."

The results have been evident, too. Hunt knocked out Kongo in the first round of their bout at UFC 144 in Japan in early 2012. Following the win over the Frenchman, Hunt has collected US$50,000 fight-night bonuses for his entertaining approach from his past four bouts with two wins, a loss and a draw.

His striking has never been in question but he also developed great takedown defence, statistically the second-best among all UFC heavyweights. Hunt (10-8-1) will rarely look to engage in a ground battle. He is drilled to circle out of the takedown and bring the fight back to a stand-up contest where his heavy hands can be unleashed.

He hopes to do that today when he meets Fabricio Werdum (18-5-1) for the interim heavyweight title at UFC 180 in Mexico City. Hunt took the fight after heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, who was born in the US but has strong Mexican roots, pulled out through injury. More than 20,000 tickets were sold for the original fight but the Mexico City Arena will still be full.

Having a larger coaching team has allowed Hunt to gain a better understanding of how he approaches an MMA bout. When he was mired in his six-fight losing streak from 2006-10, he couldn't calculate whether he should try to beat wrestlers at their own game or just defend and escape from their clutches. It was at this time he met Oliver via a mutual friend in 2003.

"He was about a 150kg monster who was the best striker in the world," Oliver recalls. "I looked around thinking, 'who is going to show this guy what it's all about?' It looked like it was up to me, so we went at it."

The improvement has been gradual and Hunt has climbed to No 4 in the UFC heavyweight rankings. A title fight against Velasquez is only one swiftly-timed punch away. Similarly, a move backwards can happen in an instant. It's an uncertain game and it's often been difficult for those around Hunt but it's a combination that seems to work.

"I think that's why it works so well, because there are no egos," Flint says. "Everyone is completely accepting of everyone's specialty."

Flint might have the hardest job in MMA. He has to ensure Hunt stands on the scales under the UFC's heavyweight limit of 120.6kg before each fight.

Hunt is a man of extremes when it comes to his diet and, when he slips out of fight mode, his weight can balloon at an alarming rate. He arrived in Auckland for his training camp ahead of his bout with Roy Nelson earlier this year at 153kg before Flint stripped him down.

"It's disgusting what I'm putting in my body," Hunt said. "No carbs at all. I'm basically working on fresh air.

"When I retire, I'm going to release a book: How Mark Hunt Lost 21kg in Three-and-a-Half Weeks, and it's going to make me a lot of money."

Hunt is also tough to pin down to a schedule but his camp have learned to accommodate his personality during their time together.

"He's challenging, that's for sure," Oliver says. "He doesn't make it easy on himself or us but it is what it is and we get over the line each time."

Heimuli studies hours of film to ensure Hunt is put through the right drills during a training camp.

"Mark is one of those smart guys who sees things and adapts and changes game plans while the fight is going on. A lot of fighters rely on what their corner tells them."

When it all comes down to it, though, Hunt knows what he wants. "I want to knock this guy's face off," he declared.

The feeling is mutual.

Daniel Richardson travelled to Mexico courtesy of Sky Arena and the UFC.