UFC: Hunt still wants to fight on

MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter Mark Hunt. Photo / Doug Sherring

Kiwi UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt has heard the criticism following his one-sided loss to Stipe Miocic at UFC Fight Night 65 in Adelaide last month but he is determined to fight on.

The 41-year-old could have put his name in the title mix with a victory over Miocic (13-2) but the Super Samoan was battered throughout the contest before the referee finally halted proceedings in the fifth frame to give Miocic a TKO victory.

Hunt (10-10-1) spoke to Australian podcast Submission Radio about the fight this week and said he still wanted to be on the scheduled UFC 193 card in Melbourne in November.

A botched weight cut - Hunt usually drops weight to make the UFC's heavyweight limit of 120.6kg for non-title bouts - meant Hunt was out of gas against Miocic from the early stages.

"A lot of people have said 'I think it's time to hang it up'. Well I don't think it's the same thing, because I love what I do and that was just a bad error I made. And you can't really make these errors, especially when you're fighting at the top, because they'll fix you up, just like I got fixed up," Hunt said.

"Of course I'd love to fight on the Melbourne card. I don't have anybody in mind. I don't deserve the headliner because I got beaten down and stuff.

"I feel like I should be on the card somewhere, and I'll be looking to come back stronger than ever and I'll be getting ready to battle."

The UFC's heavyweight division has been rejuvenated following Fabricio Werdum's upset victory to claim the title from Cain Velasquez (13-2) at UFC 188 in Mexico last weekend. Werdum (20-5-1) beat Hunt last year in a bout for the vacant interim belt.

Hunt, who is billed at seventh in the media-generated UFC rankings, has a handful of options for a potential opponent in Melbourne with the likes of Alistair Overeem (39-14, 1 NC) or Travis Browne (17-3-1) looming.

Meanwhile, Kiwi women's MMA fighter Faith Van Duin (5-1) will challenge Cristiane 'Cyborg' Justino for the Invicta FC featherweight title in Las Vegas on Friday, July 10 (NZT).

Van Duin, a 28-year-old from Papamoa, made her Invicta FC debut in April when she submitted Amanda Bell (3-3) and immediately called for a shot at Justino who is widely regarded as one of the best female fighters in the world.

The Kiwi will start as an underdog in the bout but she has enjoyed a lengthy preparation and recently starting working with the experienced Dylan Andrews.

Andrews, who has moved to Tauranga to take up a role as the MMA, boxing and fitness head coach at the city-based Martial Arts Academy, was released from his UFC contract two weeks ago.

The 35-year-old (17-7, 1 NC) lost three straight fights in the UFC, which can often bring an end to a fighter's time in the world's biggest MMA promotion.

His most recent bout saw him lose via second-round submission to England's Brad Scott (10-3) at UFC Fight Night 65 in Adelaide.

Formerly based on the Gold Coast, Andrews was a contestant on the 17th season of the UFC's reality TV show 'The Ultimate Fighter' where he made the semifinals.

His shift to Tauranga will allow him to work with young people, something which he had long wanted to do after his troubled upbringing in Lower Hutt.

If Andrews wanted to fight again, he may have to look at smaller international promotions such as Bellator or World Series of Fighting, which is operated by Kiwi Ray Sefo.

Also, Auckland featherweight Dan Hooker (12-5), who registered an impressive knockout victory over Hatsu Hioki (27-9-2) at the Adelaide UFC event last month, is on the lookout for a new gym after leaving the Saigon Sports Club in Vietnam.

Hooker's highlight-reel head kick, which he followed up with punches to finish Hioki, earned 'Knockout of the Month' honours from prominent US media outlet MMAjunkie recently.