Mark Hunt is coming off a dominant second-round knockout over Roy Nelson at UFC Fight Night Japan this past weekend. The win catapaulted Hunt into the top 5 of the UFC’s heavyweight rankings.
After the bout, Hunt stated that he would like to fight on the UFC’s card in Sydney Australia in November, but with many of his fellow top ranked heavyweights tied up in other bouts, there was some uncertainty as to who Hunt could face.
The Super Samoan joined Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour to discuss his desire to fight Josh Barnett again.
“I was thinking, Josh Barnett, he’s one above me at number five, maybe Dana can put me and him on that show, on Sydney,”
“I love rematches. I’ve never lost a rematch, Josh Barnett, me and you my friend, we’ve got a date. He’s No. 5 in the world, I want to fight guys in the top 10. I’d like to fight and get close to that title shot, That’s all I’m interested in my whole purposes is to fight for the world title. He’s one above me, so why don’t you put him and me together.”
“Of course I think I’m on the cusp of getting a title shot, I just need a top five guy. I had the shot last time against JDS and he knocked me out. I’m got back there again, I just need one more fight, a top-five guy, I really feel I’m close to a title shot. Maybe a top five guy, or a JDS rematch, or a Barnett, Someone top five and then if I can win, I can get a title shot.”
In 2006, when Hunt and Barnett first fought, Barnett defeated Hunt in the quarterfinals of the PRIDE Open Weight GP.
With Josh Barnett refusing to commit to when he wants to return to the UFC after winning the Metamoris heavyweight championship, do you think this fight will happen?