UFC Fight Night 65 Results: 3 Fights for Mark Hunt to Take Next
One should probably be careful about declaring that Mark Hunt's best days are behind him, but perhaps it's finally true. His one-sided loss to Stipe Miocic at UFC Fight Night 65 on Saturday was sobering for those of us still high on the Hunto-laced Kool-Aid.
Most expected Miocic to win, of course. What we didn't expect was for him to bully and batter his foe like a high school freshman for 23 minutes. The only things the 32-year-old didn't do were give Hunt a wedgie and then stuff him in a locker.
But in all fairness, Miocic is arguably second only to Cain Velasquez in terms nightmarish matchups for the Super Samoan. The combination of crisp striking and potent wrestling is exhausting to deal with at the best of times, but especially when you're a heavyweight suffering the effects of a rough weight cut.
It's easy to forget that Hunt actually looked terrific against Fabricio Werdum in his previous fight in November. Prior to getting knocked out, he was on course to capture the interim UFC heavyweight title. So, as silly as this sounds in light of his age, perhaps we should give the 41-year-old Hunt the benefit of the doubt for this one.
Without further delay, let's take a look at which fighters might be in Hunt's immediate future.
Josh Barnett
1 of 3
The former UFC heavyweight champion's MMA future is currently up in the air. Josh Barnett hasn't competed since losing to Travis Browne in December 2013.
Since that time, The Warmaster has been busy impressing us with his submission prowess, tapping out defensive wizards like Dean Lister and Ryron Gracie.
Based on the noises Barnett has been making, however, it seems likely that we'll see him inside the cage again. If and when he chooses to return, Hunt would be an ideal opponent to establish divisional relevance.
The pair fought almost a decade ago in Pride. On that occasion, Barnett won the fight via kimura in rapid fashion, but Hunt's overall game has improved beyond measure since that time.
Alistair Overeem
2 of 3
To say that Alistair Overeem has been inconsistent since coming to the UFC is a monumental understatement. However, the former Strikeforce heavyweight king has won his last couple of fights and looks to be in good form.
His most recent win over Roy Nelson in March highlighted a more cautious approach, in which he wisely protected his fragile chin. The Dutchman has been calling out Junior dos Santos recently, but if that fight doesn't come off, a meeting with Hunt would be an ideal backup plan.
Stylistically, the matchup is interesting. Both men excel on the feet, but one would expect Overeem to hold the technical advantage. Overeem's waning punch resistance evens things out somewhat, though. One punch is all it would take for the Super Samoan to end the Dutchman's night.
Andrei Arlovski
3 of 3
Andrei Arlovski is scheduled to face Travis Browne at UFC 187 later this month. In truth, whoever loses that fight would likely be in a position to face Hunt. However, Arlovski is a significant underdog, so let's play the percentages.
Arlovski, just like Hunt, is a veteran of the sport. Both have been written off at one time or another. In The Pit Bull's case, his inability to take punishment led to calls for retirement—especially after his loss to Sergei Kharitonov in 2011.
Since then, the former UFC heavyweight champion has won eight of his last 10 fights, looking particularly impressive last time out against Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in September.
Should he face Hunt, it would again be a matchup to establish divisional relevance. Indeed, career relevance may even be on the line. Both men are at the tail end of their careers, so the stakes would be high in this one.
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