UFC 144: Mark Hunt Says "The Next Step Is to Kick the Next Guy's Teeth In"

When Mark Hunt takes on Cheick Kongo at UFC 144 in February, it will be the first time that the heavyweight contender has showcased his skills before a Japanese audience since May of 2009.

Even though it’s been a few years since Hunt has fought in Asia, he is by no means a stranger to that environment.

Competing in both kickboxing and mixed martial arts—against the highest level of competition in both sports—Hunt has contested nearly two dozen matches in The Land of the Rising Sun over the course of the past 12 years.

As a professional kickboxer, Hunt fought a who’s who of the sport in Japan and won the K-1 World Grand Prix final in 2001.

In the world of mixed martial arts, Hunt claimed victories over Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Wanderlei Silva and even fought Fedor Emelianenko for his Pride FC heavyweight championship in late 2006.

Although he is admittedly excited to make his return to the country in which he first rose to prominence—“I love Japan and am so looking forward to fight(ing) there,” Hunt, 37, recently explained to Bleacher Report—when he returns to the cage, it is to be business as usual.

“Like every fight, I am going to put my opponent to sleep—we will just see how it pans out,” Hunt offered.

Even though Hunt claimed his return to Japan will just be another business trip, he still intends on making another statement—and, ideally, picking up his third consecutive victory—in his match against Kongo.

“No one on this planet wants to play patty-cake with me,” Hunt explained. “Every fight is like my last, so I will fight them like they are my last.”

Looking past Hunt’s forthcoming return to the Octagon, the former Pride FC heavyweight contender has some relatively simple plans for the future.

“The next step is to kick the next guy’s teeth in.”