Round 6: UFC president Dana White wants Mark Hunt to keep fighting

DANA White says Mark Hunt can stay with the UFC for as long as he wants, saying “Until the day that guy doesn’t want to throw a punch anymore, he’s with me”.

Mark Hunt can stay in the UFC for as long as he wants.

DANA White has given Sydney heavyweight Mark Hunt permission to stay in the UFC for as long as he wants, revealing: “Until the day that guy doesn’t want to throw a punch anymore, he’s with me”.

Speaking with Round 6, White revealed he had initially planned to retire the 42-year-old slugger after his most recent contract expired in early 2016.

Yet instead of departing the company, Hunt has instead re-signed for a further six bouts while also being catapulted into the most hyped fight of his storied career — challenging American megastar Brock Lesnar at UFC 200 on July 9.

Asked if he expected the company’s second oldest athlete to see out his new deal, UFC president White said: “Listen, until the day that guy doesn’t want to throw a punch anymore, he’s with me.

“I love Mark Hunt.

“And I’ve told him that. When we were talking through his latest contract I said, ‘Mark I love ya and I want you to end your career with me. I want you to be here for the rest of your career’.”

Hunt has been a crowd favourite since his return to the UFC.

Back in March, White revealed to this column how he once offered Hunt $400,000 to quit the company. That offer, after acquiring Pride back in 2010, came with the western Sydney ratepayer on a horror losing streak stretching four years and five fights.

Since then, however, the Auckland-born heavyweight has dropped only three of 11 bouts — one of which was an 11th hour world title fight against Fabricio Werdum.

But as for age having no bearing on his future?

“I used to think it did,’’ White continues. “But when you look at what he’s accomplished between our last deal and this one ... no, age is not a factor with Mark Hunt.”

As part of his build up to UFC 200, Hunt is bringing a large contingent of family with him to Las Vegas for Fight Week. Quizzed on the ‘extras’ of his new contract, White laughed: “Let’s just say all the extras Mark wants prove how much I really want him to retire with me.

“He’s definitely a special individual when it comes to doing a deal. But I love the f ... ing guy and was willing to do whatever it took.

“I love his style, I love his toughness and I really love his f ... ing walk off knockouts. I love everything about him.”

COWBOY BACKS HUNTO

COWBOY Cerrone has outed himself as a Mark Hunt fan.

But as for a prediction for UFC 200?

“Well, Brock Lesnar, being the wrestler he is, knows his only option is to take Mark down,’’ Cerrone told Round 6. “Win via ground and pound.

“But ‘ol Hunty, he just goes out there to knock mother...ers heads off. And I like that.”

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MACDONALD NOT HAPPY WITH CHATTER

EVEN among fighters, Rory MacDonald is a rare breed — and that’s something he’s fiercely proud of.

“I’ve been in it since I was 16 years old professionally and I’ve taken it deathly serious since that age.

“I took myself very serious at that age, even if looking back its kind of funny watching myself and how serious I took myself but that made me who I am today, it gave me an outlook about sport that is unique to some of the newer age fighters coming up compared to me.

“I feel like I still have that old school spirit about the fight game.”

In a world where self promotion and drumming up rivalries — be they real or imagined — have become a key part of combat sports, MacDonald says he yearns for simplicity.

The Canadian welterweight makes his return to the UFC this weekend after almost a year on the sidelines following his epic title loss to Robbie Lawler last July.

He’ll face Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson in what shapes as an instant classic, but the build up has been decidedly respectful.

The two have trained together in the past and MacDonald admits he’d prefer it if the pre-fight antics that have become common place in MMA were to vanish.

“Its tarnished a little bit with all the glitz and glamour of all the media attention that the UFC gets now.

“I think a lot of the fighters nowadays are more focused on that stuff and their followers on social media than they are about the actual combat and that’s where I’ll always stay true.

“I enjoy the actual fight game, not all the little things that come with it.

“There’s more excitement when you have a guy like Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz talking than they are fighting nowadays.

“Its crazy how much the sport has turned to promotion compared to the actual, physical event. I wish it wouldn’t be like that, I wish there were more true martial arts fans out there but its just not the case.

“The everyday people, they’re more into the show, the WWE experience.”

Originally published as Round 6: UFC president Dana White wants Mark Hunt to keep fighting