Mark Hunt has done just about anything and everything you can think of in the world of mixed martial arts, dominating his weight class in the UFC or his time fighting at that promotion and earning the title of legitimate superstar as well as everything this entails in the ever popular and growing sport.
Having just concluded his contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) circuit, however, Hunt now feels that it is his duty and responsibility to call out individuals in the organization that made him famous and created his fortune – and he isn’t pulling any punches.
After sitting down for a long conversation with the folks over at MMA UK, Hunt minced absolutely no words when he called the UFC a morally bankrupt organization that promoted steroid abuse and cheaters.
More than that, Hunt went on to say that there was one specific individual at the UFC responsible for the majority of the “rot” – UFC Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance, Mr. Jeff Novitsky.
This is a pretty salacious allegation, especially considering the fact that before Novitsky had come over to the UFC he was a federal government agent with the United States responsible for tracking down drug smugglers, particularly those that were bringing in anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.
In fact, as part of his work with the IRS and the FDA, Novitsky had earned a reputation as an anti-doping drug crusader and the man most responsible for bringing down celebrity athletes like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and even Lance Armstrong.
To say that this is the same man responsible for promoting a performance-enhancing drug culture, rampant cheating, and the abuse of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs is a pretty big allegation.
At the same time, Hunt is serious in his convictions and not at all shy about backing up what he has to say with plenty of proof.
He starts off by telling MMA UK that he expected Novitsky would work to crack down on the admittedly rampant steroid use and abuse in the UFC. Instead, however, Hunt found Novitsky to be the number one apologist for athletes that were caught red handed abusing steroids and was almost always the first person out front asking for them to be forgiven rather than for them to be punished.
Hunt points to the almost unbelievably close relationship that an individual like Novitsky could or would have with UFC superstar Jon Jones. Jon Jones has been caught doping so many times that most people have lost track, but it was Novitsky that was out front looking to minimize the kinds of violations that Jones would end up being suspended for. Novitsky seemed to work double overtime to find a way to bend the rules for Jones, helping him to continue to fight and compete even when other athletes new that he was dirty.
It was also Novitsky that worked so hard to guarantee that Brock Lesnar was able to fight against Hunt without having to submit to any performance-enhancing drug testing whatsoever. Hunt was understandably outraged at this turn of events, especially since he was going to have to enter the ring after going through a rigorous anti-doping policy while his opponent was able to do anything and everything they wanted to and wouldn’t ever have an opportunity to be caught.
Hunt feels vindicated in that both Jones and Lesnar have since been caught a number of times abusing in about steroids and other banned substances. At the same time, Hunt isn’t shy about labeling Novitsky a sellout. After all, this is the same man that went so hard after Barry Bonds and Lance Armstrong but is allowing his own sport to be overtaken by dopers and cheaters – and even worse, seems to be facilitating this kind of takeover.
