Dana White: Mark Hunt will not be the replacement for Alistair Overeem – UFC News
Mark Hunt has been eager to fight Junior Dos Santos for the UFC Heavyweight title but President of UFC Dana White has put a stop to his wish list. In his recent interview, when asked if Mark Hunt can be the replacement for Alistair Overeem, Dana White brushed
aside the notion saying it is not going to happen.
White said, “They can keep rallying. That ain't going to happen. Listen, Mark Hunt is going to have to fight one of the top guys. You don't just jump right into the title shot. I have apologized and praised Mark Hunt for what he's been able to accomplish
in the situation that he was in. But first of all, I've got to say, anything can happen in a fight, but in all reality, it's not fair to Mark Hunt either to put the guy right in there with a Junior Dos Santos for a title shot. The guy (ideally) works his way
up, he beats Struve, fights somebody in the top-five.”
Mark Hunt has become a popular choice among UFC fans to replace Overeem, if the latter is unable to get clearance for the fight. However, White thinks that fans just want to see someone who has been down for a long time to fight on the top spot but it is
not fair to others. He further said that everyone has hard times in their lives but that does not mean you jump to the top spot with sympathy. He added that people just want to see the underdog going to the top but that does not happen in the real world. According
to him, Hunt needs to pave his way to success instead of asking around for sympathy.
White promised that if Mark Hunt is able to beat Struve in his upcoming bout then he surely would get a shot at the top-5 contenders for the title.
For now, nothing is sure yet as to who will replace Overeem if he is unable to pass the hearing by Nevada State Athletic Commission. If Overeem is dropped, White will have to find a suitable opponent for Don Santos.
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