Aussies flock to UFC 209 as Mark Hunt makes his Octagon return

THE big fella is back in action.

Any one, any where, any time.

Adopted Aussie Mark Hunt is making his long awaited return to the Octagon after a seven month absence following his defeat at the hands of drug cheat Brock Lesnar.

And he will be joined on the card at UFC 209 by fellow Aussies Daniel Kelly and Tyson Pedro to give the 12 fight card from Las Vegas a distinct Down Under tinge.

But, if you’re a dedicated UFC fan, Sunday’s massive fight night is all about Hunt and his much awaited return.

He will take on Alistair Overeem – a talented brute who, like Lesnar has been found guilty of doping offences.

There are serious undertones here, but Hunt says he hasn’t been distracted by the law suit he launched against the UFC last month.

In fact, it sheds the spotlight even further on the cause of the crusade against dopers in the sport, with Hunt suing the UFC after Lesnar’s positive test.

Put simply, Hunt hates drug users in the sport and the 42-year-old left his feelings in no uncertain terms when Lesnar was fined $250,000 by USADA and banned for just one year.

Hunt contends dopers should be rubbed out for life and his law suit against the UFC centres around the pay packet paid to Lesnar, which he believes should be his, after the fight was declared a no contest.

Lesnar received a then record $2.5 million for the fight and Hunt says his life was put at risk stepping into the ring with a fighter who was chemically enhanced.

“If a guy fails a drug test and the results are not provided you’re going in there blind, there’s nothing you can do to defend yourself,” Hunt said.

So we all know he hates Lesnar, but get a load about what Hunt had to say about Overeem and the fight in general in an interview with News.com.au.

“I was forced to do this fight because even if he’s cheating I’m still going sue him,” Hunt said.

“If he gets pinged for cheating after this fight, I’m suing his … a***, just like I’m suing that f***ing … monkey Brock Lesnar.

“It p***es me off that I have to compete with this guy.

“He’s cast as one of the best strikers in the world, he’s nothing but a filthy cheat, that’s all he’ll ever be.

“All those titles he’s ever won is because he’s stuck needles in his a*** and cheated.

“He’s a cheat and a coward just like Brock Lesnar.

“I don’t give a s*** about him, he’s just a piece of s***, a cheater.

“To me he does not matter, he’s just a dirty cheat.

“He’s cheated his way to get here.

“He’s not good at anything, he’s just another one of those cowards who’s scared to fight clean.

“I need to send a message out to all that are watching this sport and say you’re not allowed to f***ing cheat, we need to do something about these scumbags in our sport.

“There’s no legitimacy, it’s just f***ed.

“The only thoughts I have about Alistair Overeem and every other cheater is they’re worthless, cheating cowards.

“That’s all they are, that’s all they’ll ever be to me. They’re cowards and they ruin people’s lives. They’re taking away the legitimacy of this sport.

“We need to let everyone know about these guys, put them up and say, ‘This guy’s a cheater, he doesn’t deserve anything, get the f*** out of here’.

“Get rid of them, put some f***ing legitimacy and honour back in this sport.”

Sheesh! Get all that?

Anyway, Hunt is the outsider in this fight, at ($2.15), with Overeem the $1.70 pick to take it out with Sportsbet.com.au

It will be interesting to see how the two big strikers shape up. There won’t be any love between them after Hunt’s monstrous rant, that’s for sure.

Outside of Hunt, light heavy weight Pedro is a slight -117.65 favourite in a tight betting market against Scotsman Paul Craig who is $1.95, and the inspiring Dan Kelly is $2.86 in his bout with Rashad Evans, the hot favourite at $1.43.

Pedro is a mountain of a man with the strike power to match and we like him to continue his meteoric rise in the sport.

Kelly’s remarkable story took another turn when it was revealed his son was fighting a ferocious illness that would eventually claim his life. Kelly hammered Chris Camozzi at Rod Laver Arena last year and then dedicated the supreme – and bloody – performance to his son.

He will be up against it in this one, with Evans tipped to take it to him.

The main event sees 170 pound title holder Tyron Woodley ($2.26) up against Stephen Thompson ($1.64).

Woodley is No. in the welter weight rankings, but is not the favourite in this clash of two men who last fought out a draw at UFC 205.

It was only the fourth time in UFC history that a stalemate had been reached and that promises a very tight fight between two contrasting fighters.

Head to head odds for UFC 209

Tyron Woodley ($2.26) vs. Stephen Thompson ($1.64)
Khabib Nurmagomedov ($1.52) vs. Tony Ferguson ($2.52
Rashad Evans ($1.43) vs. Daniel Kelly ($2.86)
Lando Vannata ($1.38) vs. David Teymur ($3)
Alistair Overeem ($1.70) vs. Mark Hunt +115
Marcin Tybura ($1.69) vs. Luis Henrique ($2.14)
Mirsad Bektic ($1.16) vs. Darren Elkins ($5.10)
Iuri Alcantara ($1.90) vs. Luke Sanders ($1.90)
Mark Godbeer ($1.67) vs. Daniel Spitz ($2.18)
Tyson Pedro ($1.85) vs. Paul Craig ($1.95)
Amanda Cooper ($1.71) vs. Cynthia Calvillo ($2.14)
Albert Morales ($1.58) vs. Andre Soukhamthath ($2.39)

All odds provided by Sportsbet.com.au