9 Things WWE Fans Need To Know About Lesnar's UFC 200 Opponent Mark Hunt

8. Hunt Is A Celebrated Kickboxing Champion

mark hunt ufc 160
Julie Jacobson/AP

As entertaining as Hunt’s MMA career has been, he’s just as well-known for his exploits as a professional kickboxer. Entering the sport in 1999 through a number of regional promotions, Hunt soon graduated to the industry-leading K-1 organisation as part of its annual Grand Prix knockout tournament.

Hunt locked horns with genuine kickboxing legends in Mirko “Cro-Cop” Filipovic, Ernesto Hoost, and Ray Sefo throughout his K-1 tenure. His kickboxing career peaked in 2001 as he became K-1’s 2001 World Grand Prix Champion with a stoppage victory over rising Brazilian fighter Francisco Filho, and left the sport to concentrate on MMA in 2003.

Amassing a credible 30-13 record and leaving behind some knockdown brawls with some of the sport’s best, Hunt left kickboxing with plenty to be proud of.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.