The UFC’s upcoming event in New Zealand looks to have secured for itself a supersized main event.
Mark Hunt, a native of the New Zealand, is set to meet heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis in the evening’s featured bout for the event to take place in the Vector Arena in Auckland in New Zealand’s north island on June 11th. News of the bout was reported by MMAJunkie.
Hunt and Lewis have experienced contrasting fortunes lately. Hunt, still embroiled in a legal saga with the UFC following repercussions of Brock Lesnar’s failed drug test following their bout at UFC 200 last summer, was knocked out cold by Alistair Overeem in his last bout earlier this month. Hunt, now 42 years old, last saw victory in the octagon a year ago yesterday when he secured his trademark walk-off knockout against former heavyweight champion Frank Mir.
Derrick Lewis, on the other hand, is considered to be one of the rising stars in the UFC’s heavyweight frame. ‘The Black Beast’ is on a six-fight winning streak, with his most recent win over Travis Browne — a fight he own via second round knockout — separating Lewis from the field of contenders in the heavyweight division. Another win, you suspect, would at the very least guarantee Lewis a title eliminator bout in one of the sport’s toughest divisions.
No further bouts have yet been announced for the UFC’s New Zealand show but you can perhaps expect Australian fighters Robert Whittaker and Daniel Kelly to be involved in some capacity.