Mark Hunt has released a statement following his arrest on April 15 for a domestic violence charge.
This past Wednesday, it was reported that Hunt, 52, was arrested in Sydney, Australia, and subsequently released on bail after being charged with one count of stalking or intimidation with intent to cause physical harm. Hunt also allegedly sent a death threat to the woman in question via text, writing, “I’m just going to murder you in the end anyway.”
On Friday, Hunt addressed the allegations, acknowledging there was a conflict with his partner, but insisting there has never been any physical violence in their relationship.
“I want to speak on this domestic violence shit that they put on me,” Hunt said in a video posted to his social media accounts. “It’s kind of sad because the situation was clearly no violence. I mean, we got into a heated argument over filing the lawsuit that we’re doing, like the other times we’ve argued about it. We argue about it, we go away, we come back and sort out and fix it and carry on. Every couple argues, everyone has the same issues, but you shouldn’t record or take a record of your partner when they’re angry.
“It’s frustration, of course it’s frustration. So long as that person doesn’t touch you or put a finger on you and that’s what happened here. Not a person was hurt. I didn’t lay a hand on anybody. I just got frustrated, we got into a heated argument and I left. I drove off and when I saw the cops come in the cameras, I came back to sort it out, then I get put in jail for domestic violence.”
It should be noted Hunt was not accused of causing physical harm in his initial court appearance. The former UFC heavyweight is accused of becoming aggressive with the alleged victim while the two were working on a task together. He allegedly behaved in an “intimidating and berating matter,” inflicting fear and distress on his partner. Police were contacted shortly after and according to Hunt’s account, he left home following the argument and was arrested when he returned.
Hunt understands the accusation being levied against him, but is upset that the situation escalated to this point and doesn’t believe his and his partner’s disputes should be recorded or documented.
“What’s sad about the situation is the way I see that, even the law is clear, it says it’s how you made them feel,” Hunt said. “I get that, I understand that, but that means that when you get a domestic violence order put on you, there’s no point in having that relationship because that person can hang that over your head and even when you’re having an argument about something, they just pull that out straight away and say you’re going to jail. So that means you’re like a prisoner to them, from then on, when they’ve got the DV order in because end of the day there’s no point in having that relationship anymore.
“Like I said, when you’re in a partnership, of course people argue. Everyone argues. The thing about that is everyone talks about it and goes back together and fixes it. That’s what a partnership is. Yeah, people have made mistakes, I’ve made a lot of mistakes. No one’s perfect. No one’s Jesus. What’s sad about here is not many people take a record or make a record of what’s happened. That’s why I feel kind of sad about it. A lot of these texts are being used retroactively, they’re trying to use them retroactively. They weren’t even part of what happened here a couple of days ago. They’re just being brought up from the past from someone keeping a tab.”
According to a report from the Sydney Morning Herald, Hunt’s attorney expects his client to plead guilty to the stalking and intimidation charge. However, he also defended Hunt, arguing “just because he’s a retired UFC fighter does not mean he is a domestic violence offender.”
“I didn’t hurt anyone,” Hunt said. “Like I said, I’ve had a life of violence, I’m a former prize fighter. I fought at the highest level in different prize fighting sports. Like I said, I don’t know why I’d want to hurt my loved ones physically.”
Hunt, a longtime heavyweight contender, last fought for the UFC in December 2018. For much of the past decade, Hunt has been embroiled in an ongoing legal battle with the UFC in which the fighter has accused the promotion, UFC CEO Dana White, and former UFC star Brock Lesnar of colluding against him ahead of his fight with Lesnar at UFC 200 in July 2016. Lesnar defeated Hunt, but later failed a drug test (and saw the result changed to a no-contest), and Hunt took him and the UFC to court alleging that the promotion knew Lesnar was allowed to compete despite using performance-enhancing drugs.
Unfortunately for Hunt, his crusade against the UFC has proven fruitless and costly, with the lawsuit being dismissed even after multiple appeals. Hunt mentioned that the lawsuit has been a source of tension in his household.
On Sunday, Hunt posted another brief message, addressing the threatening text brought to light in court.
“I wanted to put this video up just to clear up a few things, especially with these death threat texts,” Hunt said. “These death threat texts, they’re trying to conflate them. If you send death threats to my family and threaten my family with separation or whatever, you’re going to get the same thing back. So that’s the context of that situation, so all these people that don’t have the whole story or don’t know shouldn’t speak on it.”
Needed to speak on my DV charges as a lot of this hate towards me everyone makes mistakes and in every partnership people argue u take your partner with all there faults or walk away u don’t put them in jail or keep a record and weaponise it against them . pic.twitter.com/Zq6kwX35dq
Don’t speak on any situation unless u know the whole story when u send people to threaten my family u will get the same energy back u cannot conflate what happened two nights ago and use texts from a year ago without the context of that different situation comprende pic.twitter.com/N5Cd5KHkVo