Daniel Richardson has been following the Mark Hunt camp ahead of his interim heavyweight title bout against Brazilian Fabricio Werdum at UFC 180 in Mexico City on Sunday.
Here's a handful of lighter moments from the week.
- Mark Hunt's head trainer Steve Oliver is a former powerlifter and MMA competitor himself and has the look of a professional wrestler with his large physique. But it was still a surprise to hear a Mexican hotel worker ask someone if Oliver was Fabricio Werdum; the pair look nothing alike and the inquisitive man was promptly told who Oliver was. Oliver saw the funny side and said he regularly gets asked in Auckland if he is heavyweight boxer Shane Cameron. Oliver was also swamped for photos on the street following the open workouts yesterday because the locals thought he was a fighter.
- Hunt's coaching staff have all played a part to help Hunt lose weight on short notice for the fight. Fitness trainer Alex Flint took advantage of the long and wide hallway in their hotel to create the #AFGorillaChallenge where you sprawl along on your hands and feet for 100m like a gorilla, adding an extra 100m each day. Flint posted his first video on social media last week and has had people filming themselves and their friends doing it from all corners of the globe in a bid to drump up support for Hunt.
- Travelling the world training a top-level MMA fighter may seem like a glamorous lifestyle but Oliver and Flint have been sharing a room for more than a week with just a double bed each. It's a far cry from the glory days of Japanese-based promotion Pride where Hunt's camp would sometimes have an entire floor of a hotel booked for them when he fought.
