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Old legal issue delays Mark Hunt's UFC 160 travel plans; heavyweight believes Junior dos Santos fight will happen

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Mark Hunt is taking the road less traveled to Las Vegas.

Hunt, who is scheduled to fight Junior dos Santos on May 25, has been stopped twice at the airport as he was attempting to board a flight from New Zealand to Las Vegas, where the fight will take place.

He told MMAFighting.com on Thursday that a 2002 arrest in the United States has proven to be a road block to Vegas.

"Just a stupid incident which happened in 2002," he told MMAFighting.com. "It wasn't even my fault, but as usual, I get canned for it. I should be fine by today. UFC is on it."

Here's how Hunt described the situation:

"A friend of mine punched another friend outside a club. Another guy said to me that they needed help. I went out to see what had happened. I see that these two losers were pissed [drunk]. I try to go back in the club and an undercover cop said I wasn't allowed. I said, Can I just go back in to get my girl? He says, no. I ask him again, he says, I'll tell you one more time you're under arrest. Guess what? I ask again, he flicks his baton; I get upset.

"So, he has his baton in his left hand, and I walk up to him. He maces me with his right hand, and they jump me. I wasn't even drunk. I spent New Year's in jail for public intoxication, and I wasn't even drunk."

Hunt, who has fought three times in the United States since 2002, noted that it was this issue that stopped him from fighting Butterbean at PRIDE 32 in Las Vegas in 2006, not a previously reported injury.

Still, despite his travel headaches, Hunt is confident he'll be able to fly out to Las Vegas Thursday evening.

"The fight is not in jeopardy at all from my end. Unless some evil power is at work, I should be out tonight."

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