Darren Zary
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Hunter Lee has a new nickname.
Taking on larger opponents in the mixed martial arts arena will do that.
“Ever since the last one — the guy was way bigger than me — people have been calling me the ‘Big-Game Hunter,’” says Lee, the former University of Saskatchewan Huskies wrestling standout-turned MMA fighter.
“I think that’s going to be my nickname from now on.”
‘Big Game Hunter Lee’ has a license to thrill in the octagon cage.
Lee has signed up to take on American Chris Choo for his next match, slated for July 19 in Tampa, Fla., where Lee hopes to improve his professional record to 4-and-0 while Choo tests his 4-2-0 pro record.
It’s a light-heavyweight class (195 pounds), although the 5-foot-11 Lee, as a wrestler and not MMA fighter, had last competed in the 86-kilogram (189-pound) class. He sees his eventual MMA weight class in the 170 to 175-pound range.
Choo, who stands 6-foot-1, will have the advantage in height and reach.
The 25-year-old Lee — a former U Sports national champion and junior world bronze medalist on the wrestling mat — has had trouble finding MMA opponents matching his true weight category.
“I literally haven’t had to cut weight for any of my fights,” he points out. “My last two fights, and possibly this fight coming up, I have no weight-cutting. It’s just stepping on the scale for what I naturally weigh and fighting the bigger guys.”
That’s been a world of difference from his days as a competitive international freestyle wrestler. Those athletes are known to dehydrate themselves, sometimes drastically, to meet a certain weight class.
“It is (quite different), for sure,” admits Lee, a native of Flin Flon who calls Saskatoon home.
“So my real weight class, once I’ll be fighting for a title shot, would be 170 or 175, somewhere around there, and all my fights have been around 195-205. I’m giving up 30-35 pounds to where I’d like to be.”
Lee would like to be hunting in the UFC Octagon eventually. He’s looking at a few different potential pathways.
A main entry point to the Ultimate Fighting Championship is the UFC Contender Series.
To get there, an up-and-comer like Lee would likely have to get scouted and noticed while competing in the so-called feeder leagues and promotional cards at the regional level, where fights are shown on the UFC streaming sites.
“I’m fighting in those ones and, if you can rack up some wins, get a title shot — like, win a title on one of those promotions, that’s how the UFC takes notice,” Lee explains.
There’s also the Ultimate Fighter reality TV show, which had been the classic way to get into the UFC house.
But he says the Contender Series “is the main way to get it.”
UFC CEO Dana White and his staff are on hand to watch matches in the UFC performance studio with no fans and only the prospects and coaches.
“Even if you win, you’re not guaranteed a spot,” explains Lee. “You have to impress them with the win, as well. If they like what they see, they’ll add you into the UFC.”
A third way you get into the UFC, adds Lee, is if you rack up enough wins on the regional scene and you’re doing well enough, sometimes they’ll pull you right into the UFC without making you go on the Contender Series.
“Any of those ways to get it, I’d be happy at this point,” admits Lee. “They start looking at guys around 5-and-0. So I’m 3-and-0 right now. If we can get two more wins in, within this year, then I could be looking at that (UFC opportunity) by early next year. “
Lee hopes for a title shot with Unified MMA in the fall.
“That’s the plan: Get one more win, get the title in Unified (MMA promotion series) and then we’re 5-and-0 with the title in the feeder leagues.”
OLYMPIC WRESTLING DREAM ON HOLD
Meanwhile, Lee hasn’t totally given up on his Olympic wrestling dream. He last competed in 2023 Pan American Games in Chile, where he won bronze in the 86-kg freestyle event.
He says he’s “mostly done” with wrestling, but he’s keeping that door open a wee bit.
He still does some wrestling training for MMA with former Huskie and current Team Canada wrestler Andrew Johnston.
“I could see myself coming back for the 2028 (Los Angeles) Olympics, if it looked like it was something I could win,” Lee says. “But, if we have really good guys from Canada in my weight class, then I’m not even going to try. After that one, I will for sure be done.
“I won’t do it any further than (2028) but I’m keeping that door open just a little bit, because I still could make a run for it if it looks like it’s something I could do. It would be nice to be able to say that ‘I was an Olympian.’ ”
The end goal, however, is the UFC.
“The end goal,” Lee is quick to correct, “is actually UFC champion.”
For that, Lee plans to be patient.
“A lot of guys, their goal is to just get their foot in the door (at the UFC level), so it’s like, ‘I got a fight’ but then they’ve lost all their fights and got cut. If I had to choose, I would rather look at the big picture of things, even if it takes me longer in the UFC, but I could actually get in there and make a run for a title. That’s what I’d rather do rather than just be like, ‘I want my one fight.’ ”
After all, there is plenty of big game left to hunt.
