Mark Hunt feels he had no choice but to accept his upcoming fight against Alistair Overeem, although that does not mean the Kiwi mixed martial arts star is tapping out in his war on doping.

Hunt has been at loggerheads with the UFC since it was revealed former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar failed multiple drug tests prior to their bout at UFC 200 last July.

The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) on Thursday (NZ time) handed Lesnar a one-year suspension but the 'Super Samoan' says they did not go far enough.

GETTY IMAGES Brock Lesnar's win over Mark Hunt has been overturned to a no-contest. Lesnar has now been banned for a year for doping violations at the UFC 200 event.

Hunt has been campaigning for a clause to be inserted in his contract that would call for harsher penalties should an opponent fail a test.

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When his bout against Overeem at UFC 209 on March 5 was announced last month, Hunt said he would only take part if his demands were met. However, he is now resigned to that not going ahead.

Hunt revealed to Stuff that he went as far as requesting to be released from his lucrative contract, which was renewed last April, but the UFC refused to budge.

"I'm not young, I'm 42 years old. In six months I've already missed out on a couple of fights, I've already missed out on a couple million dollars," Hunt said.

"At the end of the day I've stuck to my word. I've got no option, I'm in a contract that I can't get out of.

"All the doors I've gone through are closed and it's not like I can go and work somewhere else. Ages ago I was gladly ready to walk away and work somewhere else but they wouldn't allow it.

"Think it from my position, I had no other option. I can't work anywhere else so what am I supposed to do - let my family starve?"

Overeem has a history with doping having failed a pre-fight drug test in April 2012.

Hunt has reached out to the Dutchman about the clause but has yet to receive a response.

But he says if the UFC won't enforce tougher penalties then he will take matters into his own hands.

"Every fighter I fight, if he gets caught through the process then I'll sue him personally," he added. "If I don't get help from the company I'll do it myself."

Meanwhile, USADA's action against Lesnar comes after the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) also banned the WWE star for one year while fining him US$250,000 ($355,000) of his US$2.5 million ($3.55m) disclosed purse.

The 39-year-old tested positive for clomiphene and its metabolite, 4-hydroxyclomiphene, following an out-of-competition urine test on June 28 last year and an in-competition urine test on July 9 at UFC 200 in Las Vegas.

The suspension has no affect on his professional wrestling career and it has been backdated, meaning he will be eligible to return to MMA on July 15 should he decide to.

Lesnar was the third of Hunt's opponents in the UFC to test positive for performance-enhancing drugs and Hunt feels he got off lightly.

Asked if the USADA ban was sufficient, he said: "No. I didn't even think the other (NSAC) penalty was harsh enough. He got a $250,000 fine but he made about $2 million bucks so how did it actually affect him?

"They (dopers) should be struck from the records and taken everything off them. They don't deserve to get a cent. This sport is already harsh enough as it is. When you add in steroid use it makes it even worse."