Walt Harris excited to test his mettle against Alistair Overeem at UFC Portland

LAS VEGAS – It’s been a tough past few months for Walt Harris as he gears up for another big fight.

He headlines UFC on ESPN+ 30 against Alistair Overeem in a rescheduled bout he was forced to pull out of initially after his step-daughter went missing. She later was found murdered after a one-month search.

Harris and Overeem initially were scheduled to headline UFC on ESPN 7 this past December, but Harris (13-7 MMA, 6-6 UFC) is glad to still have the opportunity to face an icon of the sport in Overeem (45-17 MMA, 10-6 UFC).

“I feel like it’s where I’m supposed to be as far as my professional career goes,” Harris said backstage this past Saturday while a guest fighter at UFC 248 in Las Vegas. “I’m excited to get in there and test myself against Overeem. I looked up to him. I watched him fight before I ever put a pair of gloves on, so it’s dope to get a chance to go in there and test my mettle against him. I feel like it’s a fight that I can win. I know I’m going to win it, and I’ve got other forces helping me, so it’s going to be fun April 11.”

With his step-daughter on his mind, Harris still is dealing with the aftermath of her death. But he sees the fight as a way to push forward.

“We’re taking it day by day,” Harris said. “It’s a process. I mean, the process is still being tried through the judicial system, so we’re just trying to stay together. It’s all we really can do. We’re focusing on April 11, and that’s what’s keeping us excited and motivated for the next day.”

Harris, who’s finished all 13 of his pro wins, has won three in a row. As he heads into arguably the biggest fight of his career, Harris will look to draw from a past valuable experience when he fell short against former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum in 2017.

But now he’s at a different point in his career.

“I had that moment with Fabricio,” Harris said. “Now I feel like I belong here – (Overeem is) just another guy to me, honestly. Realistically, I know what he’s done in this sport. But it’s my time. It’s my turn to go do what I’ve gotta do, and I appreciate him for giving me an opportunity to come back and keep the same fight. He’s reached out to me numerous times during this situation, so I’ve got nothing but respect for Overeem.”