The UFC will make a third attempt at booking Walt Harris vs. Alistair Overeem as a main event.
A heavyweight matchup between Harris (13-7 MMA, 6-6 UFC) and Overeem (45-17 MMA, 10-6 UFC) looks set to top the UFC’s planned May 16 card, which, according to reports, could take place at Tachi Palace Casino Resort in Lemoore, Calif., along with a number of other upcoming events during the coronavirus pandemic.
MMA Junkie confirmed with a person close to the situation that the fight is currently planned after Harris announced the booking Wednesday on social media (via Instagram):
We got a fight. May 16. Alistair Overeem and myself will be fighting at an undisclosed location in the main event. Y’all can look forward to that, I’m looking forward to it. We’re going to put on a show for you guys.
The pair initially was scheduled to headline UFC on ESPN 7 last December in Washington D.C., but Harris withdrew from the fight after the disappearance of his stepdaughter, Aniah Blanchard, who was later found murdered after a one-month search.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik stepped in to replace Harris and scored a comeback knockout victory over Overeem with just four seconds remaining in the fight. Prior to that, Overeem had notched back-to-back finishes over Sergey Pavlovich and Aleksei Oleinik.
They were then rescheduled to face off in the main event on April 11 in Portland, OR., but that event was one of three postponed by the promotion during the coronavirus pandemic.
Harris’ last win also came over Oleinik, when he stopped the Russian in just 12 seconds at UFC on ESPN 4 last July. It was his third win in a row.
Walt Harris says Alistair Overeem UFC main event set for May 16 in 'undisclosed location'
