Walt Harris is hoping to finally face Alistair Overeem on May 16.
The pair have been booked to face each other in a heavyweight bout three times so far only for it to be rescheduled on each occasion.
The latest instance was because UFC 249 — which was set to take place this past weekend — was indefinitely postponed. However, with the UFC’s plans to resume the fight schedule on May 9, Harris is hearing a possible date with Overeem could take place a week later.
“I’m hearing May 16 as a possible date that we could fight,” Harris told MMA Junkie. “He’s here [in the United States]. They have him quarantined right now. I’m hoping that it goes through. Every day is day-to-day. Some days, you never know. You could wake up and everything is going great. The next day, everything changes.
“We’ll see, man. I’m just trying to stay as ready as I possibly can during this time. Hopefully the fight will happen, man. It’ll be a great honor to get in there and fight Alistair.”
Harris originally pulled out from his UFC DC headliner with Overeem in December following the tragic death of his stepdaughter. The constant delays and rescheduling since haven’t helped matters.
However, “The Big Ticket” has become accustomed to all these adversities.
“It’s frustrating from a personal standpoint as far as a fight and my career, but it’s a part of life,” Harris said. “Like you alluded to, I’ve been through a lot of things in my life. It’s just part of it, man. I think God does things on his own terms, so I don’t get stressed out about things.
“I just try to do my best to stay ready and stay focused and be ready when my number is called. It’s part of the process and my journey to the UFC – ups and downs. It’s nothing new. I just stay focused and keep going.”
Do you think we’ll see Harris vs. Overeem on May 16?