Photo credit: Johnny Louis
Dada 5000 completes required medical testing protocols, aims for bare knuckle return despite “cancellation” talk
Earlier today, Bare-knuckle fighting organization BYB Extreme announced the official in-ring (trigon) return of Dada 5000, (real name Dhafir Harris).
Harris, who is a co-founder of BYB Extreme, has not competed in any professional combat sport since his mixed martial arts bout against fellow famed former backyard bare knuckle brawler Kimbo Slice in February 2016. Following that fight, an emergency visit to the hospital revealed that Harris suffered cardiac arrest during the bout.
Harris also suffered kidney failure as a result of a condition called Rhabdomyolysis — a syndrome that “results from the death of muscle fibers and release of their contents into the bloodstream” — that further endangered his health.
According to Harris, he was required to stay on dialysis due to the kidney failure as he also recovered from cardiac arrest.
Several hours after today’s announcement was released, prominent MMA news sources reported that the upcoming Dada 5000 vs. Matt Strickland bout was “cancelled” by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
The bout was set to headline “BYB 13: Tampa Brawl for it All” at the Florida State Fairgrounds on November 19.
“Dhafir Harris is currently indefinitely suspended by the Texas Athletic Commission. Mr. Harris will not be competing at the event in November,” Florida commission representatives said in an email to MMA Fighting today after the fight announcement.
Sources close to the situation have informed MyMMANews that as part of the medical suspension handed down in Texas after the 2016 fight, Dada 5000 was required to undergo extra medical testing protocols if he wanted to once again compete. The source tells MyMMANews that Florida had approved the fight and their officials were the once who deemed which tests Harris needed to complete.
Those sources have also confirmed that the 45-year-old Harris did in fact complete those tests which included an EKG, brain scan, blood, eye, physical, and more, not once, but twice.
The problem, according to the source, was that the commission in Texas did not receive the paperwork prior to the announcement of the November 19 fight being made.
Suspensions and required medical testing procedures are common practice in the industry. The source is confident that the fight will be rebooked now that paperwork is in order.
Stay tuned for updates.
