Photo courtesy of Harrison's Instagram account
On Oct. 17, Andre Harrison looks for finish, chance to win $1 million
Andre Harrison entered season 2 of the Professional Fighters League (PFL) as one of the favorites to become a million-dollar man. After losing in the semi-finals the previous season to the eventual champion in Lance Palmer, “The Bull” once again found his winning ways by defeating Peter Petties in his first fight of the new season. However, in second fight on July 25, Harrison faced one of his toughest tests to date in Movlid Khaybulaev whom hurt Harrison badly with a flying knee in the first round. Afterwards found it inside him to win the last two rounds and earn a draw and one point which put him into the PFL playoffs. For him, that means he had a successful regular season.
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“I did well enough to make these playoffs which is one of the goals.”
But after the fight with Khaybulaev, Harrison wasn’t quite sure he was in as he didn’t know if the PFL awarded points for draws.
“I didn’t know what that meant. I didn’t know if I got any points or anything. I didn’t know if it meant I was out and would’ve had to see what happened with me and a couple of other guys who had the same amount of points as me to see what would happen moving forward. There was a little confusion but then when they said I got one point I was like, alright at least it put me ahead of few guys where I could still making it in.”
One of the unique factors about he PFL is the amount of fights in a short time period, but Harrison assures everyone he is ready.
“Yea I’m 100%.”
Because of the short turn arounds, there isn’t a lot of time to make adjustments or rest, and Harrison says, that’s the point and he has been able to strategize and maintain his health.
“No, once you’re ready to go and you’re ready to compete you have to go at it. It’s the whole challenge of being in the tournament. You don’t have the luxury of taking more time off.”
“Big portion of it is strategy and maintenance, making sure that you’re staying healthy or as healthy as possible I should say and doing what you can to get your hand raised.”
But not strategize too much, with two fights in one night for the PFL playoffs on October 17, Harrison says it just comes down to competing.
“Just gotta go out there and get the best position you can get and look to secure a W. I think people put too much on it. You can’t sit up there and think I have to have the best game plan humanly possible in order to win. It’s a fight, it’s competing the same way you would any other time.”
His opponent for the first round of the playoffs on October 17 will be Alex Gilpin. Gilpin lost his first fight in the PFL to Lance Palmer but rebounded to defeat Freddy Assuncao by guillotine in the first round to punch his ticket to the playoffs and earn the fourth seed, right ahead of Andre Harrison (Harrison is the fifth seed). After watching, Gilpin fight, Harrison has high praise for his opponents, but he still believes he will get the stoppage victory.
“Alex is a tough guy, he looks to get up there and throw a little bit. He’s pretty aggressive and he has good chokes, good submission skills. Gotta be aware of that and look to best him in positions I believe I’m better.”
“I’m going to say a second-round stoppage.”
If he were to get past Gilpin, Andre Harrison would face the winner of Palmer vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov, but Harrison made it clear he is very interested in fighting Palmer for a third time.
“Definitely, I won the first fight, he won the second fight, so it only makes sense to have a third to see who solidifies it. I’m definitely looking forward to that.”
Regardless of who he faces in the second round of the playoffs, Harrison believes it will be the same result as the first fight and he will be one step closer to a million dollars.
“I don’t have a prediction for who I’ll be facing but I’m going to say the same thing, second round stoppage.”
