Walt Harris: UFC Star’s Heart-breaking Defeat after Daughter’s Death
Walt Harris pointed to the sky and confidently showed off a T-shirt called "Fighting for Aniah" as he entered the arena. He left with tears in his eyes a few minutes later, not the outcome that he had expected in his first UFC fight since his stepdaughter’s death. In the second round of their main event showdown on Sunday (AEST), Alistair Overeem stopped Harris, ending what was an emotional return for 'The Big Ticket.' Walt Harris was a slight favorite and the sentimental choice when he first joined the octagon after his stepdaughter, Aniah Blanchard, was killed in Alabama. Harris (13-8) looked as if he would knock out his 14th career in the opening round when he dropped Overeem. A more careful referee may possibly have put it to an end, but Dan Miragliotta has let it go. Overeem, a skillful veteran, found his way back to his feet, and took advantage of an overzealous Harris to take the fight to the ground and dominate the remainder of the first round. Then, Overeem (46-18) landed a high kick early in the second, and followed it up with his legs, until Harris hit the ground. Overeem went to work from full back mount with his tired foe spilling out onto the ground and forced the stoppage. On the mat Overeem shared an instant with Walt Harris. He, while fighting back tears, thanked the UFC, its staff and its friends.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get the W for you tonight,” Harris said. “You’ve been like my family through everything, and I’m so grateful. ... Y’all at home watching, I’m sorry. I’ll be back better, I promise you. You haven’t seen the last of The Big Ticket. I’m going to go home, recover. I’m going to heal emotionally and physically, and I promise you I’ll be better.” UFC President Dane White echoed Harris’ pledge. “Win, lose or draw, being here is a win for him,” White said. “He got through tonight and who knows what was going through that guy’s body, head, the whole deal.” Overeem said he agreed to train down the road with Harris, hoping that both of them could be better off in a stacked group. “Of course, Walt has been through personal tragedy, which is awful,” Overeem said. “But I see it as a sport. It’s a game, right? It’s a way of making a living. ... I just see it as professional, nothing personal.” After more than six months of mourning Harris' wife urged him to return to the octagon. A student at Alabama, Blanchard was last seen at a gas station in Auburn, Alabama on October 23. Her SUV was discovered abandoned days later at an apartment complex in Montgomery more than 50 miles (90 kilometres) away. Police said they found her blood in the vehicle. Late November, their bones were found in a wooded forest. Ibraheem Yazeed, 29, has been charged with murder of property. Blanchard died of a gunshot wound, as determined by the medical examiner. Prosecutors have stated that if Yazeed is convicted they would seek death penalty. Two others are accused of hampering the investigator or helping Yazeed dispose of evidence. Do not forget leaving your valuable comment on this piece of writing and sharing with your near and dear ones. To keep yourself up-to-date with Information Palace, put your email in the space given below and Subscribe. Furthermore, if you yearn to know about the fans’ response on Jeffree Star new cremated cosmetics release, view our construct, ‘Jeffree Star slammed by Fans over his New Cremated cosmetics Release’. Read the full article
