# Walt Harris (fighter)
**Walt Harris** (born 1983) is an American retired-competition heavyweight mixed martial artist from [Birmingham, Alabama](https://www.edgepedia.org/birmingham-alabama), known by the nickname "The Big Ticket", who fought in the [Ultimate Fighting Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/ultimate-fighting-championship) (UFC) from 2013 to 2021 and finished all 13 of his professional wins by knockout or technical knockout.[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Walt-Harris-72046)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1983, Birmingham, Alabama[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Walt-Harris-72046) |
| Division | Heavyweight; 6'5" (195.58 cm), 77-inch reach[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Walt-Harris-72046) • [2](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/walt-harris) |
| Professional record | 13 wins, 10 losses, 1 no contest; all 13 wins by KO/TKO, none by decision or submission[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Walt-Harris-72046) |
| UFC tenure | Octagon debut November 30, 2013; final bout June 5, 2021[2](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/walt-harris) |
| Signature win | 12-second knockout of Aleksei Oleinik, July 20, 2019[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Walt-Harris-72046) |
| Background | NCAA Division I basketball at Jacksonville State University; professional fighter since 2011[3](https://www.ufc.com/news/three-ways-basketball-prepared-harris-ufc) • [2](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/walt-harris) |
| Training | American Top Team, Coconut Creek, Florida; SBG Alabama / Spartan Fitness MMA[2](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/walt-harris) • [1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Walt-Harris-72046) |
## Early life and basketball background
Harris grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, in a family of high-level basketball players, and he played [NCAA Division I](https://www.edgepedia.org/ncaa-division-i) basketball at [Jacksonville State University](https://www.edgepedia.org/jacksonville-state-university).[4](https://www.ufc.com/news/walt-harris-second-act) • [3](https://www.ufc.com/news/three-ways-basketball-prepared-harris-ufc) When a professional basketball career did not materialize, he kept in shape by joining a fight gym, Champions Freestyle Fitness in Birmingham, and found that the footwork, coordination, and athleticism from the court carried into fighting.[5](https://www.ufc.com/news/walt-harris-different-kind-heavyweight) He has described movement as his key attribute as a heavyweight, saying that heavyweights generally do not move the way he does.[3](https://www.ufc.com/news/three-ways-basketball-prepared-harris-ufc)
His amateur career included a reported record of 23 wins and 1 loss, with all amateur wins by knockout; the lone amateur loss came against future UFC fighter [Lorenz Larkin](https://www.edgepedia.org/lorenz-larkin) at a 228-pound catchweight, which Harris described as his eye-opener to the next level of the sport.[5](https://www.ufc.com/news/walt-harris-different-kind-heavyweight) • [6](https://www.ufc.com/news/harris-never-expected-get-far)
## Professional career
Harris turned professional in 2011.[2](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/walt-harris) His only pre-UFC loss was a unanimous decision to Chris Barnett in April 2011, in a bout for which Barnett came in 29 pounds overweight.[2](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/walt-harris) After seven fights in regional promotions, he made his UFC debut at [The Ultimate Fighter](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-ultimate-fighter) 18 Finale on November 30, 2013, losing a unanimous decision (29-28 on all three cards) to three-time NCAA All-American wrestler Jared Rosholt despite flooring Rosholt with a left hand in the first round.[7](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/5-Defining-Moments-Walt-Harris-190482)
His early UFC run was uneven. He lost to [Nikita Krylov](https://www.edgepedia.org/nikita-krylov) by first-round head kick and punches at UFC on Fox 10 in January 2014 and to Soa Palelei by second-round stoppage that November, then returned to regional competition for a knockout of D.J. Linderman at Titan FC 28 in May 2014.[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Walt-Harris-72046) Back in the UFC, his first Octagon win came at [UFC 197](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-197) on April 23, 2016, when he stopped Cody East with punches 4:18 into the first round, ending East's nine-fight winning streak.[7](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/5-Defining-Moments-Walt-Harris-190482)
Two 2017 fights showed both sides of his game. He knocked out Chase Sherman with a knee and punch in January 2017 and stopped Cyril Asker with punches and elbows that June, but at [UFC 216](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-216) on October 7, 2017, he took a fight against former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum on a few hours' notice after [Derrick Lewis](https://www.edgepedia.org/derrick-lewis) withdrew and was submitted by armbar 65 seconds into the first round.[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Walt-Harris-72046) • [7](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/5-Defining-Moments-Walt-Harris-190482) In November 2017 he lost to Mark Godbeer by disqualification for an illegal kick.[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Walt-Harris-72046)
**The 2019 peak.** Harris won a split decision over former UFC heavyweight champion [Andrei Arlovski](https://www.edgepedia.org/andrei-arlovski) at [UFC 232](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-232) on December 29, 2018, taking two judges' scorecards 29-28 against a 30-27 for Arlovski.[8](https://www.mmafighting.com/2018/12/29/18160903/ufc-232-results-walt-harris-takes-split-decision-nod-over-andrei-arlovski) In 2019 he stopped Serghei Spivac with knees and punches 50 seconds into the first round at UFC Fight Night 151, then knocked out the submission specialist [Aleksei Oleinik](https://www.edgepedia.org/aleksei-oleinik) in 12 seconds at UFC on ESPN 4 on July 20, 2019, a flying knee off-balancing Oleinik before one clean left hand ended the fight.[7](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/5-Defining-Moments-Walt-Harris-190482) • [1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Walt-Harris-72046) • [9](https://www.mmamania.com/2020/5/15/21256186/alistair-overeem-walt-harris-fighter-breakdowns-strengths-weaknesses-ufc-espn-8-jacksonville-mma)
**Final stretch.** Harris then lost three consecutive fights by stoppage: to [Alistair Overeem](https://www.edgepedia.org/alistair-overeem) by second-round ground-and-pound in the UFC on ESPN 8 main event on May 16, 2020, a fight in which Harris had badly hurt Overeem in the first round; to Alexander Volkov by front kick to the body and punches at 1:15 of round two at [UFC 254](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-254) on October 24, 2020; and to Marcin Tybura by punches at 4:06 of round one at UFC Fight Night 189 on June 5, 2021.[7](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/5-Defining-Moments-Walt-Harris-190482) • [1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Walt-Harris-72046) The Overeem fight was his first bout after the death of his stepdaughter, and he returned to competition within a few months of the tragedy.[9](https://www.mmamania.com/2020/5/15/21256186/alistair-overeem-walt-harris-fighter-breakdowns-strengths-weaknesses-ufc-espn-8-jacksonville-mma) • [10](https://www.mmafighting.com/2020/5/17/21261392/for-one-night-walt-harris-and-alistair-overeem-exemplified-the-heart-of-fighting)
## Fighting style
Harris fought as a southpaw whose kickboxing centered on a heavy left hand thrown straight down the middle, often set up with jabs and right-hand feints, and he tied knees into his punching offense in the clinch.[9](https://www.mmamania.com/2020/5/15/21256186/alistair-overeem-walt-harris-fighter-breakdowns-strengths-weaknesses-ufc-espn-8-jacksonville-mma) • [5](https://www.ufc.com/news/walt-harris-different-kind-heavyweight) Across his UFC career he landed 66 percent of his significant strikes standing, 25 percent on the ground, and 9 percent in the clinch, with a 55 percent significant-strike defense, a 70 percent takedown defense, a knockdown average of 1.30 per 15 minutes, and an average fight time of 6:30.[2](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/walt-harris) Grappling was the weaker half of his game: he landed two takedowns in 13 UFC appearances and never finished a fight by submission, and his 2017 bout against Werdum, a two-time ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships gold medalist, ended in a first-round armbar.[9](https://www.mmamania.com/2020/5/15/21256186/alistair-overeem-walt-harris-fighter-breakdowns-strengths-weaknesses-ufc-espn-8-jacksonville-mma) • [1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Walt-Harris-72046) • [7](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/5-Defining-Moments-Walt-Harris-190482)
## Drug-test suspensions
The Arlovski result did not stand. After a post-fight drug test, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) imposed a four-month retroactive suspension and a $4,000 fine, and the bout was changed to a no contest; the suspension ran from December 29, 2018, allowing his return on April 30, 2019.[11](https://as.com/us/us/2019/04/23/masdeporte/1555985560_766024.html) • [1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Walt-Harris-72046) Harris said he believed the finding came from a supplement he had trusted his entire career that was not USADA approved.[12](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/10/17/23921694/walt-harris-suspended-1-year-by-nac-for-positive-drug-test)
In October 2023 the Nevada Athletic Commission suspended him for one year for a positive drug test that had removed him from a scheduled UFC on ESPN 49 bout against Josh Parisian; he had not fought since the June 2021 loss to Tybura.[12](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/10/17/23921694/walt-harris-suspended-1-year-by-nac-for-positive-drug-test) • [7](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/5-Defining-Moments-Walt-Harris-190482)
## Personal life
Harris's stepdaughter Aniah Blanchard was abducted and murdered, and Ibraheem Yazeed was sentenced to life in prison for the crime.[10](https://www.mmafighting.com/2020/5/17/21261392/for-one-night-walt-harris-and-alistair-overeem-exemplified-the-heart-of-fighting) • [1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Walt-Harris-72046)
## References
1. [Walt "The Big Ticket" Harris MMA Stats, Biography, Sherdog](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Walt-Harris-72046)
2. [Walt Harris athlete profile, UFC](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/walt-harris)
3. [Three Ways Basketball Prepared Harris for the UFC, UFC](https://www.ufc.com/news/three-ways-basketball-prepared-harris-ufc)
4. [Walt Harris' Second Act, UFC](https://www.ufc.com/news/walt-harris-second-act)
5. [Walt Harris: A Different Kind of Heavyweight, UFC](https://www.ufc.com/news/walt-harris-different-kind-heavyweight)
6. [Harris never expected to get this far, UFC](https://www.ufc.com/news/harris-never-expected-get-far)
7. [5 Defining Moments: Walt Harris, Sherdog](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/5-Defining-Moments-Walt-Harris-190482)
8. [UFC 232 results: Walt Harris takes split-decision nod over Andrei Arlovski, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2018/12/29/18160903/ufc-232-results-walt-harris-takes-split-decision-nod-over-andrei-arlovski)
9. [Fighter on Fighter: Breaking down Alistair Overeem and Walt Harris, MMA Mania](https://www.mmamania.com/2020/5/15/21256186/alistair-overeem-walt-harris-fighter-breakdowns-strengths-weaknesses-ufc-espn-8-jacksonville-mma)
10. [For one night, Walt Harris and Alistair Overeem exemplified the heart of fighting, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2020/5/17/21261392/for-one-night-walt-harris-and-alistair-overeem-exemplified-the-heart-of-fighting)
11. [Walt Harris suspendido por dar positivo en prueba de dopaje, AS](https://as.com/us/us/2019/04/23/masdeporte/1555985560_766024.html)
12. [Walt Harris suspended 1 year by NAC for positive drug test, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/10/17/23921694/walt-harris-suspended-1-year-by-nac-for-positive-drug-test)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Mixed martial arts › Heavyweight and light heavyweight fighters › Heavyweight fighters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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