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“I’ve Never Enjoyed Fighting — Ever — It’s a Great Way to Feed My Family”
“As soon as [Seth Baczynski] punched me in the face the last time,” Gerald Harris told MMA Fighting on Tuesday, “I [thought], 'This sh*t ain’t for me no more!' Cause a lot of people don’t understand. I went 30-something fights, [but] I didn’t get hit a lot. In my career, I’ve probably been hit clean five times. I’m not joking. I pride myself on my defense and my wrestling. So I really made it a mission not to get hit.
“I’m getting older. I’m getting slower. And I realized in that moment that I did not want to be in there anymore. I got my win. I couldn’t end my career on a loss or a win over someone who wasn’t qualified to be in there against me. I felt good beating Baczynski; he’s a quality opponent. I made that decision in the third round.
“I [thought], 'I’m about to beat his ass and go to the UFC, Bellator. I’m about to make this big social media run.' While I was in there, I felt great. I went in with a broken nose already so my whole game plan was stick and move, stick and move. It wasn’t the most entertaining fight. I landed some good shots, got some good takedowns, but, I mean, anybody with common sense would know with a broken nose, you’re not going to stand there and trade with Seth Baczynski. He’s going to make you pay for it.
“In the third round, he threw a clean right hand and it caught me square in the face. It was the longest four minutes and 44 seconds of my life.
“In 2013, I was going through a divorce (I did not actually retire in 2013). I was fighting for custody of my kids. I felt like I had nothing. I was living in an apartment by myself with a cat. . . I was going through this divorce for two years and it was affecting my fighting and I retired to take a break. I shouldn’t have said retirement. When I fought Josh Burkman, my kids were getting taken away from me that same weekend.
“The last time I ended my career, I tore my Achilles’ tendon. That was two days before I flew out to The Ultimate Fighter 25. The year I tore my Achilles was pretty depressing. Imagine signing a UFC contract and then tearing your Achilles tendon the same day you sign your contract.
“I went to work out because I was so happy I signed with the UFC and I tore my damn Achilles. I should have sat my ass at home.
“I’ve never enjoyed fighting — ever — it’s a great way to feed my family. I was self-employed. Wrestling was the only thing I did my entire life and it was the closest thing I could find to the competition, which I didn’t even like that a lot. I [thought], 'I’m good at it so I’m going to do it.'
“Here’s the deal — the money’s cool. It comes and goes. I didn’t make a lot this weekend and I’d be a fool to turn down a huge offer. But I don’t see myself fighting anymore. Can I fight? Yes. I could compete in Bellator, but I don’t see myself winning a title. I’m 40.
“These kids (fighters) are 19, 20, 21 years old, no kids. I’ve got eight kids. I’ve got a lot of responsibility. I’m not what I was 10 years ago. I’m just being honest. My fighting career’s over. Can I fight? Yes. Do I want to fight? No. I don’t want to fight anymore.”
https://www.mmafighting.com/2019/12/1/20985940/gerald-harris-describes-how-a-punch-in-third-round-of-his-most-recent-fight-led-to-his-retirement
“As soon as [Seth Baczynski] punched me in the face the last time,” Gerald Harris told MMA Fighting on Tuesday, “I [thought], 'This sh*t ain’t for me no more!' Cause a lot of people don’t understand. I went 30-something fights, [but] I didn’t get hit a lot. In my career, I’ve probably been hit clean five times. I’m not joking. I pride myself on my defense and my wrestling. So I really made it a mission not to get hit.
“I’m getting older. I’m getting slower. And I realized in that moment that I did not want to be in there anymore. I got my win. I couldn’t end my career on a loss or a win over someone who wasn’t qualified to be in there against me. I felt good beating Baczynski; he’s a quality opponent. I made that decision in the third round.
“I [thought], 'I’m about to beat his ass and go to the UFC, Bellator. I’m about to make this big social media run.' While I was in there, I felt great. I went in with a broken nose already so my whole game plan was stick and move, stick and move. It wasn’t the most entertaining fight. I landed some good shots, got some good takedowns, but, I mean, anybody with common sense would know with a broken nose, you’re not going to stand there and trade with Seth Baczynski. He’s going to make you pay for it.
“In the third round, he threw a clean right hand and it caught me square in the face. It was the longest four minutes and 44 seconds of my life.
“In 2013, I was going through a divorce (I did not actually retire in 2013). I was fighting for custody of my kids. I felt like I had nothing. I was living in an apartment by myself with a cat. . . I was going through this divorce for two years and it was affecting my fighting and I retired to take a break. I shouldn’t have said retirement. When I fought Josh Burkman, my kids were getting taken away from me that same weekend.
“The last time I ended my career, I tore my Achilles’ tendon. That was two days before I flew out to The Ultimate Fighter 25. The year I tore my Achilles was pretty depressing. Imagine signing a UFC contract and then tearing your Achilles tendon the same day you sign your contract.
“I went to work out because I was so happy I signed with the UFC and I tore my damn Achilles. I should have sat my ass at home.
“I’ve never enjoyed fighting — ever — it’s a great way to feed my family. I was self-employed. Wrestling was the only thing I did my entire life and it was the closest thing I could find to the competition, which I didn’t even like that a lot. I [thought], 'I’m good at it so I’m going to do it.'
“Here’s the deal — the money’s cool. It comes and goes. I didn’t make a lot this weekend and I’d be a fool to turn down a huge offer. But I don’t see myself fighting anymore. Can I fight? Yes. I could compete in Bellator, but I don’t see myself winning a title. I’m 40.
“These kids (fighters) are 19, 20, 21 years old, no kids. I’ve got eight kids. I’ve got a lot of responsibility. I’m not what I was 10 years ago. I’m just being honest. My fighting career’s over. Can I fight? Yes. Do I want to fight? No. I don’t want to fight anymore.”
https://www.mmafighting.com/2019/12/1/20985940/gerald-harris-describes-how-a-punch-in-third-round-of-his-most-recent-fight-led-to-his-retirement
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