Community Interview: Gerald Harris and his Earth Shattering Slam
We tried this once before with the great "Kid" Yamamoto, but the best laid plans were thrown into disarray when Yamamoto decided that the top of the card in Japan was a better fit for him than Strikeforce's untelevised undercard. Who would have figured?
Let's try again.
Bloody Elbow readers: what are your questions for Gerald Harris, the man who shook the world (and Dave Branch) with one of the hardest slams in MMA history Saturday at UFC 116? Questions about The Ultimate Fighter, his comedy stylings, or anything else that comes to mind. I plan on bringing interviews with many of the world's top fighters to Bloody Elbow and I'd like the community to be a part of them. Let's start things off strong, with your questions for Gerald Harris in the comments.
-- photo via ufc.com
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How much restraint did it take to not go for a hammerfist after the slam?
What was he thinking directly after?
Forget it Donny, you're out of your element.
by Geno Mrosko on Jul 5, 2010 4:20 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HizvWQDq70
Ariel already asked him this and Harris gave a good explanation. I still think it’s a great question, just not sure if we’re trying to ask questions that he hasn’t answered yet.
This is our interview for us
And Gerald has had time to process. It will be different.
by Jonathan Snowden on Jul 5, 2010 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Ariel has the best interviews
it seems like he can empathize with whoever he’s interviewing and yet still be able to ask tough questions. It gives it a more natural, human element.
Really like the Harris slam, look forward to seeing him more.
"It’s going to be like sex with a grizzly bear, you know, a lot of scratching and growling on both sides." - Don Frye
RIP Sherdog (6/26/10)
I yelled after they showed the replay.....
“Gerald the Merciful!” and got a pretty good laugh in the room LOL.
Good Idea
It would be cool if you put a little background information on the fighters, even though we can easily Google. Anyhow, i was wondering…well, AniMal34 beat me to it.
by silent.bisonte33 on Jul 5, 2010 4:22 PM EDT reply actions
How big of a step up in competition is he ready for?
Go get that bread, Kimbo Slice. - Mike Fagan
by SouthAlaBamaRampage on Jul 5, 2010 4:22 PM EDT reply actions
Where he got the motivation to fight the same day or just a few days after his brother died
Chris Leben is my hero
Sandstorm Remix bless your heart kid... Bless your heart
Biggest Weakness?
What about the fight do you think you need to work on the most to become a more complete fighter?
I’d really like to know about his stance.
He kinda keeps his head low but stuck a little forward, with his left hand near his chest and the right kinda out forward. He tends to keep a lowered stance with his back arched rather than straight up. Is this because he wants to be able to shoot if needed? Is it to stop the shoot? Maybe it’s just how he finds himself standing after the 1st or 2nd round.
I’d like to know why he picks that stance over some of the other stances employed by other MMA fighters.
Slow Cooking! MMM-MMM GOOD!
"I Wanna Thank Joe Rogan!" - BJ Penn
What are your feeling on Jonathan Snowden?
Serious question, in the same vein as Southern’s: Whom would you like to fight next? And is the forearm under the chin the key to the slam KO?
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Jul 5, 2010 4:24 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
His thougts on the Silva vs Sonnen fight
Go get that bread, Kimbo Slice. - Mike Fagan
by SouthAlaBamaRampage on Jul 5, 2010 4:24 PM EDT reply actions
Does consider the use is his slams as a
Finishing move? To soften his opponent up? Excitement for the fans? Intimidation of opponent? Or is it more an an instinctual move to him?
Forward Ever, Backward Never...
How unimpressed was he with the main event?
by The Big Thing on Jul 5, 2010 4:26 PM EDT reply actions 6 recs
Look in the fanshots
Go get that bread, Kimbo Slice. - Mike Fagan
by SouthAlaBamaRampage on Jul 5, 2010 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions
a GIF isn't enough
for the hurt he brought
by silent.bisonte33 on Jul 5, 2010 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2010/7/4/1551716/harris-slam
Go get that bread, Kimbo Slice. - Mike Fagan
by SouthAlaBamaRampage on Jul 5, 2010 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Forget it Donny, you're out of your element.
by Geno Mrosko on Jul 5, 2010 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
I'd like to ask him...
…How’s your right knee? It looks like it impacted just about as hard as Branch’s head. I’d also like to tell him, great fucking slam! Straight brutality!
"The path to enlightenment is through suffering"
Since everyone seems to be quoting rap songs, here's a gem...
"Anywhere you go,
I'm gonna find you
Every time you flow,
I'll be right behind you
Just to let you know
And constantly remind you,
You can never be as dope as I am. God damn."
by RearNakedChoker on Jul 5, 2010 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions
How prepared were you for Branch's submission attempts
Because on several occasions he was going for the triangle choke and you reacted swiftly.
The Dos Equis guy wishes he was Brock Lesnar.
Here's one
What’s it like to finally make it to the UFC after not being asked to fight on TUF 7’s finale? Did he ever doubt the UFC would give him an opportunity?
Follow me on twitter @thisredengine
Also please check out SBnation's Red Bulls blog @ www.onceametro.com
by Matthew Roth on Jul 5, 2010 4:38 PM EDT reply actions 4 recs
having a strong wrestling background, who would you like to work with on your striking?
greg jackson
mark dilogrotti
freddie roach
not just these individuals, but anyone in the industry?
ufc fan boy all the way
Please ask him about being a history teacher and especially about his standup comedy career. Especially the DIY aspect of it.
Twitter: @Mike_Fagan_13
http://www.sackmikegoldberg.com
Ask him if Branch said anything to rile him because I’ve read that there was some bad blood between the 2
"Ten more seconds is all I ever ask. That's the good thing I learned about being KO'd twice. You don't see it coming -it's like death- you don't plan for it so don't wait for it. So many people are afraid of getting Ko'd that their hands stay home, but not me. I got to go out there and shoot the lights out and fall down" Jens Pulver
his corner
I was curious as it seemed he only had 1 guy in his corner, whereas it seems most fighters have at least 2 guys in their corner between rounds. Was that a financial decision or does he just not find it necessary?
Did you know Branch was grabbing the fence like that?
Cause there's only one, and that's me
You understand? for all that fighting, you understand
That sucka think he good, that sucka think he can whoop me
And i know he can't whoop me, Ay boy, the n**** whole style is chump
Do you still do standup comedy?
Cause there's only one, and that's me
You understand? for all that fighting, you understand
That sucka think he good, that sucka think he can whoop me
And i know he can't whoop me, Ay boy, the n**** whole style is chump
How pissed off are you about that BS loss to Fabio back in IFL (I know I was) and do you think it took away from your momentum?
Cause there's only one, and that's me
You understand? for all that fighting, you understand
That sucka think he good, that sucka think he can whoop me
And i know he can't whoop me, Ay boy, the n**** whole style is chump
I'd like to know ...
1) How did his students react to him being on TUF? I’d like to think they were supportive, especially since Harris seems like a cool guy in interviews, but I had more than a few teachers that I would have loved to see in a cage fight for all the wrong reasons.
and
2) How high on his wishlist is a rematch with Amir?
I love this watching this guy fight, its good to see him back.
lame. need an edit button
should read:
“I love watching this guy fight. It is good to see him back”.
He would take the Amir fight
Branch > Amir as far as BJJ goes, looks like he has improved his sub defense since TUF
"It’s going to be like sex with a grizzly bear, you know, a lot of scratching and growling on both sides." - Don Frye
RIP Sherdog (6/26/10)
Amir fights at 170 though.
"...ride life straight to perfect laughter,
it's the only good fight there is."
by dancingChicken on Jul 6, 2010 9:28 AM EDT up reply actions
haha yeah I realized that almost as soon as I hit post
"It’s going to be like sex with a grizzly bear, you know, a lot of scratching and growling on both sides." - Don Frye
RIP Sherdog (6/26/10)
Gerald, do you still train at Grudge and if so, why was Shane's cardio so bad?
Cause there's only one, and that's me
You understand? for all that fighting, you understand
That sucka think he good, that sucka think he can whoop me
And i know he can't whoop me, Ay boy, the n**** whole style is chump
calm down son
i know you’re giddy, reel it in a tad
http://mixedmartialartsblogger.wordpress.com/
by Cory Braiterman on Jul 5, 2010 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions
where does he thinks this ranks
as far as best MMA slams of all time?
Hughes, Rampage, Randlemann…. Harris. Nice company to be in :P
http://mixedmartialartsblogger.wordpress.com/
Don’t forget Tito’s and Frank’s. Two of the top five for sure. (Rampage’s is faaaar and away #1)
"The path to enlightenment is through suffering"
Since everyone seems to be quoting rap songs, here's a gem...
"Anywhere you go,
I'm gonna find you
Every time you flow,
I'll be right behind you
Just to let you know
And constantly remind you,
You can never be as dope as I am. God damn."
by RearNakedChoker on Jul 5, 2010 6:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Gerald do you still talk to your former TUF coach Rampage Jackson ?
And do you ever train with him ?
" Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth. " ~
Mike Tyson
green this man
http://mixedmartialartsblogger.wordpress.com/
by Cory Braiterman on Jul 5, 2010 6:27 PM EDT up reply actions
not to be racist, but why do you think the UFC or MMA in general is not getting much or major support from the African-American community?
life is sexual transmitted disease!!!
Lack of Black fighters
It’s coming along though.
Hmm, thanks for the idea about a future fanpost.
Cause there's only one, and that's me
You understand? for all that fighting, you understand
That sucka think he good, that sucka think he can whoop me
And i know he can't whoop me, Ay boy, the n**** whole style is chump
by S.C. Michaelson on Jul 5, 2010 7:16 PM EDT up reply actions
I'll wait on this one.
Plenty of opinions to share :)
Walking the line between intelligence and ignorance since 1985
@deowade
Boxing...
Is still a very strong cultural influence in American black communities. The tide is starting to change though, its just slower than the overall national switch from boxing to MMA. And as Black Lensar said, there weren’t many fighers for african americans to identify with. Besides Rampage and Randleman (to a lesser extent most of his coverage was in Japan), I can’t think of a major MMA player who would fit into that category. Now there are a great deal of black fighters FROM AMERICA making names for themselves.
What is his dream fight?
Walking the line between intelligence and ignorance since 1985
@deowade
by Damon O. on Jul 5, 2010 7:37 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
oh whoa, weird… in living color status
by cagefightonlsd on Jul 6, 2010 1:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Message!
I'm better than you. Na na na boo boo, stick your head in doo doo.
by Earl Montclair on Jul 6, 2010 1:25 AM EDT up reply actions
I noticed that when he did his post-fight interview with Ariel Helwani that he was wearing glasses. As a four-eyes myself, I’m wondering what his eyesight is, and what he does in the cage to deal with it. (I’m assuming that he doesn’t wear contacts!) Is this an obstacle to overcome, or is it not a problem?
"The common denominator of the Universe is not harmony, but chaos, hostility, and murder."
"Opinionated weather forecasters telling me it's going to be a miserable day. Miserable to who? I quite like a bit of drizzle, so stick to the facts!"
by Ephemeral Artery on Jul 7, 2010 10:54 AM EDT reply actions

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![Scott Coker tells Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour that Strikeforce is not interested in signing Gerald Harris:
"I talked to my guys about it, actually, they talked to me about it," Coker said of signing Harris. "I watched the fight [against Falcao], I didn't know how to judge it. Then they told me about his background and his past and things you are telling me now, that this guy is a tremendous athlete (who) has a ton of potential and just had bad showing or fought very cautious to try and win the fight.
"The only thing right now is we are really committed to the fighters we have under contract now and I want to make sure these guys get in the mix two or three next year. That doesn't mean we can't revisit with him, but for right now, I would say that I want to take care of the roster we currently have."
Photo: UFC.com](http://cdn0.sbnation.com/fan_shot_images/162819/123_2-gyi0062553138_small.jpg)










