Bellator veteran Dada 5000 set for combat sports return at BYB 13 in Tampa on November 19.

Bellator MMA heavyweight alum and former bareknuckle boxing star, Dada 5000 – otherwise known as Dhafir Harris, is set for his first outing in combat sports since February 2016, as he returns as his own founded promotion, BYB Extreme on November 19. In Tampa, Florida – featuring against Matthew Strickland. 

Dada 5000, 45, a native of Cat Island in the Bahamas, most notably competed against the late UFC heavyweight veteran, Kimbo Slice at Bellator 149 in 2016, suffering an initial third round TKO loss to Slice, before the result was overturned to an official ‘No Contest’ after Slice tested positive for elevated levels of T/E, and the banned substance, nandrolone. 

Collapsing in the third round of his 2016 fight with Slice, Dada 5000 was removed from the cage via stretcher and transported to a nearby medical facility, where he was treated after suffering cardiac arrrest, and kidney failure, as well as severe dehydration in his fight with the late, Slice. Harris has yet to compete since that event.

Founding bare knuckle fighting promotion, BYB Extreme in April 2019, with the promotion fielding the self-proclaimed smalled arena in combat sports in the form of a “trigon” – a cage containing just three sides. 

Dada 5000 books a November 19. combat sports comeback

Set to compete under his own promotional banner as per a report from MMA Mania, Dada 500 will return to combat sports on November 19. at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, taking on the above-mentioned, Strickland. 

“I have a lot left inside of me and can be a breath of fresh air to what has become a very stale fight game,” Dada 5000 said ahead of his return. “I’m one of the last of that original breed of modern mixed martial artists. I’m recognizable and people identify with what they are familiar with. I want to do this for the fans as much as for myself.” 

“I work out 2-3 hours a day in the gym, can bench press 225 pounds 30 times with ease, and I can go out and run a 4.4-4.5 40-yard dash,” He said. “Most importantly, my body hasn’t taken the bumps a lot of fighters my size and age have. I have low miles and with little damage.”