Dhafir Harris, better known by his nickname Dada 5000, is slated to return to the world of combat sports on November 19th.
Competing under the BYB Extreme promotion and its famous Trigon ring, Harris will square off with heavyweight monster Matthew “Stretch” Strickland. The last time fans were treated to Harris’ heavy hands was in 2016 when he took on the late Kimbo Slice at Bellator 149. It was one of the most watched fights in promotional history, though it nearly ended in tragedy. Following the contest, Harris was rushed to the hospital due to cardiac arrest. Fortunately, Harris made a full recovery but was never invited back to the Bellator cage due to health concerns.
Now 45, Dhafir ‘Dada 5000’ Harris is ready for a triumphant return and insists that he is in top condition heading into the mid-November showcase.
“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-year dash,” Harris said in an interview with MMA Mania. “More 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.”
Dada 5000 will compete in a bare knuckle boxing matchup against Matt Strickland on Nov. 19, the promotion announces. pic.twitter.com/ypml6qiLZm
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohn) October 24, 2022
Dhafir ‘Dada 5000’ Harris Established BYB Extreme in 2019
With his combat sports career seemingly over following his high-profile fight with Kimbo Slice, Harris switched from fighter to promoter, establishing BYB Extreme in 2019. Setting up shop in Miami, Florida, BYB made waves by promoting its fights in the “smallest cage in combat sports,” the Trigon.
Even if you’ve never seen a BYB Extreme event, the Trigon may be a familiar concept as Triller, the parent company of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, practically stole the idea for an event dubbed Triller Triad Combat in November 2021. The event was heavily marketed for the unique triangular ring that had been a mainstay in BYB Extreme since 2019.
As a result, BYB Extreme sued Triller for design patent infringement and unfair competition. Needless to say, Triller’s Triad Combat is yet to return and likely never will.
