Introduction
Friday, August 6th, American featherweight prospect Andre Harrison will be in action for Titan FC, where he will be looking to get back into the win column against unknown Ruslan Emilbek Uulu. He will be looking for another win, as Harrison looks to score another win en route to a potential UFC contract. He represents Bellmore Kickboxing MMA, a solid camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”
Strengths
Technical Grinder: Harrison has long been a 15-miunte man, which is both a strength and a curse, as the UFC likes finishers. That said, it’s a compliment to his cardio and his relentlessness. He has only five finishes to his name, but in his decisions, he has been a dominating force using technical kickboxing and solid offensive wrestling. He is solid in the clinch as well, outmuscling opponents. His control is very impressive, as a majority of the time he is keeping his opponents on their heels and scoring points. One would like to see him be a more efficient finisher, but one has to be impressed with Harrison’s ability to control most of the fights he is in.
Experience: Harrison is a 24-fight veteran, which is impressive in itself. His pro debut came in 2011, and since then, he’s stayed rather busy (minus the last couple years). In that time, Harrison has fought a plethora of notable fighters, many of which he has conquered in battle. From most recent to furthest out, Harrison’s biggest wins come over Contender Series vet Peter Petties, UFC vet Nazareno Malagarie, UFC vet Tuerxun Jumabieke, two-time PFL season winner Lance Palmer (who he was later defeated by), UFC vet Steven Siler, UFC vet Des Green, UFC vet Kurt Holobaugh, TUF veteran Cody Bollinger and TUF vet Jeff Lentz. Normally, I would not list all of those the way I did, but the fact of the matter is that Harrison’s notable wins are beyond impressive. He hasn’t fought cans, he is forged by fire.
Needs Improvement
Counter Wrestling: Harrison’s offensive wrestling is undoubtedly a solid weapon for him, as we have mentioned. That said, in Harrison’s professional blemishes, his counter-wrestling/grappling were challenged and ultimately the way Harrison was beaten. He was front choked by Alex Gilpin attempting to wrestle his opponent, completely out-wrestled by Lance Palmer (no shame, it’s happened to many) and drew with Movlid Khaibulaev, whose wrestling bothered Harrison’s game. Harrison’s wrestling off his front foot is certainly very good, but when he’s challenged by other’s wrestling, especially those with good credentials, he can be put on his heels.
Outlook
UFC Midcarder: Had I written this scouting report 2-3 years ago, I’d have had Harrison pegged as a future top-15 fighter in the UFC. At 33 years old now, I’d say that ceiling has been lowered a bit and that Harrison’s chance of getting there has gone down. That said, he’s still a very skilled fighter with a chance to make an impact at the highest level. He’s very well-rounded and tough, which is why he’s fought at a high level for a long time. With time off since his last bout, which was in October of 2019, perhaps Harrison becomes the 2.0 version of himself. His first chance is against Ruslan Emilbek Uulu in Titan FC, which is an organization that streams on UFC Fight Pass and has provided a number of fighters to the UFC. Should Harrison score a win and in impressive fashion, he should be able to warrant a possible look from the UFC given his experience and resume.
MMA Intel 