UFC:s VD Dana White uppfattas inte alltid som en sentimental man. Vid nattens UFC on ESPN 8:s efterföljande presskonferens ansåg dock White att Harris medverkande vid galan var en ’moralisk seger’.
Efter att ha dominerat de första minuterna av matchen besegrades Harris (13-8) av Alistair Overeem (46-18) via TKO i andra ronden. Matchen var den första sedan kidnappningen och mordet på Harris styvdotter Aniah Blanchard som hände i höstas.
White berömde efteråt Harris enligt MMA Junkie:
I said to you guys a few days ago. Win, lose, or draw, being here is a win for him. He got through tonight and you have to understand. Who knows what was going through that guy’s body, head, the whole deal? He got (Overeem) in trouble. I think when he watches the tape, he’ll realize he overreacted a lot and should’ve slowed down and picked his shots.
… This is a learning experience in a lot of ways for Walt. It was his first fight back. He’ll get better from this in every way you can be better from fighting to the other things that are going on with him.
Vid ESPN:s post-fight show sågs White samtala med Harris backstage efter förlusten. White berättade efteråt att Harris är besviken efter förlusten:
(He’s) exactly how you would expect him to feel right now. I think it’ll probably take him an hour to sit down, calm down, and process what happened. When he goes back and watches the tape of the fight, he’ll know all the mistakes that he made.
Förlusten inatt bröt Harris segersvit på tre raka där han senast knockat Aleksei Oleinik i juli förra året.
