Lessons learned from frustrating PFL run, Rex Harris says new approach will provide better results
Two-time CFFC veteran Rex Harris had a taste of the big time, but the flavor ended up being quite bitter.
The heavy-handed middleweight was part of the PFL's debut season but was ultimately bounced from the quarterfinals of the promotion's inaugural playoffs by eventual $1 million winner Louis Taylor. The disappointing result capped off a 1-3 run in the promotion for the man known as "T" Rex.
"I didn't put my best foot forward in the PFL for a lot of different reasons," Harris admits.
Following the setback, Harris decided to take some away from competition. He went nearly three years without taking a fight – but he wants to make it crystal clear that he wasn't unplugged from the sport during that stretch. Quite the opposite, in fact.
"I never take time off, so if you see that there's inactivity as far as actual fights, that doesn't mean that I'm on the sideline," Harris said. "I don't take time off because I don't believe in taking time off. Even after this fight is done, I'll be back in the gym because that's just what I do. This is what I do.
"I don't train just because I have a fight. I train because I choose to. That's who I am. That's a part of what I do, so there's really no time off in actuality, and any inactivity as far as fighting actually ended up being a blessing in disguise because it allowed me to kind of step back and really improve in certain areas that I thought I needed to improve as opposed to just training to fight."
Harris returned to action in August, picking up a first-round TKO win over four-time UFC veteran Chris Dempsey. He believes the result was indicative of his progress.
"I was content in the mode that I was in as far as learning and improving," Harris said of his time away. "Before that, I was at a mode where I was mostly, again, just preparing for fights, where there wasn't as much growth as there probably should have been. I believe it started to show in some of my performances, so this time was a blessing.
"You do this for a reason. Obviously you want to fight, but at the same time, in the mode I was in, I don't know if that was the best of my career, so it gives me an opportunity to really focus on getting better instead of focusing on a specific opponent to try to fight. It was a blessing."
Harris (12-5) will look to take another step forward in the main event of Saturday's CFFC 105 event, which streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS from Philadelphia's 2300 Arena. There, he'll challenge for the promotion's middleweight title when he takes on reigning champion Aaron Jeffery (10-3).
Harris said he's respectful of the challenge Jeffery could present but isn't concerned all that much.
"I'm sure he's a tough fighter," Harris said. "He seems like a technically sound, good fighter. Tough kid from Canada. I respect every single fighter that I step in there with, you know what I mean? Because they do the same thing that I do. I believe I've got to approach it like that.
"I'm sure he's a tough kid, but I mean, like I said, they're all tough, especially once you get to a certain level. They're all tough, and it really doesn't matter. I just usually try to focus on what I do and what I bring to the table because if I do what I do, it really doesn't matter who I'm in there with."
A victory would be quite meaningful for Harris, with CFFC champions often getting quick invitations to the sport's biggest shows. Ultimately, Harris hopes to get himself back on that stage, but with one experience already in his back pocket, he knows there's no reason to force the issue.
"Ultimately you want to get back on a bigger platform, but I'm allowing those chips to fall where they may," Harris said. "There used to be an urgency as far as pushing: 'You've got to get to a certain point; you've got to get to this promotion.' You know, it's going to come in God's time. You know what I mean? It's not mine.
"I'm just a pawn. I'm taking one step at a time, and it's taken as they fall, you know? Obviously, the goal is to continue to improve and win and continue moving up, but I'm going to let that happen organically as opposed to trying to force anything, for sure."
