Former TUF Fighter Clay Harvison Taking MMA as far as It Will Go, but Has Other Aspirations

Following a three-fight losing streak that cost him his spot in the UFC, former Ultimate Fighter cast member Clay “Heavy Metal” Harvison rebounded with a third-round TKO win at Bellator 88 this past February over Ururahy Rodrigues.

“I feel good, like I performed well, and I got what I wanted,” said Harvison. “I was being patient and kept waiting to check how his wrestling was, but the takedowns weren’t really that great. I was just being cautious. In the third round, I timed the knee (got the TKO), so I’m happy with the results for sure.”

Looking back over his losing streak, Harvison admits he stepped up too far in weight in order to take advantage of an opportunity given to him.

“It’s simple. When I’m not fighting in the UFC or Bellator, I’m not fighting at 170; I’m fighting at 155,” Harvison told MMAWeekly.com. “Guys at 170 are too large.

“One of my teammates (who fights at 170) walks around at 210, while I walk around at 178 maybe. So the size difference is just too much. I tried 170 and it didn’t work out, so you live and you learn.”

Harvison (10-5) will be looking to pick up back-to-back wins as he returns to the WBFN on Friday night to take on Ran Weathers (16-14) in Duluth, Ga.

“The match-up is interesting because we used to hang out a lot in Atlanta,” said Harvison. “I think he’s become more of a journeyman of the sport with all his eggs in one basket. He’s a good person, but I don’t think he puts in the time and effort that I’ve put in these last five or six years, which obviously put me where I was. I think I’ve progressed predominantly compared to him the last five years.

“I just have to be patient, wait for openings and take them when I see them. I feel confident and I feel like I’m a better overall fighter; stronger, more athletic, everything; truthfully.”

Currently working and going to school, Harvison sees his legacy as something more than just a fighter. So for right now, he’s going to put as much effort as he can into his fight career and see where it takes him before he moves on to the next step in life.

“My legacy is not going to be just fighting,” he said. “My fight career is important too, but it’s not who I am. I’ve got family and other things, and you can only fight for so long.

“I would like to go on a streak and see where I end up, hopefully a Bellator tournament, but who knows? I just want to go on at least a four or five fight winning streak. I’ve got a year and a half left in school, will probably fight another two years and push the pedal to the metal, take as many fights as I can and just see how far I can go with it and what I can do.”

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