Carlston Harris Details Numerous Opponent Changes Heading Into UFC Fight Night 221

Some 13 months after having a two-bout winning streak snapped by rising welterweight star Shavkat Rakhmonov, Carlston Harris is eager to return to the Octagon at UFC Fight Night 221 on Saturday.

In order to adapt to the local climate, Harris and trainer Marcio Cromado arrived in Las Vegas two weeks ahead of time of an expected matchup against Abubakar Nurmagomedov. Things changed during the week of the event, however, as the promotion informed Harris that the Russian was out and offered Jared Gooden as a replacement opponent.

"I just signed the new contract to face this guy Jared. I think UFC didn’t even release his name officially,” Harris recently told Sherdog.com.

According to the Luta Livre fighter, Gooden was the seventh prospective foe he had received since the beginning of his camp.

“I can say this was a complete camp since I trained for all type of fighters, southpaws, orthodox, tall, short, wrestlers, strikers,” Harris said. “Thanks to that I’m bringing a complete package. Basically the strategy will not change, what the opponent gives me I´ll try to capitalize on. The fight will start standing up, where I’ll try to knock him out, but if we reach the ground I´ll go for a submission. What I can guarantee is that I´m very well trained everywhere.”

Harris came away impressed by former foe Rakhmonov’s latest effort, a submission of Geoff Neal at UFC 285.

"This guy is for real and soon he will be proving that against the very top of the division,” Harris said. “I hope one day we can have a rematch, but this time fighting for the UFC belt.”