‘Dada 5000’ Returns To Promote Caged, Bare-Knuckle Boxing Event in Wyoming on April 5

“Dada 5000” is back. Only this time, he’s serving in a promoter’s role for bareknuckle boxing.

Dhafir Harris, the backyard fighting figurehead who nearly died following his fight against rival Kimbo Slice at Bellator 149, is bringing BYB Brawl 1: “Brawl For it All” to the Cheyenne Ice & Event Center in Cheyenne, Wyo., on April 5. The nine-bout card will be available on iN Demand, DIRECTV, Dish and Vubiquity in the United States as well as FITE TV for $24.99.

"People identify with us because we came from backyard brawling on the dark side of Miami," Harris said in a release. "Backyard is where we came from and bare-knuckles fighting is the next step in the evolution of fighting. We started this (BYB), fighting in the mud, this wasn't done overnight. We were the first, people came to the backyard to watch, and now I'm inviting everybody on our journey.

  "I was a promoter before being a fighter. I started a business and BYB Brawl is going to be the biggest combat sport. People may think this is kind of nuts, but they do feel it's going to blow up.”

BYB Brawl 1 will be headlined by a rematch between Miami-based fighters “Chocolate” Alfonso Frierson and Mike Trujillo, who both appeared in the “Dawg Fight” documentary that chronicled Harris’ journey. Additionally, former Bellator and Contender Series competitor Jamelle Jones will square off against 30-fight MMA veteran Matt Kovacs in another featured contest. All bouts will be contested in the “Trigon Triangle” cage, a 187 square foot, triangle-shaped structure that includes 7-foot high fences.

"I've always been fascinated by triangles," Harris said. "It is the most dominant, most feared symbol. Even my hair is cut in a triangle. Look at the pyramids, what's on the back of our money. There's no room to run in our Trigon Triangle cage; it was designed that way, and it isn't for individuals who don't want confrontations.”

According to a release, Harris is “fully recovered” from the injuries he suffered against Slice in their 2016 bout. After a third-round technical knockout loss to Slice at the Toyota Center in Houston in which both fighters badly fatigued down the stretch, Harris was transported to a hospital, where he suffered from severe dehydration, fatigue and renal failure. “Dada 5000” later revealed that he suffered two heart attacks during the heavyweight bout, as well.

"The doctor told me there was so much potassium in my body that I was lucky to walk 10 feet," Harris stated, "but I still went three hard rounds with Kimbo Slice.”

The result of the fight was later overturned to a no contest due to Slice testing positive for steroids. The release notes that Harris is “far from being a retired fighter” and hints that he could return to compete under the BYB Extreme Fighting Series Banner.