Gerald Harris
UFC and Bellator veteran Harris’ s story is a little different from the others listed here. He was actually a comedian before he became a professional fighter. In fact, Harris is something of a jack of all trades as he was doing stand-up comedy while still at Cleveland State University, and then eventually transitioned to become a history teacher.
Harris was also a talented wrestler in college and that would eventually lead him to his MMA career. But it’s certainly not his first love, despite having fought for some of the biggest promotions in the world and amassed a 25-8-1 record along the way.
“I love comedy. That’s my true passion,” Harris told The Body Lock earlier this year. “If I could do anything in the world, it would be comedy and coaching.” Harris’ reputation for being a comedian even led to Dana White asking him on the spot to perform a five-minute set at a dinner while he was a competitor on The Ultimate Fighter Season 7.
At times when he was struggling financially as a fighter, doing comedy sets helped Harris pay the bills. Over the years has also released several comedy specials too.
