Harris (photo via Hayabusa Mixed Martial Arts)

By Kelsey Mowatt

Following his run on TUF Nations: Canada vs. Australia, Luke Harris has been booked for a pivotal bout, as the decorated grappler will take on UFC vet Jared Hamman at World Series of Fighting 14. Not only is it an opportunity for Harris to get back on track, following his season ending loss to Vik Grujic, but it comes against one of the more experienced opponents he’s faced yet.

“Oh absolutely. It’s a great fight,” Harris said on a recent episode of Full Contact Fighter Radio, when asked about the importance of the October 11th scrap. “It’s no secret I’m getting a bit older in my career, so I only want big fights you know.”

“That show gave me a lot of exposure within Canada and outside Canada as well, there’s been lots of opportunities, but I really only want those big fights,” the 37 year-old Canadian furthered. “I’m not just here to grab a small win here and there, I just want big fights, some memorable fights. Those are the ones with the biggest risks, the biggest reward; that’s the way it goes.”

In Hamman, Harris will take on a vet who has competed in the UFC seven times and posted a 2-5 record while doing so. During his time with the promotion, the rugged American scored wins over Rodney Wallace and CB Dollaway, and incurred losses to top ranked fighters like Alexander Gustafsson and Costas Philippou.

“We’re preparing for everything. We know that mainly, his skills, he’s more of a stand-up guy. He’s an accomplished fighter for sure,” the Team Hayabusa fighter said, while discussing Hamman. “I’m doing my homework on this one and training hard everywhere. You spoke with my Muay Thai coach, Pat Pytlik, he’s an accomplished guy, he’s helping me out a lot. Wherever the fight goes I feel comfortable. Definitely. I like this match-up.”

Luke Harris (photo via UFC.com)

While Harris credited Hamman’s striking skills, the BJJ and Judo black belt doesn’t believe his clearest path to victory is necessarily on the ground.

“Every fight’s different,” said Harris. “You get in there and you assess it from there, but that’s the thing about MMA, the beauty of it, there’s never going to be one clear answer. Of course, I’m probably a better grappler and he most likely has more skills in the stand-up, but it’s by no means the traditional grappler versus striker fight.”

WSOF 14 will go down in Edmonton, Alberta, which is located just minutes away from Harris’s hometown of St. Albert and the Hayabusa Training Centre. The card will feature several fighter’s from the region, including Ryan Ford, who will battle Jake Shields in the main event.

“The thing about Ford is you can never count him out,” said Harris, when asked to weigh-in on the headliner. “His athleticism has brought him a long way, he’s a very explosive fighter; he could very well knockout Shields in the first round. “

That being said, Shields, it’s no secret, everyone knows Shields is a monster. He’s a very accomplished grappler, he went the distance with GSP (Georges St. Pierre) in the main event, he’s beaten Dan Henderson. It’s definitely Ford’s biggest test. There’s no question about that.”

WSOF 14 will be hosted by Edmonton’s Expo Centre and the main card will be broadcast on the NBC Sports Network.