He has been on the periphery of greatness in the heavyweight division for what seems like his entire career, never active enough to join the top tier but always dangerous enough to make the move seem plausible.
Sergei Kharitonov still has time to change the perceptions about him. The 36-year-old Russian paratrooper will attempt to bounce back from a surprising knockout loss to Tachi Palace Fights veteran Javy Ayala in his Bellator MMA debut when he faces Chase Gormley in a three-round heavyweight showcase at Bellator 175 on Friday at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.