Tag: Corey Anderson

Corey Anderson ‘leaving no stone unturned’ at Bellator Champions Series: Belfast in third title chance

Corey Anderson maximized his preparation for his third and potential final opportunity to claim the Bellator light heavyweight title.

[autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] maximized his preparation and left “no stone unturned” in his third and potential final opportunity to claim the Bellator light heavyweight title.

After two failed attempts to capture the belt from ex-champ Vadim Nemkov, the longtime veteran Anderson hopes the third time is the charm when he takes on Karl Moore for the vacant 205-pound strap in Friday’s Bellator Champions Series: Belfast main event, which takes place at SSE Arena in Northern Ireland.

Anderson (17-6 MMA, 4-2 BMMA) admits he did his due diligence in training camps for the fights with Nemkov, but that wasn’t the case this time around. He expects no surprises from Moore (12-2 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) on fight night.

“I’ve had enough fights where I’ve seen and done it all,” Anderson told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’ve been in the game for 10 years, in the big time. UFC and Bellator for 10 years. … No matter what Karl Moore throws, I’m 100 percent sure I’ve got the answer for it. I’m ready. I’m not going to be caught off guard.”

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Anderson, 34, and Moore, 32, get this opportunity as a result of Nemkov relinquishing the belt to move up to the heavyweight division. Anderson hasn’t let the his rivalry with the Russian go just yet, and could see a trilogy bout in the future.

There could be all sorts of other opportunities for Anderson on the horizon, too, especially in the new Bellator era since PFL purchased the promotion. But first things first, Anderson needs this win against Moore.

“After I get the belt, anything is possible,” Anderson said. “If they give me the opportunity to go up to heavyweight and fight Nemkov, 100 percent percent. Let’s go. … My thing is I have to finish my business at 205 (pounds) first.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator Champions Series: Belfast.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC, PFL, Bellator fights announced in the past week (Feb. 5-11)

Check out the UFC, PFL, and Bellator fights that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC, PFL, and Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Feb. 5-11.

Corey Anderson vs. Karl Moore vacant title fight headlines Bellator’s 2024 debut in Belfast

Corey Anderson will hope the third time is the charm in his attempt to capture the Bellator light heavyweight title.

[autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] will hope the third time is the charm in his attempt to capture the Bellator light heavyweight title.

After longtime champ Vadim Nemkov vacated the belt to move up to the heavyweight division, a plan has been set in motion to crown a new titleholder, with Anderson (17-6 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) set to take on [autotag]Karl Moore[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) in the headliner of a March 22 event expected to take place in Belfast, Ireland. A venue and broadcast plans haven’t been revealed.

It will be the first Bellator branded fight card since the promotion was acquired by PFL late last year.

MMA Junkie confirmed the booking with a person close to the situation following an initial report from Ariel Helwani. The person requested anonymity because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Anderson, No. 6 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie light heavyweight rankings, came up short in back-to-back fights with then-champ Nemkov in 2022, seeing the first fight end in a no contest before the rematch resulted in a unanimous decision loss. The 34-year-old rebounded in June, beating Phil Davis by split decision at Bellator 297.

Now “Overtime” will finally try to get his hands on the belt, but standing in his way will be Moore, who has put together a four-fight winning streak since joining Bellator in September 2019. The 32-year-old has only been finished once in his career, and that was a submission defeat to UFC veteran Paul Craig in September 2015.

Corey Anderson claps back at Joe Rogan’s contention non-UFC fighters are ‘wasting their career’

UFC analyst Joe Rogan knows a thing or two about MMA. But a recent Bellator title challenger thinks he’s misguided on some recent comments.

Longtime UFC analyst [autotag]Joe Rogan[/autotag] has been around the fight game plenty, and without question knows a thing or two.

But a handful of fighters outside the UFC have some thoughts about his recent assertion that if you’re not in the UFC, “no one’s watching.”

On “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast with guest UFC fighter Bo Nickal, Rogan said fighters in Bellator, the PFL and other organizations are shorting themselves.

The UFC long has been the top MMA promotion in the space. De facto No. 2 Bellator in November was sold to the PFL and that brand will be folded into that organization in 2024. PFL’s stated purpose in acquiring Bellator was to have a combined roster its executives think is as strong as the UFC’s, which would create a co-leader in the field.

UFC CEO Dana White and others, like Rogan, appear to think that’s a little ambitious on the part of the PFL, and Rogan in particular seems to think even if fighters outside the UFC are elite-level, they’re not getting the recognition they’d get with it.

But longtime UFC light heavyweight [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag], who made the move to Bellator in 2020 and challenged for the title there in 2022, took issue on Instagram with some of Rogan’s contentions and said it’s not all about a popularity contest or fame – but it is a little about fortune, and Bellator gave him that in a way that changed his life.

Now yall know I LOVE my guy Joe!

But as someone who spent 7 years in the UFC and left at #4 in the organization….. fans seeing me fight wasn’t enough to pay bills or even begin to set my family up for a future. My wife and I both had to have jobs to keep afloat in between fights until my first fight in Bellator. I always say “I make more money in Bellator”, well my last fight ranked in the top 5, and my purse didn’t even make close to 6 figures… that’s 100K… after 7 years, 15 fights, 13 top 15 opponents, and being ranked in the top 10 within my first year. (My debut fight I made 16k). Hell, even to go be on @joerogan podcast, I had scramble to find someone to cover for me at work to go.

Yet my first fight in Bellator I made 5x more and was able to free my wife of a job and focus fully on my career as a fighter for the first time ever.

SOOOOO what good is it to have a fan base when I still have to work everyday to afford life. Compared to having fewer fans, financial freedom, and set your family up for life after fighting?

Yes I make that money bc of my start in the UFC but there’s fighters like @ajmckee101 and @patchymix that built that financial freedom in Bellator who may have never gotten it in UFC and also has a fan base! Even @mikechandlermma and @michaelvenompage

So if you want fans and stardom… yes, you have a better chance in the UFC. But if you want to make money… test the field and go where the money is. 🤷🏿

FAME DOESN’T PAY BILLS……..MONEY DOES!

Rogan sold his podcast to Spotify in 2020 for $200 million. By contrast, Anderson said his final UFC bout before his free agency move to Bellator, he made five times less money than he did his first fight for Bellator, and that while he was in the UFC both he and his wife had to continue working regular jobs.

Other fighters chimed in, as well, in Anderson’s comments, including fighters who fought for the UFC, but moved on to Bellator or elsewhere, like Anderson. Check out some of their responses to Rogan’s take below.

Jamahal Hill, Corey Anderson trade barbs on best light heavyweight: ‘My resume will always read champion’

Jamahal Hill and Corey Anderson sparked a debate on which promotion has the best light heavyweight.

[autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] and [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] sparked a debate on which promotion has the best light heavyweight.

UFC light heavyweight champion Hill took exception to Anderson’s claim that Bellator 205-pound champ Vadim Nemkov could be UFC champion, and that the top three in the division are himself, Nemkov, and Magomed Ankalev.

Hill responded to Anderson (17-6 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) in a video on his YouTube channel, prompting Anderson to fire back.

Anderson, a former UFC light heavyweight, holds notable wins over former champs Jan Blachowicz and Glover Teixeira. In his most recent appearance this past Friday, Anderson defeated ex-UFC fighter Phil Davis at Bellator 297.

Hill claimed the vacant light heavyweight belt by battering Teixeira for five rounds at UFC 283 in January.

Scroll below to see Hill and Anderson’s back-and-forth.

Corey Anderson was ‘shivering’ from nerves prior to Bellator 297 win: ‘Am I washed up?’

Corey Anderson has felt the pressure of a big moment before in his MMA career, but nothing like what he experienced prior to Bellator 297.

CHICAGO – [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] has felt the pressure of a big moment before in his MMA career, but nothing like what he experienced prior to Bellator 297.

After failing to capture the promotion’s light heavyweight title in a pair of fights with champ Vadim Nemkov, Friday’s fight against Phil Davis (24-7 MMA, 11-4 BMMA) at Wintrust Arena was a significant one for Anderson (17-6 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) and his career.

He ultimately got the win by split decision in a competitive fight, and Anderson could finally exhale when he got his hand raised. He knew it was a make-or-break fight in terms of his ability to return to title contention, and he felt all the weight of the stakes from the moment he arrived in Chicago for fight week.

“It was huge not just career-wise, but mental,” Anderson told MMA Junkie and other reporters post-fight at Bellator 297. “This is one where I knew I’m better than him, I know how good I am and I was so confident just knowing, ‘There’s nothing this guy can do with me.’ But then you get to the fight and your last fight was a loss and you think, ‘Am I washed up? Am I done? If I lose to Phil Davis there’s no way I’m getting a title fight. He was already the champ, and got beat by the champ.’

“So, fight week the jitters really got to me. The what ifs and, ‘I don’t think it could do it.’ Then today it really hit me hard. I thought I had the chills or the flu all day. I was like shivering (from) the nervousness. So to go out there and get that win, it was a relief and took a burden off my chest and back.”

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Now that he’s back in the win column and has confidence back on his side, Anderson is turning his attention back to the title. The way his two-fight series with Nemkov unfolded does not sit well with him, and it’s his biggest goal to rectify that.

The first meeting between the pair at Bellator 277 in April 2022 ended in a no contest when Anderson, who was winning the fight, connected with an accidental head butt that cut Nemkov open forced the doctor to halt the action. They had a rematch seven months later at Bellator 288 in November, and Nemkov looked sharp in taking a unanimous decision.

Anderson is convinced a third showdown would look similar to the first fight where he thrived before the foul, and he wants to prove that to the world, too.

“There’s nothing else to do,” Anderson said. “I’m No. 1 contender. Why would I go back and fight back to get back here? I just beat the No. 2 (in the Bellator rankings). We should’ve done the trilogy in the first place, but they already announced the Yoel (Romero) fight (for Nemkov).

“Everything (goes different in a third fight). I’m going to back like it’s the first fight. The second fight, I’m not one to make excuses. The only thing it was, was me.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.

Bellator 297 results: Corey Anderson edges Phil Davis by split decision, calls for title shot

Corey Anderson wants another shot at the light heavyweight title after beating Phil Davis by split decision at Bellator 297.

[autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] strengthened his case for another potential title shot when he defeated [autotag]Phil Davis[/autotag] on Friday at Bellator 297.

Anderson (17-6 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) defeated fellow former UFC veteran and ex-Bellator light heavyweight champion Davis (24-7 MMA, 11-4 BMMA) by split decision at the event, which took place at Wintrust Arena. The scorecard from the judges were 28-29, 29-28 and 29-28. Chris Lee was the deciding judge in Anderson’s favor.

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Neither fighter hesitated test the grappling prowess of the other in the first round. Anderson and Davis tangled early and often, with both men shooting, defending, reversing and more. They traded punches in between grappling attempts, but it was very even with neither side achieving a big advantage.

The clinch grappling and scrambles continued into the second, but the length of the striking exchanges continued. Anderson landed more of the cleaner, more consistent strikes through the frame, but Davis, who appeared more fatigued, held his own.

The pace of the fight slowed through the final round. Anderson worked behind his jab and straight punches, while Davis tried to counter. Neither man could connect with a fight-altering shot over the final five minutes, and ultimately the three judges cageside rewarded Anderson for his work.

After falling short against champion Vadim Nemkov in a two-fight series to conclude the Bellator light heavyweight grand prix, Anderson rebounded and wants another crack at 205-pound gold.

“You already know what I want,” Anderson said in his post-fight interview with John McCarthy. “There’s only one thing I’m here for. … We want that strap.”

The up-to-the-minute Bellator 297 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.

Corey Anderson explains why loss to Vadim Nemkov hurt like none other: ‘That last one was the worst’

Corey Anderson says the unanimous decision loss to Vadim Nemkov hurt the most of his career.

[autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag]’s had a tough time processing the result of his last outing.

Despite not being a stranger to adversity and defeat in the MMA game, Anderson’s (17-6 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) loss to Vadim Nemkov at Bellator 288 this past November hurt like none other. The light heavyweight contender will get a chance to relieve that pain this Friday on the main card of Bellator 297 in Chicago, as he takes on fellow veteran Phil Davis (24-6 MMA, 11-3 BMMA).

“I expect so much from myself no matter what,” Anderson told MMA Junkie Radio looking back at the defeat against Nemkov. “I don’t like shortcomings. Every time I lose, I take it like a grain of salt and wear it on my face like it didn’t bother me, but every loss, every mistake I make, it eats me up, and that last one was the worst.”

Yes, the loss to Nemkov was Anderson’s first title fight. There was also a $1 million prize on the line, as it was the final of the Bellator light heavyweight grand prix. But what stung the most, was that it was Anderson’s first clear decision defeat – and that didn’t sit well with him.

“I can handle a finish,” Anderson said. “I don’t want to, but it’s more like, ‘I got caught. If I can avoid and keep my right hand up, I won’t get knocked out. Or if I get caught in a submission, I can get my arm back.’ There’s something you can learn from a submission, when you get caught, when you get knocked out.

“As for losing a decision, other than that Shogun fight where everyone said I won, my main thing is I’ll never be outworked. No one will ever outwork me. You see me at the gym and nobody can keep up with my pace, and that was in my head going into the fight. The way I lost, the fact that I lost by decision. I was watching it and studying film like, ‘How did I get outworked? What did I do wrong?.'”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.

Bellator 297 video: Why Yoel Romero ‘faced off’ with Vadim Nemkov virtually from his hotel bed

Bellator’s headlining champs and challengers had their first faceoffs of fight week Wednesday 1,350 feet in the air – absent one key player.

CHICAGO – Bellator’s headlining champs and challengers had their first faceoffs of fight week Wednesday 1,350 feet in the air … absent one key player, though.

Light heavyweight champion [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] (16-2 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) puts his title on the line against [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) in the Bellator 297 main event.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] (35-5 MMA, 23-5 BMMA) chases history when he tries to add the bantamweight title to his current featherweight belt. He challenges 135-pound champ [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) in the co-feature, and a win will make him the first fighter in Bellator history to have titles in three different divisions.

Wednesday, the fighters took questions from the media at a press conference at the Skydeck at Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower), Chicago’s tallest building. At 1,451 feet, the Willis Tower is the 23rd tallest building in the world, third tallest in the U.S. and has the tallest public viewing area of any building in the country.

But Romero elected to stay at the host hotel in downtown Chicago rather than go to the 99th floor of the building. Romero, he said, is afraid of heights. He joined the press conference through a video feed in his hotel room. That meant no faceoff for the main event, but there were three others.

Check out the highlights from the co-main event faceoff in the video above, as well as the faceoff between [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] (17-6 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) and former light heavyweight champion [autotag]Phil Davis[/autotag] (24-6 MMA, 11-3 BMMA) and an appearance from Chicago’s own [autotag]Daniel James[/autotag] (15-6-1 MMA, 3-0 BMMA), a heavyweight contender who opens the main card against Gokhan Saricam (8-2 MMA, 4-2 BMMA).

Bellator 297 takes place Friday at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.

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UFC veterans in MMA and boxing action June 16-17

Check out which veterans of the UFC are in combat sports action across the globe this weekend.

This week, the UFC is back home in Las Vegas for UFC Fight Night 225.

The event at the UFC Apex features a middleweight main event between former title challengers [autotag]Marvin Vettori[/autotag] and [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag].

Elsewhere, many other combat sports events are taking place that feature a number of familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.

This week, there are a total of 22 veterans of the global MMA leader competing in MMA this week from June 16-17.

Check out the names and details about their bouts below.

Upcoming event information from Tapology.