Corey Anderson’s lengthy layoff lastly involves an finish on Saturday when he competes at heavyweight for the primary time in over a decade with a struggle booked towards 2024 PFL champion Denis Goltsov.
For the previous 16 months, the final Bellator mild heavyweight champion has been caught in purgatory whereas ready for his bosses on the PFL to e-book him a brand new struggle. He was initially anticipated to return in January for a trilogy towards Vadim Nemkov however that matchup ended up being nixed and he continued ready for a telephone name that will get him again to work.
When he lastly received phrase that PFL was providing him a struggle at heavyweight, Anderson didn’t blink on the opponent as a result of he was simply able to resume his profession after the longest break he’s ever taken since he first began competing again in 2013.
“This heavyweight struggle when it got here, [my manager] Ali [Abdelaziz] referred to as me with the title ‘brother, what do you suppose?’ I didn’t actually suppose, I mentioned I’ll take it,” Anderson instructed MMA Combating. “He mentioned ‘you positive? Have you ever even checked out him?’ No, I haven’t actually checked out him however I’ll take it.
“After I received off the telephone, I received tremendous nervous, it was like 11 o’clock at night time and I’m like oh snap, what did I simply do? I regarded him up, this man’s an actual massive heavyweight. The subsequent morning I awoke like let’s go! I wasn’t scared, I used to be simply nervous. I began learning, I see what he does effectively after which I received excited.”
Fact be instructed, Anderson didn’t actually see a whole lot of nice choices at mild heavyweight so taking a stab at a brand new division was a recent, enjoyable problem. Add to that, the nervousness Anderson felt was weirdly exhilarating as a result of he simply wasn’t getting those self same vibes from any of the potential matchups obtainable to him at 205 kilos.
“The factor concerning the folks left at 205 [pounds], as soon as Vadim left it was variety like I nonetheless practice on a regular basis — I’m going to coach regardless, I’m going to go exhausting — however that worry sort of wasn’t there,” Anderson defined. “There’s the possibilities of the ‘what if’ nevertheless it wasn’t like a worry, I didn’t really feel there was any new faces. Nothing I’ve by no means seen. Nothing like they could possibly be powerful fights however what if?”
There’s a danger and reward in each struggle however the payoff beating Goltsov might find yourself even larger if Anderson appears spectacular and decides to stay round at heavyweight.
The largest title within the PFL presently is former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, who has solely fought for the promotion one time with no actual indication on when he may struggle once more.
Anderson doesn’t have any insights into Ngannou’s plans for the long run however he’s definitely open to that struggle if the PFL has the identical thought in thoughts.
“I don’t know what’s happening with Francis? Has anyone heard something?” Anderson mentioned. “They’re selling his PFL Africa and all these items and then you definately heard Francis’ coach say he’s keen to return to the UFC. What’s happening with him? He’s nonetheless on the desk for folks to struggle?
“So long as the cash is smart, I’m all about it. That’s the place I’m at on this profession. Getting belts and checks, that’s it.”
Fact be instructed, Anderson may have higher choices obtainable at heavyweight than the present crop of contenders within the mild heavyweight division.
“Ryan Bader left so what’s the belt seem like there?” Anderson mentioned concerning the former Bellator heavyweight champion. “They are saying the winner of the PFL event is meant to struggle the heavyweight champ however now there’s no heavyweight champ from Bellator. I used to be instructed the PFL champ from final 12 months was presupposed to struggle a 205’er this 12 months. That’s [Dovletdzhan] Yagshimuradov, I beat him already.
“So if I win this and I’m nonetheless the 205-pound champ, per se, who’s he going to struggle? Are they going to have him struggle the champion of this 12 months? You simply don’t know.”
For now, Anderson can solely fear about what’s immediately forward of him and that’s Goltsov.
If he will get the job accomplished on Saturday and dominates or finishes Goltsov in spectacular style, Anderson expects new and thrilling alternatives are going to fall in his lap. Perhaps that’s the Ngannou struggle or one thing else however Anderson isn’t going to again down from any problem so long as it serves his long run targets of profitable championships and making his checking account that a lot fatter.
“We’re going to arrange for this and we’ll see what occurs,” Anderson mentioned. “If they are saying we’re going again to 205 subsequent [or] if the struggle is so dominant they’re like ‘we would like you to struggle for the heavyweight belt or we would like you to struggle an excellent struggle towards Francis.’ No matter it’s, we’re simply going to be ready.
“If it don’t earn cash, it don’t make sense. We all know the cash’s going to be there. Similar factor with Goltsov. The one purpose the chance got here is the cash. The chance, they reached out and the way in which they set the contract and every part up, I’m like sure, 100 %. Nicely value it.”
