When Corey Anderson requested for his launch from the UFC and in the end signed with Bellator, he hoped for the most effective for his future however even he couldn’t have predicted how issues would play out.
Only a day after signing together with his new promotion, the previous Final Fighter winner received the prospect to sit down down with Bellator president Scott Coker to debate his future and together with assurances from matchmaker Mike Kogan, he knew he made the fitting transfer. Sadly, Anderson wasn’t granted the identical sort of viewers with PFL executives after the corporate purchased out Bellator on the finish of 2023, which left him with numerous questions which have by no means been answered.
As 2025 quick approaches, Anderson has already been out of motion for the previous 9 months and he’s becoming a member of a rising listing of Bellator fighters expressing issues about what precisely PFL has deliberate for them.
“For me, like I mentioned within the hash tag once I made that put up [on Twitter] about ageing like outdated milk, deliver Scott Coker again,” Anderson instructed MMA Combating. “As a result of for me that was the promoting level for me. When me and Scott sat down and had breakfast the day after I signed and every thing he instructed me he caught to his phrase. That’s the factor. If I meet you nose to nose and also you inform me one thing and we shake palms on it, I count on you to maintain your phrase. Scott Coker and Mike Kogan and every thing Mike Kogan instructed me, I signed and we did a Facetime on [Daniel Cormier’s phone] and every thing he mentioned, he stored his phrase. Scott Coker stored his phrase.
“[PFL CEO] Pete Murray and [PFL co-founder] Donn Davis, I’ve by no means met them. It’s sort of like I’m up within the air. I met Pete in Chicago nevertheless it was in the course of the fights so it wasn’t a lot time to sit down down and speak and work out a plan. It’s sort of like an unknown. I don’t know what their plans are. It’s daunting at instances since you don’t know.”
Whereas Anderson has overtly expressed his frustration with PFL, which included a Christmas day message aimed on the promotion over his lack of exercise regardless of contractual obligations, he’s by no means gone so far as demanding his launch from the group.
That’s not the case for reigning Bellator champions Patchy Combine and Patricio Pitbull, who’ve each requested a launch from their contracts because the fighters proceed toiling away on the sidelines with no clear indication on when both of them will struggle once more.
Anderson undoubtedly understands why Combine and Pitbull are so indignant over the state of affairs and it actually comes all the way down to an absence of communication from the PFL.
“There’s no actual plan,” Anderson mentioned. “That’s upsetting at instances. With Scott Coker and Mike Kogan, I by no means actually harassed as a result of I do know they gave me their phrase. For those who’re an actual man and also you shake my hand and also you look me within the eye, you’re going to maintain your phrase. I don’t care what the contract says. Your phrase is your bond. Your final title is every thing so that you’re talking in your title. So Kogan and Coker, they each shook my hand and every thing they’ve ever mentioned — even once I fought Phil Davis and I talked to Coker within the again, he mentioned ‘your subsequent struggle is a title struggle.’ Level clean, nothing else. They went to announce the Nemkov struggle, he pulled [out]. He instructed me ‘I do know the sale is occurring however don’t fear, I promise you your subsequent struggle is a title struggle, you simply wait. Your subsequent struggle goes to be a title struggle, it doesn’t matter what occurs.’
“[Bellator] received purchased by PFL, [Mike Kogan] referred to as me with the primary name like ‘hey, first card over in Eire, I instructed you, you bought a title struggle, do you wish to go to Eire?’ Sure, after all! [He said] ‘I’ll get your contract.’ A person of his phrase. That’s large for me.”
Greater than a 12 months after the PFL and Bellator merger, Anderson nonetheless hasn’t truly spoken to his new bosses with Kogan remaining his major level of contact inside the group.
“With Donn and Pete, I haven’t talked to them,” Anderson mentioned. “I don’t know what their plans are. On the identical time, from the skin trying it, it simply seems like guys that haven’t actually spent a lot time in combating, in order that they don’t actually know what they’re doing in the mean time. They’re attempting to make enterprise strikes. They’re good at Wall Avenue sort stuff, shares and getting cash, however that’s only a completely different recreation than the struggle recreation so I simply don’t know their plans.
“Who is aware of. They could have one thing deliberate. You retain seeing Donn put up on Twitter ‘subsequent 12 months this, subsequent 12 months that.’ Hopefully, it’s one thing large. Hopefully we get one thing at the start of the 12 months and get one other one on the finish of the 12 months. I hope I don’t struggle another struggle and find yourself sitting on the shelf once more.”
Anderson initially anticipated to return in January after providing and accepting a struggle in opposition to longtime rival Vadim Nemkov however the bout was ultimately scrapped and he wasn’t rebooked with a unique opponent.
Since that struggle cancellation, Anderson says he’s been promised a struggle in early 2025 however there’s nonetheless nothing official a lot much less a bout settlement coming throughout his desk.
Fortunately, Anderson all the time deliberate for the long run so financially he’s not in a foul spot the place he’s doubtlessly going broke with out combating in order that’s not a burden weighing down on him.
Nonetheless at 35, Anderson is aware of his time left within the sport is proscribed and every passing day solely makes him query when or if he would possibly get to struggle once more.
“I’m at peace,” Anderson mentioned. “I’d like to struggle and maintain defending the belt. I actually wish to struggle and maintain defending the belt however on the identical time, if one thing got here up the place Bellator crashed at this time and UFC didn’t wish to choose me again up or I went to the physician and I couldn’t struggle once more, I may actually stroll away from the sport and say I did 12 years, I gave it my all. I went into the sport with zero expertise, gained The Final Fighter, made it to the large present, gained my belt, I’ve completed every thing I needed to do. Now I can simply stay life and hang around with my children.”
