Corey Anderson finally explains his decision to leave the UFC.
This past weekend, the top-ranked light heavyweight shocked many when it announced that he left the promotion and joined Bellator MMA. The news of Anderson leaving felt sudden as the 30-year-old never dropped any hints of leaving the promotion anytime soon.
Anderson’s tenure with UFC suddenly came to an end after six years and many wondered why the No. 4 ranked fighter in the world was leaving the top MMA company in North America. It appears that it all boiled down to money for the former UFC star as Anderson details his unhappiness with what he was being paid in the UFC:
“I literally came out of the last procedure, rolled into my waiting room and turned my phone on, and had a contract from the UFC for a fight," Anderson told ESPN. "I agreed to the fight, but then [the opponent] got hurt and they were doing the same thing they did in the past, offering me fights that didn't make sense for the money I was making. I'm No. 4 in the world and I'm making money like it was my fourth fight in the UFC."
Anderson makes note of the failed communication between him and UFC officials, stating that the promotion wasn’t interested in negotiating a new contract. However, the advice given by Daniel Cormier ultimately helped him make the decision to jump over to Bellator MMA:
"I used to say I don't care about the money, that I'm fighting to be the best and I don't need the money," Anderson said. "After hanging out with [Cormier], he broke something to me. He said, 'You know how you say you don't fight for money? When was the last time you got in a street fight? You don't fight for free. You fight to pay for your family.' I said, 'Let's see if we can get a little more money for the fight.' And the UFC wouldn't budge. I asked for my release and they said, 'All right, we'll release him,' in 20 seconds. I've got no anger towards the UFC, but this is how I know my worth to them."
There is no word yet as to when Anderson will make his Bellator debut.