Corey Anderson is now in Bellator MMA.
In a shocking move, Corey Anderson has made the transition over from UFC to Bellator MMA. ESPN first reported the news and MMA Fighting confirmed the move over to Bellator MMA. Anderson requested his release from the promotion, which was granted; The former UFC light heavyweight had multiple fights left on his contract, though the exact number wasn't confirmed. As of this writing, there’s no word on why the 30-year-old opted to leave the UFC. Anderson was ranked No. 4 in the company’s division.
Anderson’s name was slowly rising as the light heavyweight beat names such as Tom Lawlor, Glover Teixeira, Johnny Walker, and Patrick Cummins to get into the top-10 rankings. At one point, Anderson was angling to get a title shot against Jon Jones for a future championship; however, any hopes of a title match next was squashed when Jan Błachowicz beat Anderson at UFC Fight Night 167.
Since then, Anderson has mostly been silent about his next move going forward. Anderson joins a Bellator MMA division that features Phil Davis, Lee Chadwick, and the Bellator World Light Heavyweight Champion Ryan Bader. His professional record stands at 13 wins and 5 losses.