The ongoing Bellator light heavyweight grand prix has reignited the
debate regarding the best light heavyweight in the sport, and there
are more than a few in the MMA community who believe that the
Vadim
Nemkov–Corey
Anderson winner can lay claim to that top spot.
“This was a gauntlet of 205ers and whoever wins this tournament, to
me, is the best 205er on the planet, period,” Bellator president
Scott Coker said on Saturday night. “That’s how I feel.”
Anderson was especially impressive in dispatching Ryan Bader in
just 51 seconds in the Bellator 268 co-main event at the Footprint
Center in Phoenix for his seventh win in eight professional outings
across stints in the California-based promotion as well as the UFC.
The man known as “Overtime” notably owns victories over both
Jan
Blachowicz and Glover
Teixeira, who will square off with light heavyweight gold on
the line at UFC 267 later this month.
However, Blachowicz avenged that defeat in Anderson’s final Octagon
appearance with a first-round knockout at UFC Fight Night 167 in
February 2020. The Polish star took exception to any notion that
Anderson, currently ranked No. 2 in Sherdog’s divisional rankings,
might be the top light heavyweight in the sport.
“Hold up… So a guy who bolted from the UFC after I’ve slept him
and almost made him retire, got a couple of wins in the [second]
league and claims he is the best?” Blachowicz wrote on Twitter.
“Maybe I’ve punched him [too] hard… No class in win or defeat,
Corey. There’s levels to this.”
That prompted a response from Anderson, who reminded Blachowicz of
their first meeting at UFC 191, which “The Ultimate Fighter 19”
cast member won via unanimous decision. It was a lopsided affair in
which Anderson secured a pair of 30-25 scorecards from the cageside
judges. “Let’s not forget. What happened to you the [first] time I
left you looking like elephant man. And you posted ‘I need to go
home and rethink my career,’” Anderson wrote.
“Yea I got knocked out in our [second] fight (lucky punch?), but I
made you my broad for 15 [minutes] straight. Nothing lucky about
that.”
Anderson is expected to face Nemkov for the Bellator crown sometime
early in 2022, while Blachowicz vs. Teixeira will go down on Oct.
30 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Let’s not forget. What happened to you the
1st time I left you looking like elephant man. And you posted “I
need to go home and rethink my career”.Yea I got knocked out in our 2nd fight (lucky punch?) but I made
you my broad for 15 min straight nothing lucky about that. https://t.co/q5kSRUVt48— Corey ‘Overtime’ Anderson (@CoreyA_MMA)
October 18, 2021