Daniel Cormier, UFC commentator and former two-division champ, gave Bellator’s next light heavyweight challenger some serious advice back when Corey Anderson was in the UFC. Anderson revealed to MMAFighting that, when he was training with Daniel Cormier in preparation for DC’s trilogy bout against Stipe Miocic, Cormier had some serious words of encouragement.
“Before I left, he goes ‘Corey, I’m going to be honest with you, I commentate and I fight and there is no reason why you should not be UFC champion by the end of 2020. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be champion.’ It was just from the work we put in and he could see the way I train and compete. He could see how good I was.
The Advice from Daniel Cormier that Changed Corey Anderson’s Career Forever
He said ‘let’s put it this way — there’s only been one person I’ve been able to go five rounds straight and give me work, constant competition and that’s Cain Velasquez and you’ve seen what he’s done, right?
You’re the only person I’ve ever had come into camp and compete with me and put work in and take me down and you hit me back when I hit you. Most guys can’t do that and I’ve beat everybody in the division and I was the world champ at 205 [pounds]. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be [champion].’”
But Corey Anderson, despite a four-fight win streak, just couldn’t land in the good graces of the UFC’s brass, including Dana White. Ultimately, DC told Corey Anderson that he needed to start thinking about his career, not his pride.
The way DC told me ‘you fell in love with three letters — UFC. That’s all it was cause that’s all you see on social media.’
Those three letters aren’t going to pay your kid’s college tuition. Those three letters aren’t going to pay you more. I made a financial choice.
I was trying to stay in the UFC for three letters. DC loves the UFC, he’s a UFC guy and he does well in the UFC so he wouldn’t leave the UFC. But for me, I wasn’t doing as well as I’m doing now so why wouldn’t I leave?
I did the right thing by me and by my family. That’s a smart business move.”
Corey Anderson is on the cusp of challenging for a light heavyweight title. He’ll take on Bellator champ Vadim Nemkov, and if he wins he’ll be looking at a $1 million payout.
Do you think Corey Anderson made the right move leaving the UFC? Let us know in the comments.
