In 2019, Corey Anderson was apparently told that he earned a UFC title shot.
If you know the story of the former top candidate, you would know that Anderson never made a title fight in his 15-Fight Run in the world's first MMA promotion.
Once in the top five of the UFC Light Heavyweight Division, Anderson, who is now signed at the PFL, had a profit racing with four fights. 'Overtime' had victories on people like the headliner Johnny Walker from last weekend, Ilir Latifi, former Champ Glover Teixeira and Patrick Cummins.
Yet Anderson did not get a title against Jon Jones, who was the champion at the time.
Anderson's Win Streak ended in 2020 when he lost his next fight to harsh Jan Bachowicz through the first round knockout. Anderson never fought in the UFC again and then won a world title in Bellator MMA.
Looking back years later Anderson describes the conversation he had with the UFC buyer about what the biggest fight of his career against Jones would have been and why he didn't get the chance.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty images
Corey Anderson says that UFC's Hunter Campbell refused him Title Shot because of the presence of social media
Prior to Johnny Walker, who was a red -hot prospect at the time of their fight on UFC 244, Anderson spoke with UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell.
According to Anderson, Campbell agreed with him that he earned a title fight for his win -streak, but did not go through because of the social media of Anderson.
“The way I grew up in sport, it was how good you were. Not how good your social media was,” Anderson told Damon Martin of MMA Fighting.
“Hunter Campbell, when I left the UFC before the Johnny Walker fight, he had a conversation with me and he told me:” We can't give you a title, it's 100% that you earn a title fight, but we can't give it because your social media is not there, “Anderson said.
“It's not about who is the best,” Anderson added.
“It's for those who are going to put butts on the seats. The fans determine who is the best hunter who has the greatest social media [following]. “
'You don't even have to be good in fighting …
“You just have to have good social media,” Anderson said.
“Boys get title fights such as Derrick Lewis,” Anderson used as an example.
“He got a title fight because he went outside and said,” My balls are hot. ” He has 2.1 million followers at night.
Anderson's follower count on Instagram is currently 133,000. It was much less at the height of his UFC career.
Corey Anderson has an impressive record after UFC
Anderson is today one of the best pound-for-pound hunters outside the UFC.
The productive wrestler won the Bellator Light Heavyweight title with a dominant decision victory over Karl Moore last year. Anderson accepted his heavyweight debut in July, with former PFL champion Denis Goltsov in PFL Africa.
Anderson has been 6-1 (1 AD) since leaving the UFC in 2020. The 35-year-old has victories over former two-division champion Ryan Bader, Phil Davis and Dovlet Yagshimuradov.
Anderson rematches Yagshimuradov for the empty PFL -light heavyweight title at the PFL Champions Series event on 3 October in Dubai.