Corey Anderson Reveals Sizeable Pay Difference Between Bellator And The UFC: Bellator Gave Me Life

Mandatory Credit: Lucas Noonan - Bellator MMA

Making his second walk under the Bellator banner last weekend at Bellator 257, Corey 'Ovetime' Anderson has claimed that despite featuring just two times under the Scott Coker-led banner -- he's earned double what he made during his fifteen-fight tenure with the UFC.

Anderson, who spent six-years of his professional career competing in the UFC, scooped The Ultimate Fighter 29 light heavyweight tournament finale back in July of 2014.

Scoring a 10-5 promotional resume during his UFC run, Anderson was expected to earn a light heavyweight title shot against former two-time division kingpin, Jon Jones off the back of a UFC Fight Night Rio Rancho rematch against now-champion, Jan Blachowicz, ultimately suffering a first round knockout loss against the Pole. The February 2020 outing would come as a his last in the UFC.

Penning a multi-fight deal with Bellator last August after he was granted his release from the UFC, Anderson made his organizational bow at Bellator 251 in November, scoring a second-round knockout win over veteran Dutch striker, Melvin Manhoef. 

Last weekend, Anderson featured in the quarter-final of the Bellator light heavyweight Grand Prix -- scoring another knockout -- in the form of a third-round stoppage over Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov. 

Off the back of the win, Anderson took to his official Twitter account, detailing that while the UFC may have given him a "career" -- Bellator have given him "life".

"(The) UFC gave me the career... Bellator gave me the life!!" Anderson wrote. "In two fights (and) six months with Bellator, I've made double of what I did in fifteen fights (eleven wins (and) two bonuses) seven years with (the) UFC. Now I live and enjoy life to the fullest with my family every day. Let that marinate."

 

UFC gave me the career...Bellator gave me the life!!

In 2 fights 6 months with Bellator, I've made double of what I did in 15 fights (11 wins 2 bonuses) 7 years with UFC. Now I live and enjoy life to the fullest with my family everyday!
Let that marinate....#blessed #worth

— Corey 'Overtime' Anderson (@CoreyA_MMA) April 20, 2021

Anderson's claims come off the back of the UFC's quite public negotiation fallout with the above-mentioned, Jones. 

Widely expected to challenge Francis Ngannou for the undisputed heavyweight championship this summer, the former 205-pound best has claimed that he informed promotion officials that a sum in the region of eight to ten million would be "too low" for a matchup of that "magnitude".

Whilst Jones remains hopeful that the promotion can work toward a sufficient deal with him, UFC president, Dana White has recently claimed that a heavyweight title rematch between Ngannou and surging contender, Derrick Lewis is "the fight to make".