Corey Anderson (fighter) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Corey Anderson
Corey Anderson ahead of UFC 244 in Madison Square Garden
Born	(1989-09-22) September 22, 1989 (age 35) Rockford, Illinois, U.S.
Other names	Overtime/ Beastin 25/8
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	205 lb (93 kg; 14.6 st)
Division	Light heavyweight (2013, 2014–present) Heavyweight (2013)
Reach	79 in (201 cm)
Style	Wrestling, BJJ
Fighting out of	Rockton, Illinois, U.S.
Team	Renzo Gracie Academy
Rank	Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Ricardo Almeida
Wrestling	NCAA Division II Wrestling
Years active	2013–present
Mixed martial arts record
Total	25
Wins	18
By knockout	8
By decision	10
Losses	6
By knockout	4
By decision	2
No contests	1

Corey Anderson (born September 22, 1989) is an American mixed martial artist. He competes in the light heavyweight division. Currently, he is the Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion. Before joining Bellator, Corey was a top fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He even won The Ultimate Fighter: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn TV show.

Corey Anderson's Early Life

Wrestling Journey

Corey Anderson grew up in Rockton, Illinois. He started wrestling when he was in third grade. In high school, he was a strong wrestler. He finished third at the Freestyle State Championships.

After high school, he went to Lincoln College. He had to take a "redshirt" year because of a leg injury. This means he practiced but didn't compete. After he healed, he became an "All-American" wrestler. He won first place at the Regional Championships twice.

Later, Corey moved to Newberry College and then to the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. As a senior, he had an amazing record of 46 wins and only 5 losses. He finished second at the 2012 NCAA Division III Championships. This was the highest finish ever for his school. He then earned a degree in business.

How He Started MMA

While wrestling at UW-Whitewater, Corey met Ben Askren. Ben was a champion in Bellator MMA and an Olympic wrestler. Ben noticed Corey's boxing-like moves in wrestling. He encouraged Corey to try mixed martial arts (MMA).

Corey wasn't sure at first. But Ben tricked him into an MMA practice. Corey thought it was for freestyle wrestling. Later, Corey trained with coach Marc Fiore. He also trained with other professional fighters. Eventually, his coach, Bobby Brents, encouraged him to try out for The Ultimate Fighter.

Corey Anderson's MMA Career

The Ultimate Fighter TV Show

In 2014, Corey joined The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) TV show. This show helps new fighters get into the UFC. He was part of Team Edgar. In his first fight, he beat Kelly Anundson. This win got him into the TUF house.

In the quarter-finals, Corey used his wrestling skills to win. He beat Josh Clark. Then, in the semi-finals, he defeated his teammate Patrick Walsh. This earned him a spot in the finale.

Fighting in the UFC

Corey faced Matt Van Buren in the TUF 19 finale on July 6, 2014. He won the fight very quickly. He knocked out Matt in just 61 seconds! This was the fastest finish ever in a TUF finale. Corey became the light heavyweight tournament winner.

He continued fighting in the UFC. He won against Justin Jones in December 2014. In April 2015, he fought Gian Villante and lost. But their fight was so exciting that it won the "Fight of the Night" bonus.

Corey then had a series of wins. He beat Jan Błachowicz, Fábio Maldonado, and Tom Lawlor. In May 2016, he had a close fight with Maurício Rua and lost by a small margin.

He bounced back with a win against Sean O'Connell. But then he lost to Jimi Manuwa and Ovince Saint Preux by knockout.

Corey then went on another winning streak. He beat Patrick Cummins, Glover Teixeira, and Ilir Latifi. In November 2019, he won against Johnny Walker by knockout. This win earned him the "Performance of the Night" award. After the fight, he was very excited and was later fined for his actions. In February 2020, he had a rematch with Jan Błachowicz and lost.

Joining Bellator MMA

In August 2020, Corey signed a new contract with Bellator MMA. He made his first appearance in Bellator in November 2020. He won his debut fight against Melvin Manhoef.

In 2021, Corey joined the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix. This was a big tournament. He won his quarterfinal fight against Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov. Then, in the semi-finals, he quickly defeated Ryan Bader in the first round.

In the Grand Prix finals, Corey fought the champion, Vadim Nemkov. Their first fight in April 2022 ended in a "no contest." This happened because an accidental head clash caused a cut on Nemkov, and he couldn't continue.

They had a rematch in November 2022. Corey lost this fight by decision. In June 2023, he won a close fight against Phil Davis.

Becoming Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion

The Light Heavyweight title became empty. So, Corey got to fight for it again. On March 22, 2024, he faced Karl Moore for the vacant Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship. Corey won the fight by unanimous decision. He used his strong wrestling skills to control the match. This made him the new Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion!

Corey was set to fight Vadim Nemkov again in January 2025. But in December, Corey said the fight was off.

Championships and Awards

• Bellator MMA
  • Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship (One time; current)
• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • The Ultimate Fighter 19 Tournament Winner
  • Fight of the Night (One time) vs. Gian Villante
  • Performance of the Night (One time) vs. Johnny Walker
  • UFC.com Awards
    • 2014: Newcomer of the Year
    • 2015: Ranked #10 Fight of the Year vs. Gian Villante
    • 2018: Ranked #10 Fighter of the Year (Tied with Thiago Santos & Kamaru Usman) & Ranked #6 Upset of the Year vs. Glover Teixeira
• MMAJunkie.com
  • 2015 April Fight of the Month vs. Gian Villante

Mixed Martial Arts Record

Mixed Martial Arts Exhibition Record

See also

In Spanish: Corey Anderson para niños

• List of current Bellator fighters
• List of male mixed martial artists